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<h2>Media Release</h2>

The City of Melbourne has responded to trader and community feedback in developing a new plan for market infrastructure and car parking at the Queen Victoria Market that seeks to minimise disruption, maximise trader and customer experience, and preserve the market’s heritage. 

Next Tuesday, Councillors will consider an option to deliver market infrastructure and additional car parking including improved safety and amenities, trader storage, centralised waste and recycling facilities, as well as 1.5 hectares of new public open space.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/queen_vic_market_renewal_2019_lead.jpg" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="326" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/queen_vic_market_renewal_2019_lead.jpg?itok=SgMBzcaB" width="580"></a>

<figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the 40-member People’s Panel and the 2015 Master Plan set the direction for the delivery of market infrastructure and the panel’s recommendations are being progressed.

“We’ve worked with traders, shoppers, residents, the Victorian Government, Heritage Victoria and the wider community to build a way forward that will allow us to create a thriving open-air market for generations to come,” the Lord Mayor said.

“Under the recommended option to be considered, $6 million will be invested to create cool and dry storage at fruit and vegetable trader’s stalls where it’s most convenient. The storage would be designed following extensive consultation with traders to get the designs right.”

“The plan for staged renewal would minimise disruption to traders and the market’s heritage. We’re progressing work to restore the heritage sheds along with plans to give traders the facilities they need to make it easier to trade at the market.”

The People’s Panel set a goal for the renewal to deliver 1000 car parks for market customers.

The option being considered by Councillors includes a $19 million investment to provide up to 500 customer car parks on a future Southern Development Site on Franklin Street outside the Hoddle Grid, with another 500 customer car parks already being delivered as part of the Munro development in 2021.

“Under the plan, once the new car parks are complete, the existing asphalt carpark will become a 1.5 hectare public open space called Market Square. We plan to prepare a design brief to create Melbourne’s largest new urban public open space,” the Lord Mayor said.

“The square will complement the market by creating places where people can eat and attend events and community festivals.”

Heritage Victoria rejected an earlier design for infrastructure that required digging under the heritage listed sheds.

“While this was disappointing, we want to move on for the benefit of traders and find a design that addresses the challenges facing the market while maintaining its heritage,” the Lord Mayor said.

“Other than the areas impacted by Heritage Victoria’s decision, there are many components of the original business case and renewal plan either underway or about to begin. The next step would be to do further design and costings to consider storage and waste facilities in Queen Street.”

Queen Victoria Market CEO Stan Liacos said the delivery of infrastructure and car parking is vital to traders and customers.

“It’s a much loved asset but investment is needed for the market to thrive. Traders want renewal to deliver things like power, running water, storage, refrigeration and adequate facilities for food waste and general rubbish.

“We need a design that causes the least disruption to day-to-day market operations during construction and I’m confident this option delivers this.”

Council worked with NH Architecture to develop the options for market infrastructure which were then analysed by SGS Economics and Planning. The revenue and cost inputs to the options analysis have been independently assessed by PWC who validated the assumptions.

SGS Economics and Planning found the option to be considered by Councillors “costs the least to implement, is the only option likely to pay for itself financially, and has the most manageable delivery risks”.

They found that for every dollar spent on the option being considered, $7 dollars would be generated in overall economic benefits.

The cost estimate for the proposed option can be delivered within the previously announced net budget of $250 million for the renewal program, including money already spent on restoration and the trader support program.

Andrew McDougall from SGS Economics and Planning said the infrastructure option being considered would generate significant benefits for Victorians.

“Our 30 year projections show the renewal designs stack up financially and provide significant economic and social benefits,” Mr McDougall said.

