Melbourne's New Developments

Melbourne is an international destination named as one of the world's most liveable cities. New developments continue to build this reputation. The latest include the expansion of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, hotel developments, world-class tourism attractions and sporting facilities and stage two of the exciting Waterfront City precinct.

Melbourne Convention And Exhibition Centre

The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is expanding and will open Australia's largest and most comprehensive meeting, convention and event space in 2009.

The centrepiece of this $1.4 billion urban development, the new Melbourne Convention Centre stretches half a kilometre along the Yarra River. The Centre offers an unrivalled 30,000 square metres of clear floor space. Its flexible layout accommodates gatherings of varying sizes, including up to 5,000 seated. The contemporary design features an 18-metre-high glass wall façade fronting the Yarra River, a plenary hall that can be sub-divided into smaller conference venues, a ballroom and meeting rooms of various sizes. The exhibition area is transformed into smaller sections using movable walls, allowing exhibitions of many sizes to be staged in up to five separate bays. A variety of meeting rooms, offices, hospitality suites and a 493-seat auditorium complement the Centre's exhibition space.

The development includes the new Hilton South Wharf Hotel- 396 rooms- and the lively South Wharf riverside precinct, including 60,000 square metres of retail space that will revitalise the last section of the Yarra River edge and link Southbank to Docklands via a new bridge.

The new Centre will be a major Melbourne landmark. It will also set new environmental standards; it has been awarded a Six-Star, Green Star environmental rating by the Green Building Council of Australia, making it one of the greenest convention centres in the world.

The complex is accessible to the city centre via public transport. Tram routes stop on three sides of the precinct and Victoria's major regional rail hub, Southern Cross station, is located within five minutes' walk.

The new Melbourne Convention Centre will be part of a $1.4 billion development in South Wharf. In its entirety will inlcude:

• A 5,000-seat plenary hall that can be divided into three self-contained halls with capacities of 2500, 1500 and 1000 people (respectively)
• 32 meeting rooms of various sizes
• A ground-level foyer for 8,400 guests
• An office and residential tower
• 10,000 square metres of riverfront promenade and retail spaces
• 50,000 square metres of lifestyle/homemaker retail space

The Melbourne Convention Centre development takes the Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre group to new strengths as Australia's largest combined exhibition and convention centre in Australia.

Hotel Developments

Melbourne is ranked as one of the world's top convention cities, and offers delegates ample accommodation choices with more than 14,800 rooms in the CBD alone. The construction of three new hotels will ensure Melbourne retains this status.

A 396-room Hilton hotel is being built as part of the Melbourne Convention Centre development in the city's newest suburb, South Wharf.

Citadines Melbourne on Bourke will be Ascott's first Citadines in Australia. Opening in 2010 and located in the heart of the CBD, the hotel is accessible by public transport and close to restaurants, high-end retail precincts, parks and gardens, and Melbourne's renowned theatre district. It is also close to government departments and major office towers.

At an estimated cost of $300 million, the newest hotel in the Crown Entertainment Complex is scheduled to open in 2010. Australia's largest hotel will boast 658 rooms, bringing the total number of hotel rooms available at Crown to more than 1600.

Located close to Melbourne's Exhibition Centre, Crown's new hotel will accommodate approximately 340,000 guests each year, including 100,000 international visitors.

As well as new developments, some of Melbourne's most trusted hotel brands are undergoing refurbishments. The Rialto Hotel in Collins Street will become a five star Intercontinental hotel, and both the Grand Hyatt and Hilton on the Park are undergoing $40 million refurbishments.

Waterfront City

Melbourne's exciting new entertainment and lifestyle precinct, Waterfront City, combines retail, commercial and residential development. Visitors choose Waterfront City for its diverse mix of restaurants, alfresco cafés and bars, picturesque public marina and a busy event schedule throughout the year.

On the edge of the CBD, and serviced by public transport, Waterfront City will attract millions of visitors each year when the second stage of the precinct's development is complete in 2008, and will be home to some of Melbourne's best tourist attractions, including the Southern Star Observation Wheel.

Harbour Town at Waterfront City will include 41,000 square metres of retail space, offering more than 200 shops and outlets, a food and entertainment precinct serving up a diverse range of cuisines, a tourist information lounge and plenty of parking (more than 2,200 car spaces).

Southern Star Observation Wheel

The 120-metre tall Southern Star observation wheel is taking shape at Waterfront City in Melbourne's Docklands. Passengers will take in views of the city and Port Phillip Bay in the air-conditioned comfort of 21 glass enclosed capsules, which can each hold up to 20 people. The Southern Star observation wheel features a unique state-of-the-art star-like structure. Capsules will be available for private hire. The Southern Star observation wheel is expected to open to the public in late 2008.

The Southern Star, the only observation wheel in the Southern Hemisphere, offers event organisers a unique and exhilarating venue for functions and events. Sunset Flights and New Moon Orbits are just two package possibilities, with private capsules offering the perfect networking or cocktail space with a difference.

Melbourne Aquarium Antarctica Development

One of Victoria's most popular tourist attractions is expanding. Melbourne Aquarium will open the doors to its new Antarctica development, which will include an Antarctic penguin exhibit, in late 2008.

This unique tourism experience in Australia will use some of the world's newest technologies to recreate an Antarctica experience, and feature King and Gentoo penguins.

The expansion will double the size of the Melbourne Aquarium to approximately 6,000 square metres, and will include improved retail, food and education services, as well as stunning new function spaces with an increased capacity of up to 1,700 people.

The total cost of the redevelopment which will revitalize the northern bank of the Yarra River is expected to be $20.6 million, and the extension is forecast to attract an additional 200,000 visitors in the first year.

Melbourne Rectangular Stadium

The construction of a world-class stadium to host soccer, rugby league and rugby union matches will add to Melbourne's status as the world's best place to hold a sports event, following the recent announcement that Melbourne has been named the world's Ultimate Sports City in 2008. Work on the $268 million stadium, which will handle more than 31,000 fans, is expected to be completed by the end of 2009.

The medium-size, purpose-built rectangular pitched stadium will complete Melbourne's sporting infrastructure and make Olympic Park one of the world's leading sports, training and entertainment precincts.

Its design features a substantial number of undercover seats and includes a sports campus with an elite training centre and offices. An average of seven soccer games, including Melbourne Victory A League games and other international and national soccer matches, will be played every year at the new stadium.