PROTECTING SOUTH YARRA:
Since 1969 we have, on behalf of local residents, been working to enhance and preserve the character and amenity of the City of Melbourne component of South Yarra. Melbourne South Yarra Residents Group Membership is open to all residents within the postocde 3141 or 3004 precinct of the City of Melbourne.
We aim to hold two General meetings per year and engage with members in various campaigns and consultations as the need arises. Membership can be applied for online.
Current Issues
There is a constant flow of issues that have the potential to adversely affect the amenity of living in South Yarra. From the provision of community services, management of parks and gardens to over and inappropriate development of the built form in the area – we as residents must be prepared to take an strong interest in civic issues in order to retain the heritage nature of our locality and preserve the amenity it affords residents and visitors.
Metro Rail
MSYRG are in ongoing dialogue with MetroRail during the construction of Anzac station. The internals of the station are now complete, and recent images are shown below. Here is our latest report, updated 30 October 2024.
Above: Interiors of the new Anzac Station.
Return of Tram to Domain Road.
The tram tracks at the intersection of Domain Road and St Kilda Road have been reinstated, but they will now only allow the tram to cross St Kilda Road and proceed down Park Street (South Melbourne) to Kingsway. So if the tram does return to Domain Road, that is the way it will travel as there is now no option for the tram to head down St Kilda Road to the city.
PTV have stated that any decisions about the return of the tram will only be made after the opening of the new rail line, and then only after passenger movements have been evaluated.
The reality is that the old No. 8 tram was discontinued in 2017, well before work on the station had even begun. The tram became No. 58 and changed its route to go down Park Street (South Melbourne), so the writing was clearly on the wall back then. The planners, however, kept their options open as the draft plans for Anzac (then Domain) Station, dated November 2017, show the tram tracks having the option of going down either Park Street or St Kilda Road. This option was removed rather quietly in about 2020, with no consultation.
MSYRG is monitoring the situation and will make submissions as the opportunity arises.
AGM
2024 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
SUNDAY October 20th 5.30 pm
At IRENE MITCHELL STUDIO, St Martins Youth Arts Centre
28 St Martins Lane, South Yarra
A summary of the AGM held at 5.30 pm on Sunday 20th October 2024
The AGM was held with a good quorum of attendees and proxies.
1. Office Bearers. No new nominations were received. One resignation was received: Anne Roso. All other Office Bearers were re-elected unopposed.
President: James Syme
Vice President: Phil Lukies
Treasurer: Pam Dethridge
Secretary: Jan Armstrong-Conn
Committee: Michael Butcher, Andrew Bennett, Gayle Gledhill, David Parker.
2. A Motion was passed
a. Resolved that the MSYRG Committee request the PTV to convene a public consultation meeting with MSYRG residents as soon as possible to discuss the following:
(i) MSYRG residents urge PTV to immediately reopen a tram service along Park Street (South Yarra) and Domain Road to St Kilda Road; and
(ii) MSYRG residents, while supporting the continuation of the no.58 tram service, urge PTV to reconsider its refusal, as recently indicated to MSYRG representatives, to also restore the original route of the no.8 tram (namely to the centre of the City and Carlton, along Park Street (South Yarra), Domain Road, St Kilda Road and Swanston Street), as an additional service.
b. Further resolved that the MSYRG Committee urge the PTV to:
(i) immediately disclose the proposed re-routing of the no. 605 bus; and
(ii) hold a public consultation meeting as soon as possible at which MSYRG residents are informed of, and given the opportunity to review and comment upon the hitherto undisclosed details of that re-routing, including the proposed location of bus stops and timetabling
3Guest Speaker was Ms Alison Leighton, the Chief Executive Officer of the City of Melbourne. Ms Leighton is responsible for leading a team of almost 2000 people to deliver the City’s $800M budget including an infrastructure program of approximately $280M per annum. Ms Leighton has more than 18 years of leadership experience in infrastructure, planning, operations, and public sector business transformation. She is a qualified engineer, an alumnus of Harvard Business School, a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds a Masters in Business Administration.