For more information view the video or visit <a href="https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/building-and-development/urban-planning/local-area-planning/queen-victoria-market-precinct-renewal-plan/Pages/queen-victoria-market-precinct-renewal-plan.aspx">Queen Victoria Market Precinct Renewal</a>

Lucy Sinclair | Media Adviser | T: 03 9658 8087 | M: 0432 850 239 E: lucy.sinclair@melbourne.vic.gov.au 
www.melbourne.vic.gov.au
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City of Melbourne

Reinvigorating the heart of Queen Victoria Market

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<h2>Media Release</h2>

The City of Melbourne has refused 81 applications by JCDecaux for planning permits to display commercial advertising on public phone booths across central Melbourne.

Chair of the City of Melbourne’s Planning portfolio Councillor Nicholas Reece said the signage is not low impact, would negatively impact heritage places, conflicts with Council’s urban design objectives, and would result in streetscape and amenity issues.

“As custodians of the city we have a responsibility to maintain the quality of the streets and public realm. We don’t want people to be bombarded with oversized and intrusive commercial advertising on public infrastructure,” Cr Reece said.

“First and foremost cities are for people, and the interests of the people who use our streets must come first. We have heard loud and clear the complaints from the community that these new structures are distracting, impeding pedestrian traffic and negatively impacting a number of local retailers and businesses.”

Other Australian capital cities, and a number of councils in greater Melbourne, have also raised concerns the new super-sized phone booths are significantly disrupting footpath traffic and negatively impacting the public realm. 

Under the Telecommunications (Low-impact Facilities) Determination 2018, planning approval is not required to install telecommunications infrastructure provided it meets the criteria for 'low-impact facility'.

At 2.7 metres high and 1.2 metres wide, the new payphone structures are 600mm taller and 400mm wider than the older phone booths. They are also fitted with 75” LCD screens – which are 60 per cent larger than the previous signage displays – and which are programmed to show up to four advertisements per minute.

Accordingly, as well as rejecting the applications for advertising by JCDecaux, the City of Melbourne will apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal seeking an order that Telstra’s new larger phone booths do not meet the low impact criteria and therefore require planning approval.

“We’re seeking a ruling from VCAT that the supersized payphones should require planning approval,” Cr Reece said.

“With nearly 90 per cent of Australians owning a mobile phone, it’s hard to believe there’s a need for this many supersized phone booths in the central city. Indeed, these new structures are more like digital billboards masquerading as phone booths on the footpaths of our city.”

In October 2018, prior to receiving the 81 planning applications, the City Melbourne conducted community consultation on the impact of the digital advertising payphone structures.

Of the 338 contributions received via Participate Melbourne: 
• more than 90 per cent of respondents provided negative feedback 
• 84 per cent of respondents reported the billboards impacted their movement around the city 
• 81 per cent of respondents found advertising on digital billboards was distracting.

Walking trips within the City of Melbourne increased 14 per cent (by 38,000 trips) during a recent four year period. Cr Reece said “Travelling by foot is the most utilised mode of transport in the Hoddle Grid and as custodians of the city we have a responsibility to maintain space for people.” 

Additionally, analysis of the pedestrian network has found that if the walking connectivity within the CBD is reduced by 10 per cent, the value of the economy of the Hoddle Grid will be reduced by up to $2.1 billion per annum[1]. Pedestrian flow is vital to our city economy and, of course, retailers and other businesses.

Mandy Frostick | Media Manager | City of Melbourne | Town Hall Administration, 120 Swanston Street Melbourne 3000 | GPO Box 1603 Melbourne VIC 3001 
T: +61 3 9658 9452 | M: 0419 546 245 E: mandy.frostick@melbourne.vic.gov.au 
www.melbourne.vic.gov.au
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Council refuses permits for supersized advertising

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Media Release

The City of Melbourne will consider a draft opportunities plan to revitalise Moonee Ponds Creek with a chain of parklands, new open spaces and wetlands.

Chair of the City of Melbourne’s Environment portfolio Councillor Cathy Oke said the draft plan includes a series of ideas for the revitalisation of the lower reaches of the creek from Brunswick Road to Docklands.

