As Committee of Management for Crown Land, City of Melbourne manages berthing on undeveloped wharves (including the Central Pier Pontoon and Superyacht Marina) in Victoria Harbour and along South Wharf on the Yarra River on behalf of VicUrban.
The Docklands Berthing Licences refer to the following:
- A Crown Land Licence is required under section 17B of the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978 offering longer term mooring of a vessel in Docklands’ Victoria Harbour. A Crown Land Licence offers a term of no more than three years, up to 1 July 2014. The City of Melbourne determines licence applications, which are approved by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.
- A Licence to Moor with VicUrban is required under the Docklands Act 1991, offering a berthing term of up to one year, up to 1 July 2012, at South Wharf, Yarra River. The City of Melbourne determines licence applications, which are approved by VicUrban.
A provision under the Crown Land Licence and the Licence to Moor allows the City of Melbourne or other statutory body (such as VicUrban) to relocate a vessel or terminate the berthing licence to conduct redevelopment if it occurs during the licence tenure.
The Docklands Berthing Licences will be administered and managed by Council, and will:
i) Set the scene for commercial waterway activity into the future;
ii) Provide consistent berthing conditions for all (commercial) vessels;
iii) Provide security of tenure; and
iv) Regulate the relationship between water and land.
The Licences for Victoria Harbour and South Wharf will implement Berthing Conditions (see downloads below), which will address issues within Docklands relating to noise, security, seaworthiness, the environment, safety, and apply consistent operating standards for access and utilisation of wharf area adjacent to the licensed area and the berth.
Download Berthing Conditions
Berthing Conditions – Victoria Harbour (PDF, 190kb)
Berthing Conditions – Victoria Harbour (text only, 128kb)
Berthing Conditions – South Wharf (PDF, 235kb)
Berthing Conditions – South Wharf (text only, 97kb)
The Crown Land Licence will also include Trading Conditions (see downloads below), which requires vessels seeking to operate and berth in Victoria Harbour to hold the relevant consents, compliances and approvals, setting the minimum standards of behaviour that must be observed for vessels trading commercially.
Download Victoria Harbour Trading Conditions
Victoria Harbour Trading Conditions (PDF, 24kb)
Victoria Harbour Trading Conditions (text only, 55kb)
Applicants will need to meet set criteria and assessment requirements to be approved for a Docklands berthing licence. This criteria has been set to promote opportunity for social interaction, add to the vibrancy of the area and activate the Docklands waterways. Issues associated with large capacity vessels operating as event spaces transferring passengers in the public realm will also be considered.
Contact the City of Melbourne Waterways Unit for further information about berthing availability and application process.