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.
</section>
</section>

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Melbourne Airport

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It has been known and talked about in closed circles for some months, but Australia Pacific Airports Corporation Limited have finally unveiled their intention to comprehensively overhaul Melbourne Airport's International T2 Terminal. On Monday evening before 700 individuals representing business, government and the wider community, APAC Limited offered a sneak peek into the future redevelopment of the International Terminal as part of a sustained investment campaign.

Within the 2013/2014 financial year Melbourne Airport's capital expenditure weighed in at $420 million with Melbourne Airport CEO Chris Woodruff stating during the evening "next year alone we expect to invest around $700 million as part of sustained ten year investment period.”

Contained within the <a href="http://melbourneairport.com.au/docs/map-stakeholder-pres-2014_final_low-res.pdf">Melbourne Airport annual stakeholder report</a> are multiple concept images depicting total redevelopment of the previously untouched 1970's edifice. The intended redevelopment follows recent 'waves' of regeneration and expansion to Terminal 2, which currently sees works in play to enlarge the terminal's arrivals area.

<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/image15map.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A new visitor/user experience in the making. Image courtesy Melbourne Airport"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="240" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image15map.jpg?itok=4jS9Kya7" title="A new visitor/user experience in the making. Image courtesy Melbourne Airport" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A new visitor/user experience in the making. Image courtesy Melbourne Airport</figcaption></figure>As for the intended development, <a href="/">Apartments.com.au</a> understands it to be valued in the billions with the visitor/user experience at the crux of the new space. Under the working title of Market Place, a cavernous new terminal space offering a variety of services and retail outlets will stretch over the three existing terminal frontages, with Terminal 2 at its heart.

Departure Drive currently used by vehicles disembarking passengers will be banished, with all arriving transport modes relocated to the multi-level car park forecourt. In doing so it is expected the manic traffic flows to the terminal departure areas will be eliminated in favour of an enhanced user experience once the redevelopment is complete.

Multiple large blue retail pods are shown over ground floor with a vast expanse of space directly behind the sheer glass facade. Elsewhere double height luxury retail outlets will frame the internal space with a multitude of airline lounges set to crown the internal area in what will be a quantum leap forward for all users of the new terminal space.

Apartments.com.au also understands that once regulatory approval is gained via the Federal Government, APAC Limited is keen to facilitate construction as soon as is practically possible.

<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/image16map.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A sign of things to come. Image courtesy Melbourne Airport"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="245" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image16map.jpg?itok=TcFtsNz5" title="A sign of things to come. Image courtesy Melbourne Airport" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A sign of things to come. Image courtesy Melbourne Airport</figcaption></figure>According to <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/international_airline_activity-annual_publications.aspx">statistics on BITRE</a>, since 2007 Melbourne Airport's international growth has been consistently higher in percentage terms than that of Sydney airport with 24% of all international traffic in Australia now flying through Tullamarine.

In 2007, 20% of Australia's international traffic was moving through Melbourne Airport and this refresh of Melbourne's primary international gateway is sure to leave a better impression of our city on all those who pass through it.

In due course Apartments.com.au intends to cover the proposed International Terminal redevelopment in detail, including all interested parties perspectives on what is expected to become one of the State's flagship infrastructure projects.

With Alastair Taylor.

<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/image17map.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The new terminal follows Departure Drive's curvature. Image courtesy Melbourne Airport"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="242" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image17map.jpg?itok=ty_NfB1T" title="The new terminal follows Departure Drive's curvature. Image courtesy Melbourne Airport" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The new terminal interior follows Departure Drive's curvature. Image courtesy Melbourne Airport</figcaption></figure>
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silvermb

Melbourne Airport's stakeholder presentation reveals a new International Terminal

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Melbourne Airport yesterday rolled out another plank in their aggressive facility expansion by commencing a $100 million extension of Airport Drive. Ultimately connected to the M80 Ring Road and slated to open prior to Terminal 4's completion, the link is designed to reduce congestion and provide alternative means of accessing the airport. Melbourne Airport CEO Mr Chris Woodruff conveniently tied together the Airport Drive expansion and pending rail link with the following statement:

<blockquote>
The new Airport Drive is also where the airport rail link will enter Melbourne Airport with room for the rail link in the centre of the extended four lane road. We are one of the only airports in the world with 30 million annual passengers, and no rail link, so we were delighted with the recent state government commitment to build a rail link from the CBD to Melbourne Airport.
<cite>Chris Woodruff, Melbourne Airport CEO</cite>
</blockquote>

<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/Image145.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="ITH west elevation. Image © Hassell Studio"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="319" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/Image145.jpg?itok=QMWNpEf5" title="ITH west elevation. Image © Hassell Studio" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>ITH west elevation. Image © Hassell Studio</figcaption></figure>Nearby work on the Integrated Ground Transport Hub has quickened with the arrival of subcontractor I &amp; D Constructions' Jaso tower crane. The first of its kind in the Victorian market, the tower crane will accelerate works on the structure which will see an elevated roadway attached which will funnel arriving airport traffic into the structure, eliminating the current traffic snarls when arriving at Terminals 1-3.