“We’re considering this plan as an advocacy tool to reconnect the community to this vital waterway. The plan outlines ideas for increased biodiversity, mitigating the impacts of flooding, creating new bike paths and more space for recreation,” Councillor Oke said

“Moonee Ponds Creek has been negatively impacted over many years by industry and infrastructure. This plan sets a vision to rehabilitate the creek and advocate for the delivery of a series of projects to increase its ecological, economic and recreational value.”

The draft Strategic Opportunities Plan will be considered by Councillors at the Future Melbourne Committee meeting on Tuesday 19 March 2019.

The plan has been created collaboratively with the Victorian Planning Authority and includes a project to replace the concrete channel with a reconstructed and rehabilitated chain of ponds to celebrate water in our landscape and to mitigate the impacts of flooding.

Other projects outlined in the plan include increased habitat for threatened species, increased indigenous plantings, new pedestrian and bike paths and opportunities to acknowledge and learn more about the important cultural heritage of the creek.

The plan builds on and complements the Chain of Ponds Masterplan developed by Moreland and Moonee Valley Councils to the north, and reflects the City of Melbourne’s Open Space Strategy and Municipal Integrated Water Management Plans.

“The lower reaches of Moonee Ponds Creek are set to become some of the most intensely developed parts of Greater Melbourne,” Councillor Oke said.

“This growth will be driven by a chain of urban renewal areas that run along the creek, from Arden and Macaulay in the north to Dynon, E-Gate and Docklands in the south.”

“If endorsed, we will seek feedback from the community on our ideas for terraced landscaping, integrated flood mitigation measures, native vegetation and recreation facilities.”

One of the key opportunities identified is to create ‘Macaulay Terraces’, a major new open space and community meeting point connecting the creek to Macaulay Train Station and surrounding neighbourhoods.

The draft plan sets out opportunities across three sections of the creek within the City of Melbourne:

<ul>
<li>North: from Brunswick Road to Racecourse Road,</li>
	<li>Central: from Racecourse Road to Dynon Road, and</li>
	<li>South: from Dynon Road to the Yarra River.</li>
</ul>
While the City of Melbourne does not own or manage the Moonee Ponds Creek corridor, it plays an important role in working with the Victorian Government partners, landowners, neighbouring councils and community groups to ensure that Moonee Ponds Creek meets the needs of both the current and future community.

City of Melbourne Media Adviser: Claire Sinni, 0432 853 973 
(03) 9658 8642 / claire.sinni@melbourne.vic.gov.au 
Visit the City of Melbourne's Online Media Centre: www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/mediacentre
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Plan to revitalise southern reaches of Moonee Ponds Creek

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Media Release

The City of Melbourne’s Student Welcome Program will kick-off this week to welcome students ahead of the start of the academic year.

City of Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the Student Welcome Program features a range of events to help international students settle into their new life in Australia.

“We want to support our international students settle into Melbourne and enjoy everything our great city has to offer,” the Lord Mayor said.

“We’re hosting sessions throughout March and April that gives students the inside local knowledge on where to shop, how to get involved in sports, local laws and even a complete short course on deciphering Aussie slang.”

“I’m particularly looking forward to the Lord Mayor’s Student Welcome, which will be part of the 2019 Melbourne Dumpling Festival on Friday 15 March to Saturday 16 March.

“This event will be a fun and exciting way to welcome students, answer questions and help them find their feet in Melbourne, all while enjoying delicious dumplings.”

City of Melbourne’s International Engagement Portfolio Chair, Councillor Philip Le Liu, said the program celebrates Melbourne’s cultural diversity and invites new international students to come together, make friends, learn about the city and, most of all, have fun.

“Melbourne’s international student population represents more than 59,000 students living or studying in the central city. We want to ensure students are given all the support they need to enjoy their time here.

“Our international student population is also a key economic driver, bringing in $32 billion across Australia each year.”

According to the recently released 2019 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, six of Australia’s top universities feature in the prestigious top 100, two of which are located in the City of Melbourne.

