Williamstown local port area Shaping a better future

We want to hear from you!

Have your say in shaping the future of the Williamstown local port area – one of Melbourne’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

About the project

Williamstown local port area on Bunurong Sea Country, is an iconic waterside facility and boating destination in Melbourne’s vibrant west.  To ensure it continues to be a safe and thriving community asset for many more years to come, Parks Victoria is developing a Local Port Area Plan (plan).

Guided by the Sustainable Local Ports Framework and the Williamstown Maritime Precinct Plan, 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.

With a focus on the on-water components, the plan aims to address issues and challenges in the area, including the future of the five piers and jetties (Workshops Pier, Commissioners Jetty, Boyd Street Pier, Gem Pier and Ferguson Street Pier), access channel sedimentation, and provision for large vessels and other uses.

Community engagement so far

There’s been a lot of consultation undertaken already as part of developing the draft plan – talking to Traditional Owners through the Bunurong Land Council and Aboriginal Corporation and key users through focus groups.  These conversations helped us to better understand why the place is so important, how the area is currently being used and what improvements need to be made. The key findings report from the focus group can be viewed here.

The initial information gathered has been used to help develop the draft plan which is now ready for wider community feedback. 

Above – Workshops Pier.  Planning is underway to restore and reopen it to public access.

Planning critical repairs for Workshops Pier

Through investment from the Victorian Government, Parks Victoria is planning critical repairs to restore and reopen Workshops Pier located within the Williamstown local port area.  The pier is currently closed for public safety.  

The project will allow us to reinstate berthing for vessels and ensure the pier is able to be visited and enjoyed by the community once again. To be kept informed about the project please subscribe to email updates in the link below.

Above – Boating activity at Williamstown.

Have your say - Williamstown boating rule change 

Parks Victoria has also started community consultation on the proposed modification and extension of the 5-knot speed limit for the waters under its control in Williamstown at the same time as the draft plan.

This proposed waterway rule change is identified as a key mitigation measure in the Williamstown Maritime Precinct Wave Wash Surge Study - Stage 3 Mitigation Options Assessment.

Click on the link below for more information and to submit feedback. This survey is open until 30 September 2023.

Above – Aerial view of Mornington Harbour.  A future plan is underway for this and other local port areas in Port Phillip and Western Port.

Other local port area plan news

Local Port Area Plans for Mornington and Sorrento 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.

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

The process of developing a local port area plan involves evaluating key maritime precincts and exploring their place-based, technical challenges while consulting stakeholders and local communities on their future vision for the area. When a final plan is developed, it will aid the prioritisation of asset investment based on the broader government funding priorities as outlined in the Sustainable Local Ports Framework.