Incidentally plans for Integrated Ground Transport Hub are available via Melbourne Airport's website and show amongst other materials Polycarbonate roofing as one of the external materials. Add an excess of precast panels plus solid colorbond panelling to ground level and we surely have ourselves a progressive design here... or the result of project managers usurping an architect's want?

<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/1529_27-06-2014_7467.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne Airport's image via their website"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/1529_27-06-2014_7467.jpg?itok=aFhlGh7Z" title="Melbourne Airport's image via their website" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Melbourne Airport's image via their website</figcaption></figure>As Melbourne Airport's image above demonstrates the initial phase of Terminal 4 is taking shape with its steel skeleton in place. Tiger terminal above left will be demolished in due course once the new terminal is capable of handling limited passenger flow, after which the newer Terminal 4 will continue southward until it reaches its intended size.

Terminal 4 will coincide with a revamp and expansion of Terminal 3, a video of which can be viewed <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubM-uU44lhc" target="_blank">here</a>.

<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/Image144_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The end result. Image © Hassell Studio"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="477" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/Image144_0.jpg?itok=0MQH3NGm" title="The end result. Image © Hassell Studio" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The end result. Image © Hassell Studio</figcaption></figure>According to Melbourne Airport a future expansion of what is now under construction will see the new Terminal 4 expand to 35,000 square meters and be capable of handling 20 million passengers annually.
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Melbourne Airport's expansion program gathers momentum

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What costs in excess of $20 million to construct and $14 million to maintain over its 15 year life design period? The humble little precast facility photographed below.
Within its walls lies Melbourne Airport's new tri-generation plant, capable of producing eight megawatts or enough power to cover nearly 70% of the airport's requirements. Under the guidance of <a href="http://www.gallagherjeffs.com.au/Projects/Details/PK/118/Project/Melbourne-Airport-Trigeneration-Plant">Gallagher Jeffs</a>, the new facility will run parallel to existing mains power while being able to power the entire Virgin terminal and half of the international terminal in its own right.
<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/Img_5754.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne Airport trigeneration plant under construction"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/Img_5754.jpg?itok=4BezGLya" title="Melbourne Airport trigeneration plant under construction" width="580"></a>
Clearly some genuine gains exist in order to expend a vast sum of money on a facility which has a relatively short life span. Aside from grid independence, the tri-generation plant will provide a green energy source which it is estimated will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 920 000 tonnes over its 15 year cycle.
The new plant will aid Australia Pacific Airports Ltd (Tullamarine's operator) aim of having <q cite="http://melbourneairport.com.au/about-melbourne-airport/environment/energy--climate-change.html">15% of operational energy consumption to be generated or purchased through on-site renewables or accredited green power schemes by 2018.</q>
<h2>
	What is tri-generation?</h2>
Electrical technologies firm <a href="http://www.haronrobson.com.au/">Haron Robson</a> provide an excellent description via their website, part of which states:
<blockquote>
	Tri-generation is the production of electricity, heat and cooling in the one process. Typically this means a gas fired generator producing electricity and heat with the exhaust heat going to an absorption chiller which produces chilled water and hot water for air conditioning or alternatively the heat is used to heat a swimming pool. The ratio of electricity produced and exhaust heat for the absorption chiller and then the ratio of cooling to heating can be varied to meet the specific site requirements.
	<cite><a href="http://www.haronrobson.com.au/product-and-technology-reviews/what-is-tri-generation">Haron Robson: What is Tri-generation?</a></cite>
</blockquote>
<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/whatstrigeneration.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Image © Haron Robson"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="154" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/whatstrigeneration.jpg?itok=fme_R2xp" title="Image © Haron Robson" width="580"></a>
Principal benefits of the facility driven by four TCG 2020 natural gas-powered engines include savings on energy costs, lower greenhouse emissions and grid independence which is critical given the airport has been susceptible to power outages in the past.
<h2>
	15 years too far?</h2>
Designed to power (in part) T2 International, one wonders if the tri-generation plant will provide enough output to cater for demand over its lifecycle? Multiple whispers abound that T2 International is in store for wholesale changes - something far more substantial than a simple refurbishment and extension. Time will tell whether the rumours are proven to be true, but for the time being November will usher in a new model of energy production at Melbourne Airport.
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Talkin' bout my (tri)generation

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The Herald Sun is reporting plans are underway for a $1 billion monorail link between Melbourne's CBD and Tullamarine Airport. The plan is reportedly in its early phases and has garnered interest from a local infrastructure developer.

8 to 10 minutes travel time from either Flinders Street or Southern Cross station are the numbers being reported as well as the benefits of prefabricated construction techniques utilising factory line labour that is being laid off from the automotive industry.

The journalist quoted Peter O'Brien, the brainchild of the plan, as saying:

<blockquote>
The whole problem with heavy rail is you have to buy the land from the public and that’s expensive and takes years. Newly proven technology means we can now follow the established use of airspace in the northern hemisphere without building huge concrete edifices.
<cite>Peter O'Brien</cite>
</blockquote>

The report doesn't go into much detail and leaves many questions unanswered however that should not distract from taking this proposal seriously - any unsolicited private sector project should be assessed on merit once more public domain information is released and we very much look forward to that day.