“Not only are our universities ranked among the best in the world, QS Best Student Cities 2018 named Melbourne the third best destination in the world for international students,” Cr Le Liu said.

“Melbourne is known as Australia’s cultural capital offering a huge calendar of events for international students. As a city, we have always ranked well for international students because of its desirability and student mix, thanks to a large and diverse student population.

“With a world-class reputation for hosting international students, it’s no wonder we welcome so many international students each year to our city and we take seriously our responsibility to support these students as they transition into life in Melbourne,” Cr Le Liu said.

To find out more about City of Melbourne’s Student Welcome Program, visit <a href="https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/community/health-support-services/for-young-people/international-students/Pages/international-students.aspx">here</a>.

City of Melbourne Media Adviser: Claire Sinni, 0432 853 973 
(03) 9658 8642 / claire.sinni@melbourne.vic.gov.au 
Visit the City of Melbourne's Online Media Centre: www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/mediacentre
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City of Melbourne launches the 2019 Student Welcome Program

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Media Release

A new program of Quick Response Arts Grants is being trialled by the City of Melbourne, in a bid to give the city’s creative communities more flexible access to funding.

Artists, creative practitioners and organisations can now apply for up to $4,000 in funding at any time, with support considered for unforeseen or unexpected opportunities arising at short notice.

This includes new works, specific elements of a larger project or for taking a project to another level.

Chair of the City of Melbourne’s Arts, Culture and Heritage portfolio, Councillor Rohan Leppert, said the trial would test Council’s ability to cut down wait times, providing vital funding for creative activities which add to the life and colour of the city.

“We’ve taken on board the creative community’s feedback by giving a new opportunity to access grants,” Cr Leppert said.

“These new quick response grants are open to artists and creatives across all disciplines, from music and dance to theatre and visual arts.”

The quick response model will see grant applications assessed on a monthly basis, with an initial pool of $49,000 set aside for the trial.

“The City of Melbourne is committed to investing in the arts and fostering our city’s creative community,” Cr Leppert said.

“While we continue to encourage applicants for the Annual Arts Grants Program, these quick response grants will allow us to respond to artistic events or programs which arise outside the normal timeframes.”

The outcome must be activated within the City of Melbourne, with the artist given six months to complete the work described in their grant application.

Grants are available to artists, creatives and small to medium arts organisations across all disciplines, backgrounds and career stages.

The Quick Response Arts Grants trial will run until 20 September 2019. Emerging artists and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists are encouraged to apply.

For more information, or to apply, visit the City of Melbourne Quick Response Arts Grants website.

City of Melbourne Media Adviser: Patrick Phillips, 0427 723 437 
(03) 9658 8736 / patrick.phillips@melbourne.vic.gov.au 
Visit the City of Melbourne's Online Media Centre: www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/mediacentre
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Melbourne trials new Quick Response Arts Grants

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A City of Melbourne-led transport discussion has yielded extensive feedback from Victorians, with pedestrians and public transport users reporting their top experience as feeling overcrowded.

Transport portfolio chair Councillor Nicolas Frances Gilley said an unprecedented number of responses to the Walking, City Space, Public Transport, Cycling, Motor Vehicles, Parking, Emerging Technology and Transport Pricing discussion papers were received.

“With 1300 submissions and 1500 social media comments, this is the most responses we’ve ever had when asking the community to give us their feedback on a topic. We heard from a wide range of postcodes throughout Victoria; including regional areas such as Ballarat,” Cr Frances Gilley said. 

“We have prioritised walking as the most important travel choice in our city, supported by cycling and public transport. Incidentally, these are the three topics that generated the most feedback.

“Residents, workers and visitors to our city are telling us they are feeling overcrowded. Now we have solid data that quantifies that experience and more importantly, suggests how we can tackle it.”

More than half of respondents (54 per cent) to the Walking paper said they had experienced ‘overcrowding on footpaths’. The other top experiences were ‘poor pedestrian etiquette’ (21 per cent) and ‘crossing times at intersections too short/infrequent’ (20 per cent).

