In the late 1880s the site was converted into a prominent industrial and transport hub. It was virtually abandoned ninety years later.
Today the area, which covers 200 hectares of land and water, is Australia’s largest construction project and Melbourne’s biggest urban renewal development. It has turned this heavily industrialised site into an exciting waterfront destination, with a mixture of residential, commercial, recreational, retail and entertainment spaces spanning nine precincts.
Key transport links have been established with the opening of Wurundjeri Way, the new Bourke Street footbridge, the La Trobe and Collins Street extensions, and the redevelopment of Spencer Street Station, now Southern Cross Station.
Coffey’s specialist skills have facilitated the development of this vibrant and diverse living and working space. We have managed the remediation of a former industrial site to enable the land to be reused and provided specialist ground and rail engineering skills for the construction of new transport links. We have also provided strategic advice and project management skills for many of the key districts and for the major leisure and entertainment facilities.
Between 1999 and 2002, Coffey in partnership with Abigroup Contractors remediated the former West Melbourne Gas Works site in accordance with the requirements of the Victorian Environment Protection Act. The 7.6 hectare site contained extensive distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) impacted ash, fill and free tars.
In total, more than 270,000 cubic metres of soil was excavated from the site, with around 35 per cent being segregated, treated and reused at the site.
The Victoria Harbour precinct, which now sits on the former gas works site, is a vibrant mix of residential, retail, office and public space with 3.7 kilometres of waterfront disposed of at a prescribed waste landfill, was treated through a process known as Advanced Organic Stabilisation to reduce the leachability of organic contaminants by up to 70 per cent.
The Docklands is home to Etihad Stadium, a multi-purpose facility designed to cater for major sporting and entertainment events. The stadium, which was project managed by Coffey, is the only football stadium in the Southern Hemisphere with a fully retractable roof. Since opening in 2000, more than 19 million people have passed through the venue’s turnstiles.
Across from Etihad Stadium is the state-of-the-art Digital Harbour precinct, which Coffey also played a role in developing. Digital Harbour is a specialist IT precinct, housing commercial companies and government agencies that all have a strong emphasis on research and innovative technology.
Coffey’s role continues at nearby precincts within the Docklands, with the management of Kangan Batman TAFE, located at Batman’s Hill. The new campus is the main state-wide provider of automotive skills, training and education, incorporating industry skill, participation and knowledge. The Automotive Centre of Excellence is co-located with The Fox Classic Car Museum.
Coffey is providing full project management services, including selecting a consultant team, establishing and managing user groups, and reporting to a project control group comprising the client, Skills Victoria, Fox Car Museum and VicUrban representatives. We have managed all submissions to authorities and approvals, including the overall development plan, the VicUrban development agreement and all utility negotiations and approvals.
When complete in around 2020, the Docklands will almost double the size of the Melbourne CBD. It is anticipated that A$12 billion will have been invested, 40,000 people will work there and 17,000 will call it home.
Coffey has a long history working on urban renewal projects, playing an instrumental role in Canberra’s Kingston Foreshore Development, the Darwin City Waterfront, Sydney’s Darling Harbour, Perth’s Subiaco and multiple developments in the cities of Auckland, Dubai and Los Angeles among others.