Having said that, the following is an attempt to make sense of the limited information contained in the article.

The road distance from Southern Cross to Tullamarine is 22km as per Google maps which takes a route along Spencer Street, Dynon Road, Citylink and the Tullamarine Freeway. It's safe to assume that an 8-10 minute trip would mean the monorail vehicles would have a top speed in the range of 200kph given it takes approximately 20 minutes to drive the same distance and the speed limit on the freeway section of the route is 100kph.

Claims about not needing huge concrete edifices is interesting given utilising airspace is mentioned. The assumption here is that the monorail guideway would be elevated and therefore would need to clear the multiple overpasses currently crossing the Tullamarine Freeway - Ormond Road, Dawson Street, Victoria Street, Albion Street, Moreland Road and the very high Bell Street overpass just to name a few.

The Herald Sun report likewise mentions the Melbourne plan would be similar to that of a monorail built in Seoul without mentioning the Seoul project is in fact a maglev for the Incheon airport district yet the Melbourne proposal is reportedly to run on rubber-wheels.

Whether a classic steel wheel on steel rail, rubber-wheel or a maglev technology is utilised for the train, the bulk of any guideways (and therefore visual impact) depends on the width of the vehicles and whether there will be dual track or not - and this amongst other things is not made clear in the report.

If the service is to have capacity for 40,000 passengers an hour one can only assume this would be configured with dual track and vehicles with a capacity for 1000 people running every 3 minutes in each direction - impressive given the reported $1 billion price tag as reported by the Herald Sun.

<a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/bold-plan-to-build-1-billion-monorail-above-the-tullamarine-freeway-under-way/story-fni0fit3-1226844195129">The Herald Sun report</a> is available for viewing.

Lead Image source: <a href="http://kojects.com/2012/01/28/maglev-at-incheon-international-airport-to-be-completed-this-year/" style="font-size: 10px;">kojects.com</a>.
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Alastair Taylor

Monorail proposal to link Melbourne airport

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A small piece of Melbourne's history will begin disappearing in the days and weeks to come as Melbourne Airport's water tower continues to be engulfed by scaffolding and mesh in preparation for demolition.
A pronounced structure viewed by hundreds of millions of travellers yet never at the forefront of anyone's thoughts, the tower has stood the test of time since it began appearing on the horizon during 1969 as evidenced by the Melbourne Airport image below.  More recently the water tower became far more recognisable, gaining a lick of paint to closely resemble a Tiger Airways aircraft livery.
<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/1384_19-11-2013_3817.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne Airport's image of the water tower under construction during 1969"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="380" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/1384_19-11-2013_3817.jpg?itok=w69b9LT2" title="Melbourne Airport's image of the water tower under construction during 1969" width="580"></a>
According to Melbourne Airport, demolition will consist of  "A series of innovative cutting and propping techniques, regarded by engineering specialists as the safest procedure for a demolition of this scale."  In what will most likely resemble the demolition of the Lonsdale Street Power Station chimney some years ago, large horizontal rings will be cut with a diamond tipped cable mechanism and then repositioned by mobile crane to terra firma for recycling offsite.
The water tower is to make way for the new integrated ground transport hub with forms part of the larger precinct redevelopment of which <a href="http://www.leightoncontractors.com.au/" target="_blank">Leighton Contractors</a> is the chief builder.  As seen below works have commenced well back from the terminal precinct for associated infrastructure such as elevated roadways and the like.  Piling for the integrated ground transport hub and part of the terminal precinct are well advanced.
<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/Img_3625.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Early works with Melbourne's skyline in the distance"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/Img_3625.jpg?itok=WMYbZ732" title="Early works with Melbourne's skyline in the distance" width="580"></a>
Visit Melbourne Airport's website <a href="http://melbourneairport.com.au/about-melbourne-airport/media/photo-gallery?gallery=historical-photos" target="_blank">here</a> to see a collection of images dating back to the early 1960's.  Further construction images of current works are provided in the link below.
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Tiger loses its tail!