The top three unprompted suggestions to combat these issues were: to widen footpaths (27 per cent), create car free zones (24 per cent) and improve traffic light timing (18 per cent).

Of the eight topics tested, cycling received the greatest number of responses (366), with two out of five community members reporting their top experience as ‘unsafe and intimidating’ and suggesting protected bike lanes is the solution.

Like walking, the number one experience of public transport in Melbourne was of ‘feeling overcrowded’ (38 per cent).

The top experiences regarding motor vehicles were ‘motor vehicles block intersections’ (38 per cent), ‘unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists’ (34 per cent) and ‘traffic and congestion’ (23 per cent). 

In suggesting ways to address motor vehicle issues, almost half (47 per cent) of contributors expressed a desire to reduce vehicle access in the CBD.

“While we received overwhelming support for many of the ideas raised in the discussion papers, we also received criticisms and concerns. All feedback will shape the new Transport Strategy we’re releasing early next year,” Cr Frances Gilley said.

“We’re also putting together long-term visions for the Spencer Street, Flinders Street and Elizabeth Street precincts to improve public amenity and access to these important city gateways.”

More than 1300 submissions on eight transport topics were received through the City’s Participate Melbourne website and Participate ideas forum, via mail and email from April to July 2018. A further 1500 social media comments were captured as part of the debate. 

The submissions were in response to eight discussion papers, which presented evidence, best practice from other cities, options and ideas for consideration to encourage community debate and to prompt discussion to inform the City of Melbourne’s <a href="https://participate.melbourne.vic.gov.au/transportstrategy">draft Transport Strategy</a>.

The draft Transport Strategy is now being completed and will be presented to Future Melbourne Committee in the New Year. Further consultation will follow to finalise the Strategy.

City of Melbourne Manager Media Relations: Bec Brewin 
T: 03 9658 8426 | M: 0407 247 673 | E: bec.brewin@melbourne.vic.gov.au 
Visit our Online Media Centre: www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/mediacentre

Lead Image: David Hannah
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Pedestrians highlight crowding concerns

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City of Melbourne councillors will consider a plan to invest $232 million in revitalising almost an entire central-city block, creating a public commons precinct of connected laneways and community spaces.

City of Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the proposed redevelopment between Bourke Street and Little Collins Street would revitalise retail and commercial opportunities in the central city.

“This redevelopment will create a new landmark for Melbourne in terms of sustainable urban design and how we activate our streets for people to enjoy. It will see a new city precinct where people can meet and access Council services, including new laneways, shared rooftops and a new community forum,” the Lord Mayor said.

“Our current Council House 1 building on Little Collins Street is more than 50 years old and it’s no longer feasible to refurbish it. Redeveloping this site has opened up an opportunity to create a new civic precinct and also restore the Victorian Heritage-listed former Commonwealth Bank building on Bourke Street.

“Under the proposal, the heart of the precinct will contain a public forum – a large, flexible meeting space at ground level designed to encourage community engagement and participation in Council activities.” 

At next Monday’s Future Melbourne Committee meeting, councillors will consider a recommendation to submit an application for a planning permit to the Minister for Planning.

The 10-storey, 40-metre proposed development would feature ground-floor retail spaces, two new laneway connections, commercial office space and two publically accessible rooftops. Almost two thirds of the new precinct would be used for community spaces and commercial and retail, with the remaining space allocated to meet City of Melbourne staff accommodation needs.

Deputy Lord Mayor Arron Wood said the redevelopment would feature exemplary energy-efficient design, achieve a Six Star Green Star design and as-built rating and have a Carbon Neutral Certification target.

“The commercial spaces would create significant revenue. This ensures we have a robust business case and the project is estimated to break even within 20 years,” the Deputy Lord Mayor said.

“We want to create a ‘next generation’ site that exceeds our achievements in creating CH2, Australia’s first Six Star Green Star building 12 years ago.