Ms Leighton addressed issues previously raised by members about rubbish, roads and parking. and focused on what the city is proposing for South Yarra. In the recently concluded City of Melbourne Neighbourhood Survey, South Yarra residents indicated their top 3 priorities were housing affordability and homelessness, better roads, paths and public transport and parking, and, creative and cultural events to connect the community. In regards to affordable housing and homelessness, Ms Leighton reflected how the State Government future housing plans and the City ‘Spatial Plan’ address the issue of population increases and how it will affect South Yarra. This area is categorized as an ‘established area’ which means it will only attract infill development, and the aim is to protect the character of South Yarra. The City is focusing on the Arden area for big development. The City is in the unique position that it is not holding up Building Permits and noted over 16,000 Permits have been granted across the municipality recently, but many are not progressed due to a number of factors. In discussing safety, Ms Leighton indicated the City of Melbourne had heard concerns about pedestrian and scooter safety. As the City of Melbourne was in caretaker mode ahead of the recent Local Council elections, Ms Leighton was limited on discussing specific plans which would require council approval. Ms Leighton also highlighted that there are several initiatives underway to improve community and cultural connections. Acknowledging the Senior Citizens Club venue is not accessible to the community on evenings and weekends, the City of Melbourne are exploring if resourcing can be changed to extend community usage of the venue. Additionally, the City of Melbourne was pleased to see the development of the Friends of Fawkner Park social events including coffee mornings and Sunday brunches. Other more formal events in the area over coming months include concerts in the Botanic Gardens, Myer Music Bowl and a free concert on the 10th of November to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Shrine of Remembrance. As a motion regarding public transport was discussed extensively prior to the address, Ms Leighton also focused on the metro rail project, specifically around the newly completed Anzac Station. The Cross Yarra Partnership are in the process of handing back some areas to City of Melbourne through the remainder of 2024 and into 2025, which have been impacted by construction. The most significant being the Edmond Herring oval. The City of Melbourne will be making checks over the coming weeks to ensure that the oval is returned by the end of the year in the state required for community use in 2025. In regards to the Number 8 tram, Ms Leighton was unable to provide any insights into the Department of Transport and Planning strategy, other than she would undertake to raise with the Deputy Secretary for Network Design and Integration that she had attended a residents meeting that the community was in need of updated information about the integrated public transport strategy for the area and how it would impact the MSYRG area in particular.
On the Monday following the AGM Ms Leighton emailed MSYRG with answers to many questions posed at the AGM that she agreed to follow up one:
1. No 8 Tram – I have contacted William Tieppo, Deputy Secretary for Network Design & Integration,Department of Transport & Planning, to advice that this issue was raised at he MSYRG AGM and to request that an update be provided to MSYRG as a priority.
2. Fawkner Park – heritage status acknowledgement. I have requested that the relevant Director here at the City of Melbourne, Anthony Neale, Director Recreation and Waterways, review the Recreation Prioritization Framework to confirm that the heritage status of Fawkner Park is referenced adequately.
3. St Kilda Road Bike Lanes – business case. I have requested that our Transport Planning team provide me with confirmation as to the existence of a business case for this project and will revert back to the association if this does exist.
4. The CoM South Yarra Neighbourhood Partner is Kimberley Pierzchalski. She can be always contacted via kimberley.pierzchalski@melbourne.vic.gov.au or on Ph: 0438 242 205. Kimberley is also present at the South Yarra Senior Citizens Centre at Fawkner Park on Wednesday’s if any community members would like to drop in to say hello.
4.The meeting closed with an informal gathering in the Foyer to celebrate another year for MSYRG
** At a MSYRG committee meeting the following week a MOTION was passed ‘that the Resolutions that were unanimously passed at the AGM, will now be acted on’. Further updates to come
“There is no doubt that the more members MSYRG has, the more notice is taken of what we do and say. If you are not a financial member, we urge you to become one.”
Visit the South Yarra Portal on the Participate Melbourne website.
The City of Melbourne has created new sites for all the neighbourhoods in the city. Find out what’s happening, learn some history or just read some interesting stories about our area here.
CoRBA
Melbourne South Yarra Residents Group is a member of CoRBA, the Coalition of Residents and Business Associations. They are the peak body for the various resident groups and business associations in the City of Melbourne. You can find out more about their activities by visiting their website by clicking here.