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Before you foster grand plans of outdoing Homer Simpson's "Persephone" or adding a Wet and Wild atop the upcoming Terminal 4, Australia Pacific Airports Corporation Pty Ltd (APAC) last week released a statement calling for public design input into the finer grain aspects of the new terminal which will house Melbourne's two low-cost airlines. It reads as follows:
We're seeking feedback on the design of its new domestic terminal.  Construction is underway on the new Terminal 4, which will be home to growing low-cost airlines Jetstar and Tigerair. A survey has been compiled based on a fly-through animation of the new Terminal 4, and we're seeking input from the general public and a range of stakeholders. Frequent Melbourne Airport passengers and visitors, aviation enthusiasts and anyone interested in the development of the new terminal are invited to participate in the survey. 
Survey respondents are asked their opinion on the look and feel of the design, as well as questions around how they would like to spend time while waiting to depart or visitors to arrive. Melbourne Airport will monitor the survey site regularly for useful feedback on the design of the new terminal, which will be updated as progress continues.
Whilst our article title may be slightly facetious, it's a wise move on APAC's behalf to involve public feedback where possible given the bare bones (if not shambolic) nature of the current low-cost facility.  
Designed by <a href="http://www.hassellstudio.com/" target="_blank">Hassell</a>, Melbourne Airport's new southern terminal precinct will be delivered by <a href="http://www.leighton.com.au/" target="_blank">Leighton Holdings</a> with a construction contract valued at $370 million. Covering 20,000 square metres, the initial phase now under construction will be capable of handing 10 million passengers per annum upon completion, doubling in capacity if and when expansion plans are enacted upon.
Impressive enough yet what would be a worthwhile addition to Melbourne Airport's Terminal 4 given the complex's design for the most is set in stone? Reinventing the wheel and suggesting truly ground breaking ideas would be a pointless exercise given APAC's penchant for function over form, as evidenced by the 1970's international terminal facade still greeting passengers upon their arrival.  
It's a domestic terminal with minimal layover times therefore the need for a terminal user to relax or be stimulated for a few hours maximum is paramount; making the terminal a passenger experience rather than a choir would be ideal, therefore:
<ul>
<li class="rtejustify">
		Incorporate a well sized, low maintenance, functional rooftop garden akin to Freshwater Place Southbank's (below right) which would double as a viewing platform where users could relax, have a drink or meal, and take in sweeping views of the aircraft before them to the CBD beyond.  Introducing a much more diverse material palette - brick pavers, timber, high quality concrete finishes etc. </li>
	<li class="rtejustify">
		Mimic <a href="http://www.a-r-m.com.au/projects_MelbCentral" target="_blank">Melbourne Central's rejuvenated retail precinct</a> or QV's food hall with a multi-level retail and service dominated layout - give users a high quality offering and those excruciating one to three hours of dead time will be no more.</li>
	<li class="rtejustify">
		Have institutions such as Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne Aquarium, Scienceworks, Melbourne Museum or the NGV sponsor mini exhibits where columns (not necessarily structural) such as that below left are placed within the terminal acting as aquariums, displays or reptile/insect exhibits - keep the kids occupied whilst also exposing Melbourne's tourist attractions at the first point of contact for most travelers.</li>
	<li class="rtejustify">
		Paraphrasing this article '<a href="http://www.futuretravelexperience.com/2013/10/new-technology-influencing-design-future-airport/" target="_blank">How new technology is influencing the design of the future</a>,' implement the technologies that passengers find highly useful to allow their terminal experience to be enjoyable, rather than an obstacle.</li>
</ul>
<img alt="" height="395" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/pictures/article-images/Image1_47.jpg" title="Images courtesy Yelp &amp; Fytogreen" width="1073">
Why stop there!  The oversized car park masquerading as a Ground Transportation Hub is abysmal if the below render is anywhere near accurate in its depiction.  Surely APAC which rakes in stupendously high revenues from car parking fees can loosen the purse ever so slightly more and allow those charged with designing the complex to actually design?  
A search of 'car park facades' in Google Images yields both impressive and intriguing.  The array of facade materials and the technologies backing those facades is impressive and makes the below render look quite pathetic in the process.
The ideal outcome for the Ground Transportation Hub - a functional, efficient facility that has minimal ongoing maintenance costs whilst also being aesthetically pleasing given it is a massive facility not easily missed.
<img alt="" height="600" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/pictures/article-images/MLS_06.jpg" title="Potentially average. Image © Gareth Servant" width="1442">
The solution - <a href="http://archrecord.construction.com/features/designvanguard/2013/1312-JOHO-Architecture-slideshow.asp?slide=2" target="_blank">Herma Parking Building</a> by JOHO Architecture.  Located in Seoul, the impressive structure is both functional and daring in its design.  Rather than the above eyesore, a clad of polycarbonate and stainless steel panels punctuated by diagrid metal vents (below) offers a slightly more expensive, immeasurably more impressive design outcome with essentially no long term maintenance costs due to the materials used.
Better yet, what chances of a mixed use development where a hotel or admin/office space is placed atop the car park in akin to this mixed-use <a href="http://www.big.dk/#projects-mtn" target="_blank">Bjarke Ingles Group</a> project? Its been done with the opposing Melbourne Airport Car Park &amp; PARKROYAL, why not once more?
<img alt="" height="991" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/pictures/article-images/Image3_26.jpg" title="Herma parking centre. Images courtesy Architectural Record" width="921">
See the link below to Melbourne Airport's webpage inviting feedback and should you have any suggestions we'd love to hear them as well via the comment section below.
http://melbourneairport.com.au/News-Events/Listing/Overview/have-your-say-on-our-new-terminal.html#sthash.MCBWzTQk.dpuf
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Melbourne Airport says design your own terminal

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It's that time again; other media outlets are reporting on Melbourne Airport's most up-to-date figures regarding its ever expanding car parking revenues.  And cue the inevitable uproar on the lack of perceived non-car access methods to the airport. 