“Photovoltaic solar arrays would supply renewable energy to the retail, commercial and community spaces. It would also feature end-of-trip cycling facilities, ground-source heat exchange, an electric vehicle-only basement, and rainwater tanks and water sensitive urban design to capture and reuse stormwater.

“We will also bring to life our globally recognised Urban Forest and Biodiversity strategies by greening laneways, creating a garden atrium, and providing green rooftops for the community to enjoy.”

Subject to relevant planning approvals, it is anticipated that construction would commence in early 2020, and be completed in 2024. 
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Plans unveiled to create Melbourne’s newest civic landmark

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22 TALKS. 7 BARS. 1 NIGHT. Wednesday, 28 November, 2018.

Melbourne’s greatest minds and creative thinkers are set to take-over some of the city’s favourite bars this November, with the return of Raising the Bar for 2018.

Speaking at seven bars across the city, 23 professors, lecturers and experts in their field will pose thought-provoking questions in laid back settings for one night only on 28 November.

Audiences will be asked to ponder everything from the power of nerds, gender inequality and de-criminalising cannabis to the future of Australia’s space agency, loathing the musician but loving the music, and how Aboriginal knowledge can shape our future.

Venues for this year’s event include Bar Ampere, Belleville, Horse Bazaar, RMIT, Loop Bar and the FAD Gallery.

A new addition to the program, ‘Karaoke Academia’, will also see academics present short talks followed by karaoke sessions at Party World Karaoke in Melbourne Central.

Raising the Bar is a worldwide initiative started in New York, which has spread to London, Hong Kong, San Francisco and Melbourne.

<blockquote>
"For one exciting night, bars across our city will be overflowing with savvy people, all keen to enjoy a drink, engage with ideas, listen and talk about matters of importance to us all. Raising the Bar is both a completely free and freewheeling program of events with 23 speakers in locations across our city, presenting on hot topics including data privacy, our passion for sport, geophysics and brain-controlled prosthetics.

We’re taking teaching and learning out of the conventional spaces such as lecture theatres, laboratories and online and into a social, convivial environment. As a proud knowledge city filled with innovation, events like Raising the Bar are an opportunity to showcase the amazing work we do. 

I would encourage everyone to take part in this year’s event and to step outside their comfort zone to learn about something they may have never considered before. Raising the Bar is always an illuminating experience.”

- Councillor Dr Jackie Watts, Chair of the Knowledge City portfolio
</blockquote>

For free tickets, the full list of speakers and session times, visit the <a href="http://www.rtbevent.com/melbourne">Raising the Bar website</a>.

<h2>2018 Raising the Bar speakers</h2>

Vanessa Teague – Horse Bazaar - ‘Why can’t we just vote online?’

Senior Lecturer, The University of Melbourne 
It’s election season. Sausages will soon be sizzling at polling booths around the state and voters will flock to participate in our paper and pencil democracy. Sure, there is some nostalgic value in current voting approaches, but how could our democracy benefit from online voting, and what are the challenges? With an international team of cryptographers and statisticians, Vanessa Teague has spent the past decade considering how Australian elections could benefit from online voting without exposing our democracy to widespread, undetectable fraud. She’s still working on it.

Marco Amati – RMIT - ‘What’s the perfect size for a city?’

Associate Professor, RMIT University 
Six weeks will have passed between these words being written and you attending this event. During this time, Australia’s population will have increased by 50,000 people. Nine of Australia’s 20 largest and fastest-growing suburbs are within the Greater Melbourne area. So what’s the best way for Melbourne to prepare for this growth? Having researched the history of the ‘perfect size’ for a city, Marco Amati believes that it's not the size of a city that matters, but how you use it.

Belinda Barnet – Belleville - ‘How much should we worry about data privacy?’

