Beacon Cove is located on a formerly contaminated industrial waterfront site
adjoining Station Pier, a key gateway to Melbourne, and Princes Pier. Following
the collapse of a commercial canal estate proposal in the early 1990’s, the Victorian
Government’s Major Projects Unit, as owner of the site, re-commenced planning
for the site with a charrette (Bayside Open Planning Forum) in 1992. This charrette
produced design concepts and principles for a walkable mixed use street-based
precinct that would be well-integrated with the existing Port Melbourne community
and provide a public waterfront. The concepts also included an enhanced terminal
for the Tasmanian ferry service (TT-Line), and for redevelopment of the site’s
heritage features. Based on a tender response that responded well to the charrette
outcomes, Mirvac were appointed as a joint venture partner in 1994.