As we've seen, even on Apartments.com.au, there's a lot of debate on how to provide alternative access methods to Tullamarine.  Martin Mankowski dished up a thought provoking piece during June on <a href="/news/melbourne-a-city-of-two-tales-skybus-vs-the-airport-train" target="_blank">Skybus versus Airport Rail</a> while back in March I wrote that <a href="/news/half-of-the-melbourne-airport-rail-link-is-currently-under-construction" target="_blank">half of the Melbourne Airport Rail Link is already under construction</a> in the form of the Regional Rail Link.

This regular cycle of mainstream reporting and subsequent commentary doesn't appear to be going away and unless norms (read: PTV Melbourne Metro dependencies, notions that the Regional Rail Link should be treated as a sacred cow for regional passengers) are challenged the same cycle will be repeating itself a decade from now.   The East-West freeway tunnel is likely to soak up many years worth of capital which could be redirected into Public Transport projects so the not-so-new question is: how best to get non-road transport out to Tullamarine?

I still form the view V/Line would be the best operator to run trains to and from the Airport mainly because the Regional Rail Link will be injecting additional capacity into and out of the inner city: an asset that could get a higher return - for more Victorians - if it were at least initially used for Airport rail services.  Conjointly the rolling stock V/Line utilise is presently better suited for passengers with bags compared to a standard metro train configuration whilst little thought is given to the fact that auxiliary trains required to operate these services would be built in Dandenong - adding more local jobs to the equation.  

<img alt="" class="image-article_full_width_702px" height="318" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/VLocitySet36.jpg?itok=dPALl6mU" title="Vlocity at Southern Cross - Image credit: Wikipedia: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:VLocitySet36.jpg" width="702">

Image credit: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VLocity_160" style="font-size: 10px;" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>

In light of the amount of capital that will be sucked out of Spring Street's budget to facilitate the East-West freeway project, further measures to deliver an Airport Rail service need to be looked at.  Australia Pacific Airports (Melbourne) Pty Ltd - the owner of Melbourne Airport - favours an underground station in the Terminal precinct (refer to <a href="http://melbourneairport.com.au/docs/MasterPlan_2013_PreliminaryDraft_s9_Ground_Transport.pdf" target="_blank">Ground Transportation Plan, Page 129</a>) - however is this the best option?  

Given the airport is set to receive a large elevated road structure to better interface with the new Terminal development to the South of the existing T3 (Virgin), is an elevated rail line completely out of the question?  An underground station will mean passengers using the trains will need to ascend multiple floors to get to the departures level of the terminals and not to mention underground stations are invariable the most costly to build.

An elevated solution, like that of Brisbane's Airtrain Station seen below, has the advantage of easily traversing the horrific amount of car parks that currently surround the airport.  The station itself isn't overly fancy (we should remove the thought from our minds of building a grand terminal like the proposals we saw recently for Flinders Street), it's pleasant enough and gets the job done - just what  a train station should be.  Not to mention it would have been a darn site less expensive to build than a tunnel and two platforms underground.

<img alt="" class="image-article_full_width_702px" height="468" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Brisbane_Airport_domestic_terminal_Vabre.jpg?itok=UL_ttNVa" title="Brisbane Airport Domestic Station - Image credit: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_Terminal_railway_station,_Brisbane" width="702">

Image credit: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_Terminal_railway_station,_Brisbane" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>

Attempts to ask APAM about whether an elevated structure could well be looked at the next iteration of the Airport's master plan were met with an automated message on the phone number listed on Melbourne Airport's site for the Master Plan.  Suffice it to say not much effort thereafter was employed to pursue the matter.

Reflecting on deleting Footscray as a V/Line stop, as mentioned in the March piece, the recent release of Plan Melbourne seems to work with this idea quite well.  Sunshine is highlighted as an emerging employment cluster and having a major transport interchange located within it - especially with traffic going to and from the airport - would go a long way to ensuring this planning initiative is successful.  Should Sunshine be the primary western suburban stop for regional services, the emerging area will be the first port-of-call for all Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo V/Line services; having a regular CBD-Airport rail service stop via a potential Sunshine V/Line hub allows seamless connectivity for regional passengers, removing the need to travel into an already congested city station.

Once the Regional Rail Link is complete, effectively the start of works to build an airport rail link will be in Sunshine.  A structure to remove potential conflict between Airport bound trains and the Sydenham line would need to be built around Albion and at least initially, a single bi-directional track could be laid alongside the existing Albion corridor (therefore reducing capital expenditure).  Factor in an elevated station at Tullamarine and the comparisons to a dual electrified track with metro services terminating at an underground station are stark, particularly in construction costs.  The newly formed Metropolitan Planning Authority will have two clear choices upon which to advise Government no doubt.

Leap forward 10 years after an airport link is complete, the Melbourne Metro tunnel is operational and the pressure on Regional Rail Link capacity increases; maybe then could the 'norm' be implemented.  