Senior Lecturer, Swinburne University of Technology 
Sign out. Deactivate. Purge your online footprint. Data privacy has clogged news headlines for months, making us all consider whether we should give up the security fight and get offline. But thanks to the research of Dr Belinda Barnet and her colleagues, there may be a better way forward. In this interactive session, Dr Barnet will show you how to maintain as much privacy as you can on social platforms like Facebook and Twitter without quitting altogether. She’ll also share insights on location tracking, multi-factor authentication and how to handle trolls.\

John Postill – Bar Ampere - ‘Do nerds really run the world?’

Vice-Chancellor’s Senior Research Fellow, RMIT University 
As the power of the Silicon Valley tech giants grow, more and more commentators say that nerds run the world. But who are the nerds, and would they run the world better or worse than the current political establishment? Perhaps we live in a ‘runaway world’, where no one is in charge – a world in which ‘nerdy’ creations like algorithms and AI run rampant. If that’s the case, what can ordinary citizens do about it?

Jayne Lucke – Loop Bar - ‘Young people and sex: What’s changed in Australia the past 25 years?’

Professor, La Trobe University 
The year is 1992. Strictly Ballroom is playing in cinemas, Paul Keating is Prime Minister, and Nirvana and the Violent Femmes are headlining the first ever Big Day Out. This was also the first year of a 25 year national survey about adolescent sexual health in Australia. So how has young people’s sexual behaviour changed from the era of grunge rock to the rise of R&amp;B? Examining data from this 25-year long survey, Professor Jayne Lucke will give us insights into what has changed and what has stayed the same in the sexual lives and literacy of young people.

Aleryk Fricker – FAD Gallery - ‘Are outback schools teaching ‘whiteness’ to Indigenous kids?’

Associate Lecturer, RMIT University 
Access to education, weekend sport, culture and language is something most of us take for granted. But what if we arrived at school to find that the teacher was communicating in a foreign language? What if all the books, posters and other resources were indecipherable? And what if our failure in this environment prevented us from playing sport, meeting up with family, or engaging in our own culture and language? Aleryk Fricker examines how whiteness and English-language teaching has created an environment where remote Aboriginal students are forced to assimilate or perish. Through a case study of a remote Northern Territory Aboriginal school, Fricker will examine the different measures of control, and explore implications for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students around Australia.

Lauren Gurrieri – FAD Gallery - ‘How does advertising contribute to gender inequality?’

Senior Lecturer, RMIT University 
Billboards on your commute home, targeted ads on Facebook, promotions on the back of bathroom stalls. Advertising is everywhere. As a constant presence in our everyday lives, it plays a powerful role in shaping what is desirable and ‘normal’. For decades, research has highlighted how advertising represents girls and women in ways that promote gender inequality. So how does this occur, and why is change so slow? In this talk, Lauren Gurrieri will demonstrate how advertising functions as a key representational system of unequal gender relations, how this is supported by the industry, and the problems of advertising self-regulation.

Catherine Gomes – RMIT - ‘How do international students find ‘home’ in Melbourne?’

Associate Professor, RMIT University 
Melbourne is host to thousands of international students. If you lived and studied overseas, how would you create a ‘home away from home’? This talk explores the exciting and creative ways that international students find a sense of belonging while living overseas and apart from family, friends and the familiar. Dr Nicole Lee – Loop Bar - ‘Would decriminalising cannabis achieve harm minimisation?’

Adjunct Professor, Curtin University 
Maybe you are a hard-line prohibitionist, or maybe you like a sneaky toke now and then. Whatever your personal beliefs about drugs and drug use, one thing is clear: drug policy is a politically contentious issue. A dozen jurisdictions around the world have, or are planning to, legalise cannabis. The models presented range from a free market to highly government-regulated models. Many others are moving to decriminalise cannabis. What does the Australian public think about cannabis legalisation? What models are available and which should Australia adopt? Will it be reefer madness or business as usual? Is Australia ready? Come and hear about the pros and cons of cannabis regulation from one of Australia’s leaders in drug policy.

Sarah Maddison – Belleville - ‘What’s so exciting about the Australian Space Agency?

