We want to hear from you!

Have your say in shaping the future of the Mornington Harbour – one of Mornington Peninsula’s iconic boating and waterside destinations. 

A draft Local Port Area Plan that sets a long-term direction for its use and management is now available for comment.  

How to participate

Above:  People enjoying the sightseeing and recreational fishing at Mornington Pier.  Image Credit: Parks Victoria.

About the project

Mornington Harbour on Bunurong Sea Country, is one of Port Phillip’s iconic yachting, boating and recreational fishing destinations. To ensure it continues to be a safe and thriving maritime precinct for many more years to come, Parks Victoria is developing a Local Port Area Plan (plan) for the harbour and water uses. 

Focusing on the on-water elements managed by Parks Victoria, the plan aims to provide guidance on the future of pier and jetty infrastructure, as well as additional improvements to harbour safety, access and function through a review of fairways and the mooring ground. 

Guided by the Sustainable Local Ports Framework, this plan is being developed using a place-based approach which leverages local knowledge and expertise to guide the future of local port assets and services. 

Progressing the planning process is an important step in ensuring that we have a plan for future investment in this key maritime precinct.

Engagement so far

Parks Victoria has been working with key stakeholders such as Traditional Owners through the Bunurong Land Council and Aboriginal Corporation, and local government and other organisations to help develop the draft plan. A Focus Group was held in July 2023 with key users and stakeholders - view the Key Findings Report.

These conversations helped us to better understand how the area is currently being used and what improvements need to be considered.

Next steps

Community feedback gathered on the draft plan through this consultation process will be considered and used to inform the final plan. 

An Engagement Summary Report will be developed from the feedback.  When the plan is finalised, this Report will be shared on the Engage Victoria page and distributed to those who have provided their email contact during the consultation process. 

The final plan is expected to be released early 2024.

Above:  Historic photo of Mornington Harbour. Image Credit:  State Library of Victoria C 1920-54.

Planning for a rebuilt Fishermans Jetty  

Alongside the local port area planning process, the much-loved Mornington Fishermans Jetty will be rebuilt so that it can be enjoyed by locals and visitors for years to come. Investment announced in the Victorian State Budget 2022-23 has allowed initial planning stages for the replacement of the jetty to begin. 

Fishermans Jetty, an important historical and social landmark for locals and visitors, is now approaching the end of its design life.  The jetty is closed for safety reasons. The project will see the jetty replaced on its original alignment, reinstating berthing for vessels and ensuring it is able to be visited and enjoyed by the community once again. 

Timing on work to replace the jetty will be announced as the project progresses but is expected to take around two years depending on design and construction phases. Future removal of the current jetty is necessary for the development. 

Above – Sorrento Pier. A future plan is underway for this and four other local port areas in Port Phillip and Western Port.  Image Credit:  Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.

Other local port area plan news

Local port area plans for Williamstown, Mornington, Sorrento and St Leonards in Port Phillip, and Rhyll in Western Port are in development. Parks Victoria, as the relevant local port manager, is leading these priority planning projects. 

Community consultation for the Sorrento Local Port Area draft plan is expected to get underway in the coming weeks. To be kept informed about this project please subscribe to receive email updates. 

A plan has already been finalised for Sandringham Harbour and is being used to guide planning for the Hampton Pier rebuild thanks to the Victorian Government’s $18 million investment package towards critical pier infrastructure upgrades across the State.  

The plans, which draw on past investigations and community input, provide a clear direction on improving the safety and function of the local port areas, and aids the prioritisation of asset investment based on the broader government funding priorities as outlined in the Sustainable Local Ports Framework.