In saying that however, I dare say the faster  V/Line service would be sorely missed if an airport rail link switched to a stopping all stations slower metro service as outlined in the PTV Heavy Rail plan.
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Reflecting on the Melbourne Airport Rail Link

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Asia Pacific Airports (Melbourne) Pty Ltd - the owner and operator of Melbourne's Tullamarine airport - released its <a href="http://melbourneairport.com.au/About-Melbourne-Airport/Media/Media-releases/melbourne-airports-july-passenger-traffic-results" target="_blank">July year-on-year passenger statistics</a> yesterday.  Standing out amongst all other statistics in the media release, was that Tullamarine has for the first time registered more than 30 million passengers passing through its terminals.

Likewise more than 2 million passengers passed through the domestic terminals and as stated in media release, APA have acknowledged early works have begun on expanding Terminal 4 - the low-cost terminal which Tiger Air currently operates out of.  You can see some of the renders posted on our forum back in April <a href="/news/tullamarine-joins-the-30-million-passengers-per-year-club" target="_blank">here</a>.

I've always liked to think growth in airports - be it passenger numbers, aircraft movements or infrastructure growth - are a reflection of the city they're located in.  When an airport is growing through passenger numbers and therefore aircraft movements, it's generally a good sign the city the airport is attached to is likewise seeing healthy growth.  

It's not all about Melbourne's profile being expanded through the greater connectivity afforded by airlines increasing frequencies, such as Singapore airlines recently moving to 4 x daily operations between Melbourne &amp; Singapore, or creating new routes like Air India will be soon to Delhi; it's just as much a reflection of the mood of Melburnians and their happiness/ability to splurge and go see the rest of the world.

<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/air-india-boeing-787-dreamliner-during-paris-air-show.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Arriving within days, an Air India 787 Dreamliner. Image © Indian Economic Times "><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/air-india-boeing-787-dreamliner-during-paris-air-show.jpg?itok=PigXJ7Iu" title="Arriving within days, an Air India 787 Dreamliner. Image © Indian Economic Times " typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

Image Credit: Indian Economic Times.  Click <a href="http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?aircraft_genericsearch=%3D%22boeing+787-8+dreamliner%22&amp;airlinesearch=%3A%28%22air+india%22+OR+%22air-India%22+OR+%22%28air+india%29%22+OR+%22%28air-india%29%22+NOT+%22express%22+NOT+%22regional%22%29&amp;countrysearch=&amp;specialsearch=&amp;keywords=&amp;sort_order=photo_id+desc&amp;page_limit=15&amp;daterange=&amp;range=&amp;thumbnails=&amp;engine_version=6.0" target="_blank">here</a> for more photos of Air India's 787.

Despite a general belief that a high-speed rail corridor between Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney would be good thing for the environment (as long as the power generated for the new line was from a renewable or cleaner-than-coal source) as well as capacity issues in Sydney, we're likely to be stuck with Tullamarine as our primary entry and exit point for many years yet.   It's encouraging to see the many-times-over refreshed masterplan is slowly coming to fruiting through the recently announced 3rd runway planning project and the ongoing terminal expansion projects but as I and others have written on UrbanMelbourne.info before, one of the main issues which will remain with Tullamarine is ground transport access.  

It might take another decade for Tullamarine to reach 40 million passengers a year - the passenger figure generally thought to be where there will be a definite "<a href="http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/six-million-people-would-use-train-to-melbourne-airport/story-e6frfkp9-1226647198690" target="_blank">need</a>" for a rail line to and from the centre of the city - but it will be an interesting decade given the push to expand the Tullamarine Freeway between the Western Ring Road and the airport.  

Will we see more frequent skybus services in the interim?  Who knows, but it's a sure bet on the road to 40 million passengers, the pressure to service Tullamarine from a ground transport perspective is going to increase and here's also hoping the State Government comes to a better agreement to channel more non-skybus services into the precinct from areas where most airport employees live.
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Tullamarine joins the 30 million passengers per year club

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Growing up, I couldn't believe we had no train to the airport. I could catch a train to such distant wonderlands as Hurstbridge, Tecoma and Tyabb (albeit on a 'Red Rattler'!); towns so small and far away that to most people they sound mythical. Yet if I wanted to catch a train to the airport, located in Tullamarine, a suburb just 17km from the CBD, I was left scratching my head whilst dad inserted half his weekly wage into the parking machine in order for us to pick Grandma up on her return from Europe.

Any friends which visited from overseas/interstate would look at me gobsmacked and laugh. “What, there's no train? I thought you said Melbourne was the most liveable city in the world”!

Tullamarine Airport opened fairly recently (1970) in the infrastructure scheme of things. Its predecessor, Essendon Airport (still used for charter and general aviation) also didn't have a rail link, making this continued oversight even more frustrating. Admittedly, the new Tullamarine site was chosen for its relative lack of surrounding housing, theoretically making future expansion an easier proposition. If you look at the debacle that is currently the search for a site of Sydney's second airport, this foresight has turned out to be worth its weight in gold!