’Pro-Vice Chancellor, Swinburne University of Technology 
The sky is not the limit. Australia was the third country in the world to launch a satellite into space, but until now, we haven’t had a dedicated space agency. The space industry is growing rapidly – and the new Australian Space Agency will focus on building capability in the sector. It’s not only about stargazing and satellites. How far can our curiosity take us, and what does Australia have to offer in the worldwide quest for extra-terrestrial knowledge?

Dr Son Vivienne – Horse Bazaar - ‘Is the future non-binary?’

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, RMIT University 
Male, female, other, in-between? Binaries are out, and the future of gender is diverse. Online can be a refuge for non-binary, trans, and gender non-conforming people… but can be fraught territory, too. Navigating networks of friends and foes can provide an opportunity to play with and subvert gender presentation. How does the binary-busting online world affect our social understanding of gender? Partake in an exercise of creative digital self-making, hear about online world-building practices of gender-diverse people, and learn about the blurring of categories many people take for granted. Is the future non-binary? What does that mean?

Dr Catherine Strong – Loop Bar - ‘Can you loathe the musician but still love the music?’

Senior Lecturer, RMIT University 
What do you do when you find out that your favourite artist has done something inexcusable? Delete all their music from your computer? Avoid their songs at all costs? In the wake of the #metoo movement, many stories of mistreatment and inequality have emerged in the music industry. What does this mean for our understanding of the history of popular music, and the legacy of people we may consider rock legends? How should we, as fans and consumers, respond to a musician who has done the wrong thing? What might these responses mean for creating the culture we need – inside and outside of the music industry?

Dr Djoymi Baker – Bar Ampere - ‘In dystopian times, is Star Trek our most important myth?’

Lecturer, The University of Melbourne 
‘It seems a pity to waste them on outer space. We need them right here on Earth,’ wrote reviewer Cleveland Amory on Star Trek in 1967. The show offered a vision of the future in which the Cold War did not lead to mutual destruction, but rather cooperation. Now Star Trek is a vast franchise spanning decades and generations. Audiences may not always agree with Star Trek’s vision for the future, but then the franchise has so many different, often contradictory, parts. Might it ultimately be more important that Star Trek asserts an overall belief in a future in which humanity – and the Earth – not only survives, but thrives amongst the stars? Is Star Trek on to something when it markets itself as the optimistic myth, saga and legend of our age?

Karaoke Academia 
An architect, a planetary geologist, and a social researcher walk into a karaoke bar … It sounds like a joke, but for this year’s Raising the Bar, we’re making it a reality. Come along to PartyWorld karaoke bar and settle into a booth. Like an academic lucky-dip, you’ll be visited by a random series of specialists. Each will deliver a short presentation on their research, followed by a karaoke song of their choice. Delve into the weird and wonderfully specific research of some of Melbourne’s brightest up-and-coming academics, and leave the karaoke bar with fewer regrets than usual! 
Over the course of the evening, you’ll hear from 3 academics randomly selected for your booth:

<ul>
<li>
Simona Castricum – ‘Empathy and catharsis in a binary world.’
</li>
	<li>
Asako Saito – ‘Queering media: Stories of men, for women, by women.’
</li>
	<li>
Elena Balcaite – ‘Passions for sport in the sport-loving city.’
</li>
	<li>
Thomas Barker – ‘Vernacular architecture of migrant groups in Australian suburbia.’
</li>
	<li>
Rohan Byrne – ‘Computational geophysics: how worlds are brought to life and why they eventually die.’
</li>
	<li>
Anna Miltiadous – ‘The miraculous adaptive genetics of the Zebra Finch.’
</li>
	<li>
Harsha Chandir – ‘Assessing the Assessment: How do students interpret and respond to the assessment of global competence?’
</li>
	<li>
Bijan Shekibi – ‘Brain-controlled prosthetics.’
</li>
</ul>
 

 
</body></html>

Raising the Bar Melbourne 2018

The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Joel Robinson

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

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