Project update
Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the plan, we're now reviewing the feedback received. An engagement report will be available on this page in the coming weeks.
About the project
In May 2024, the Victorian Government announced that a new primary school would be built at 299 Williamstown Road Port Melbourne.
The school will open for the 2026 school year, helping to meet the needs of the growing population in Port Melbourne and the Wirraway Precinct of Fishermans Bend.
To support the delivery of the new school, the City of Port Phillip is working with the Department of Transport and Planning and the Victorian School Building Authority to make local street upgrades to ensure safe and easy access for students.
The southern section of Smith Street will be upgraded to provide primary access to the school.
The design proposes that Smith Street will become one way and includes a linear park, upgraded footpath, more trees, dedicated bike lanes, increased lighting and reduced speed limits.
These changes are proposed to create a welcoming and safe environment for families, including those walking and cycling, supporting the Wirraway Precinct to become a great place to live.
We want to hear from you!
If you live nearby, or will use the area around the school, your feedback is important.
Share your thoughts on the concept design and help shape the future of Fishermans Bend.
About the precinct
Fishermans Bend is Australia's largest urban renewal precinct, covering 485 hectares just 3km from Central Melbourne. By 2050 it will be home to 80,000 residents, 80,000 workers and 20,000 tertiary education students.
The Fishermans Bend Framework guides the long-term planning for the area which includes plans for parks, schools, streets, transport and community facilities and services to ensure liveability as the precinct grows.
The Wirraway Precinct is planned to become a family friendly, inner-city neighbourhood close to the bay, JL Murphy Reserve and Westgate Park.
The delivery of the Fishermans Bend Primary School (interim name) will help meet the needs of the growing population across the area with a brand new, modern school. Set to open in in Term 1, 2026, the school will have places for up to 650 students from Prep to Year 6.
The City of Port Phillip is working closely with the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) and the Victorian School Building Authority to support the delivery of the new school with local street upgrades to ensure safe and easy access for students.
View the draft concept design
Draft Concept Design - Smith Street Safety Upgrades
You can click on the images below to zoom in.
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FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Smith Street will become more pedestrian-friendly with features like a linear park, upgraded footpaths, more seating, more greenery, dedicated bike lanes, increased lighting and reduced speed limits.
These changes are designed to create a welcoming environment for families and make the Wirraway Precinct a great place to live, close to the bay and Westgate Park.
Proposed upgrades to Smith Street may require the removal of some existing trees to accommodate new infrastructure. Tree removal will be avoided where possible and any removals will be replaced with new vegetation, adding even more greenery to the street. The potential removal of any existing trees will be carefully considered through a formal tree removal process as the street design is developed and the community will be kept informed.
The introduction of a new linear park, wider footpaths and new bike lanes on Smith Street will require a significant reduction in existing car parking spaces. Parking spaces on the west side of Smith Street will be reduced to create a safer environment. While on the east side of the street, parking will be reconfigured to accommodate school pick-up and drop-off needs.
The exact number of spaces to be removed will be informed by a detailed design and traffic study.
Preliminary traffic studies indicate that the conversion of Smith Street to a one-way street between Tarver Street and Williamstown Road will not have adverse impacts on the surrounding road network or intersections. Analysis found that the surrounding streets in the locality would operate satisfactorily, following the one-way of Smith Street.
The upgrade works will start in May 2025.
The City of Port Phillip is working closely with the Department of Transport and Planning and the Victorian School Building Authority to deliver upgrades to ensure safe access to the school.
The Department has committed to the provision of a new signalised pedestrian crossing on Williamstown Road near Smith Street to make crossing the road safer for families walking and cycling to and from the school. The preferred location of the crossing will be investigated further as the design is developed.
Fishermans Bend is Australia’s largest urban renewal project.
For more information, you can visit the Fishermans Bend website at fishermansbend.vic.gov.au
The new Fishermans Bend Primary School (interim name) complements the Victorian Government’s delivery of new schools in the area, including South Melbourne Primary School delivered in 2018 catering to more than 525 students and the state-of-the-art Port Melbourne Secondary College, which opened in 2022 with capacity for 1,100 students.
You can find out more about the primary school that VSBA plan to build at:
https://www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au/fishermans-bend-primary-school-interim-name
You can find out more about the kindergarten at:
https://www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au/fishermans-bend-primary-school-kindergarten-interim-name
The Department of Transport and Planning recently released the draft Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Area Development Contributions Plan (DCP) which proposes to fund over 120 essential infrastructure projects across the Precinct.
DTP has prioritised the proposed upgrade of Smith Street and a new signalised pedestrian crossing across Williamstown Road at the intersection of Smith Street, with funds from the DCP to fund these safety improvement projects.