43 years on, we still have no end in sight with regards to high capacity (although we do have high frequency) public transport to and from Tullamarine. Multiple rail routes have been mooted – branches from the Craigieburn and Upfield lines, a direct underground line, and a branch from Albion-Jacana standard gauge freight and interstate corridor, as well as an extension of the tram line from Airport West.

Some of these have now been wisely cast aside:

<ol>
<li>The tram line would take much too long. The tram trip from the airport to the city would be almost certainly be in excess of an hour, resulting in a longer trip than a flight from Melbourne to Adelaide or Sydney!</li>
	<li>An underground line would be much too expensive. Underground heavy rail costs about 10 times the cost of heavy rail at grade. And given the much needed 9km Melbourne Metro tunnel has been estimated to cost $9 Billion, the cost of an underground airport link could approach double that.</li>
	<li>A stopping all stations trip via the Craigieburn/Upfield lines would take much too long, and there are too many capacity/signalling problems as it is to run extra express services.</li>
</ol>
That leaves the Albion-Jacana branch line as the only viable option. In some ways it makes sense – The Southern Cross – Sunshine section is currently being upgraded as part of the RRL, so the only new rail line needed is dual track alongside the standard gauge lines in the Albion corridor and a relatively short deviation from Airport West to the airport terminal. When PTV released their multi-decade plan recently choosing this as their preferred option, all seemed right in the world. Except...

<figure class="align-left"><img alt="" height="217" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/pictures/article-images/0801rail_links-300x0.jpg" title="Source: The Age" width="300"><figcaption>Source: The Age</figcaption></figure>Until last year I just accepted my fate and drove to the airport. However I finally got sick of Melbourne Airport's exorbitant parking prices (the most expensive in the world – more than London Heathrow or JFK New York!) and decided to do something I promised myself I would do for years – catch Skybus!

It was a great experience – it ran direct from Southern Cross to the terminal door, ran every 10 minutes so no need to book a seat, and best of all, only took 20 minutes!

Given the airport train is tipped to take 20 minutes (via Southern Cross option) and up to 30 minutes (via Melbourne Metro Tunnel option), is it really worth spending billions of dollars on an option which wont get us there faster than the current option?

Consider this:

<ol>
<li>Skybus runs direct from Southern Cross Station to the airport, the same as a train would.</li>
	<li>Skybus runs every 10 minutes 24 hours a day. Metro trains do not currently run overnight – running extra trains would be more expensive than running extra buses.</li>
	<li>Skybus is scalable. If extra services need to be added at a later date, buying extra buses is much cheaper than buying extra trains! I also assume that special airport trains would have to be purchased, as current metro trains do not have any luggage storage capacity.</li>
	<li>Skybus costs $17 one way and $28 return, comparable with Sydney's airport train. <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/skybus-lane-faces-fight-20130103-2c7ib" target="_blank">There has recently been talk of the government subsidising the fare and installing Myki readers on the buses</a>, thus reducing the cost of a trip to the equivalent of a zone 1 / 2 fare.</li>
	<li>There is no guarantee a train would actually increase mode share over the bus. Both Sydney's Airport Link and Brisbane's Airtrain were initial disasters, with low patronage levels forcing Sydney's train into administration and Brisbane very nearly following suit. They both survived, however even today their mode shares are only 8% and 11% respectively. Skybus' mode share is a tick under 9%. Not bad all things considering.</li>
	<li>Skybus only takes 20 minutes off peak, but up to 40-50 minutes during peak hour. The last point is obviously the most contentious. However its one solved by creating bus express lanes on the Tullamarine Freeway. There is a risk people and organisations such as the RACV will cry foul about the effect this will have on car traffic, however road projects currently underway and planned by the Tullamarine airport authority such as extending &amp; upgrading Airport Drive enabling another high capacity road from the Western Ring Road into the airport would go a long way to alleviating the current crunch at the end of the Tullamarine Freeway.</li>
</ol>
<figure><img alt="" height="271" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/pictures/article-images/292854-airport-road%20%282%29.jpg" title="Source: Herald Sun" width="482"><figcaption>Source: Herald Sun</figcaption></figure>CityLink and more vigorously Melbourne Airport, <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/skybus-lane-faces-fight-20130103-2c7ib" target="_blank">are of course against this proposal</a>. They make a fortune from the borderline criminal parking rates they charge, and aren't keen on this stopping any time soon. It is ridiculous when you think about it – what other organisation in the world would actively campaign against having yet another high quality access method lead directly to their facility?

It is time governments of all persuasions toughened up and stopped pandering to these bully boys, and put an end to this decades old impasse. Reconfiguring the freeway lanes, subsiding the fare, and most of all, promoting the hell out of Skybus, will be orders of magnitude cheaper than building heavy rail. And we can do it now, and not have to bicker about budgets and the best route for the next 10 years. With a fast, fast efficient airport link we can continue to deserve the title of 'the most liveable city in the world', not 'the laughing stock of the developed world' which our current non-existent solution is.

And my non-Melbourne friends will finally stop laughing at me!
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TheHeadOnTheDoor

Melbourne, a city of two tales - Skybus vs The Airport Train

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Australian Pacific Airports Corporation - owner of Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport  - has released its latest Master Plan draft for public viewing. The full document suite is available <a href="http://melbourneairport.com.au/About-Melbourne-Airport/Planning/Master-Plan" target="_blank">here</a>.

