Community Update 
Rye Pier Now Open!

December 2022

Rye Pier is now open and looking better than ever after a significant rebuild during 2022. Following a stormy wet autumn, winter and spring, the project to reconstruct and upgrade the pier approach is now completed. If you’ve missed walking and fishing from the pier, why not head down soon and take a look at what’s been happening this year? 

Welcome back to Rye Pier

The entire pier has reopened for summer for all the activities you enjoy, including walking, fishing, boating, and snorkelling. When walking on the pier, enjoy the new wider timber deck which provides more space for everyone visiting. The reconstructed portion of the pier is now higher than the outer pier and pier head, so we’ve built a temporary timber ramp to connect the different levels to enable everyone to access the entire pier over summer

For those who enjoy taking in the view and sunset across the bay, the pier has new bench seating built by Point Nepean Men’s Shed using salvaged decking timbers from the pier, providing a welcome connection to the past.

Snorkelers and divers venturing under the pier will observe that a number of old pier piles have been retained. These are providing habitat for a rich array of marine life including sponges, tube-worms, molluscs and seaweeds. In addition, it’s pleasing to see the new piles installed in 2022 are rapidly being colonised by Port Philip marine biota which is visible in the accumulating colourful seaweeds and molluscs.

The newly reconstructed Rye Pier approach is open and ready for summer.

Visiting Rye Pier this summer

We've reopened the pier and contractors have vacated the Rye Pier carpark which returns this space to the community to use over what’s sure to be a busy summer ahead.  

The reconstructed portion of the pier is now higher than the outer pier and pier head. To enable everyone to access the entire pier, we’ve built a temporary ramp to connect the varying levels.   

More upgrades planned for 2023

Rebuilding the pier approach is a great outcome, but we’ll complete the Rye Pier rebuild in 2023 thanks to funding in the 2022/23 State Budget. An additional funding allocation means we can build a new, stronger pier head and incorporate additional low landing space along the pier head, providing extra berthing for visiting vessels. 

To enable a safe and enjoyable summer by the bay, works won’t begin until after the busy summer holiday period.

This redevelopment of Rye Pier is a significant project which will strengthen the pier as a local community asset and attraction for decades to come. Thanks again for your patience while we deliver this important work.

Protecting the marine environment 

Protecting local marine life is a key consideration of this project. In 2021 we prepared an ecological report to provide recommendations on how to retain the pier's ecological values as a dive and marine natural history site.

As a result, we’ve retained a selection of the old piles at a depth with the highest ecological values. We’ve cut off viable piles above the seabed which has allowed marine life attached to the piles to remain in their habitat with minimal disturbance. This will also assist with recolonisation onto the new piles over time, providing a stable environment for ecological succession. Importantly we are already seeing signs of marine life colonising the newly installed timber piles which is great to see. As planning for stage two commences, we’ll continue work to protect marine values and share the outcomes with you.

Complementing improvements to Rye foreshore 

We’re working with Mornington Peninsula Shire Council to ensure the pier’s on-water improvements complement and integrate with the Rye Foreshore redevelopment project. As part of this collaborative effort, we’ve donated a significant number of salvaged timbers from Rye Pier to council for use in landscaping elements. Showcasing pier timbers in creative ways will further improve the visitor experience and connection to the maritime environment.

What else has been happening?

We’ve been busy improving several local piers and jetties this year, delivering upgrades and repairs to some of the popular fishing and boating destinations. We’ve improved the decking and fenders at Sorrento Pier’s low landing, carried out vital repairs to Portsea Pier’s piles and fenders, and installed a section of new timber decking at San Remo Jetty. Many of Port Phillip and Western Port’s piers and jetties were constructed over 50 years ago and maintenance works enable these popular assets to remain safe and open for people to visit.

New fenders, ladders and fibreglass decking installed at Sorrento Pier's low landing.