The highlight of which, and mentioned in mainstream media toward the end of last year, is the announcement Melbourne's 3rd runway will be a shorter arrivals-focused runway to the south of the terminal precinct running parallel to the existing 9/27 (East-West) runway.

For years Melburnians have seen in their Melway street directories the proposed 3rd and 4th runways locations, and now we have less fluid and slightly more concrete dates on when the 3rd runway will be operational - 2022 at the latest. And it was somewhat amusing to watch a report on ABC News24 2 nights ago where locals living in Gladstone Park were overall quite supportive of the project and were happy to list the benefits of the expansion.

I've always believed that Tullamarine was one of those rare examples of good planning foresight from different levels of government at the time. Thereafter successive governments have maintained strict suburban development controls to the west and north of Tullamarine, minimising complaints and maximising the airport's usefulness through its 24 hour operation - a demonstrably genuine example of a good balance between the needs for housing and and the needs for connectivity expansion over time.

Contrast that with the decades-old biff which the powers that be in Sydney have had to contend with, it's not hard to sit back and just have a smug look on your face when you read about the latest cacophony taking up valuable air time on national TV when the country knows Sydney has an infrastructure paralysis problem and time would be better spent sorting the issue out in the domestic media rather than the NSW government smearing egg all over its own face infront of us all.  

I'm not alone by the looks of things, Chris Woodruff, head honcho at Tullamarine, has even publicly gloated about <a href="http://www.afr.com/Page/Uuid/bda9d0cc-c0d3-11e2-a4e8-dad4012b432c" target="_blank">"taking the fight to Sydney and outgrowing them"</a>. <a href="http://urbanmelbourne.info/policy-culture/2013/05/07/the-melbourne-versus-sydney-debate-isnt-boring-its-useful#content" target="_blank">As I've argued previously</a> - Sydney and NSW need Melbourne's growth plans and demonstrated success so they can dig themselves out of their own complacency.  

The three runway configuration as outlined in Tullamarine's masterplan is expected to increase the maximum aircraft movements per year (currently hovering around the 240,000 mark).  Terminal 2 - International has yet more scope for expansion over the next 10-20 years as seen in this image taken directly from the master plan itself.

<img alt="" class="image-article_full_width_702px" height="608" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/mel_T2_expansion.png?itok=bV-NRe93" title="Image courtesy Melbourne Airport Master Plan" width="702">

We've already seen the plans for the new dedicated <a href="http://urbanmelbourne.info/forum/tullamarine-news-projects-construction#comment-501" target="_blank">Low-Coast Terminal - T4</a> thanks to forumer Fedsquared who provided renders via graphic artist Gareth Servant. Combining T3/T4 and T2 expansion together, the southward additions to the Terminal precinct and the new 3rd runway further illustrate Tullamarine's management mean business and the future is bright for attracting new international airlines as well as a domestic expansion to support a growing Melbourne.

Yet the biggest grey area in the masterplan and further confused by the recent Airport Rail Study is ground transportation access. Airport management claim via <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/six-million-people-would-use-train-to-melbourne-airport/story-fni0fiyv-1226647198690" target="_blank">this Herald Sun article</a>, they hope for 25% of all trips to/from the airport to occur via public transport and that 6 million passengers (15%) would use an airport rail service in 2022, should that link be built. Only attracting 15% of an eventual 40 million passengers to a rail service appears to be very conservative given Melbourne current receives approximately <a href="http://www.ret.gov.au/tourism/Documents/tra/National%20Visitor%20Survey/2013/Travel_by_Australians_December_Quarter_2012.pdf" target="_blank">15 million domestic visitors</a> per annum (yet not all use the airport to get here) plus another <a href="http://www.ret.gov.au/tourism/Documents/tra/International%20Visitor%20Survey/2013/IVS_%20December_Qtr_2012.pdf" target="_blank">1.7 million international visitors</a>.  Those figures will grow over the coming decade and so will residents using the airport to travel elsewhere.  I'd very much like to see the detail behind that prediction.

Even on the airport's own target of having 25% of all trips to/from the airport on a public transport mode, the gap (10%) between the goal (25%) and the rail-use prediction (15%) suggests it will be filled with a large bus network, presumably there to primarily serve airport employees who live direct easy, south and west of the airport.

I can't help feel my suspicions about the do-nothing Airport Rail Study was just that: a study to say do nothing - or at least make the case for a rail line dependent on a litany of other projects.  Here we have a private organisation happy to plan and put money where its mouth is and expand infrastructure to support more growth but the public sector refuses to see the wood for the trees and get rail access to the airport sooner by piggy-backing off the <a href="http://urbanmelbourne.info/transport/2013/03/27/half-of-the-melbourne-airport-rail-link-is-currently-under-construction#content" target="_blank">Regional Rail project</a>.

The smug look on my face, as you can imagine, has by now disappeared - maybe we do have a NSW-like problem after all.
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