Melbourne Developments

[Copernicus]

Well, since I moved to the US in 2004 it seems like there has been a lot of new stuff going on in Melbourne, and I was curious about how the city is looking, with the new Docklands stuff going up and the construction of the Eureka Tower. I was also kinda curious about that weird Spencer Street Station refurb - how's it all looking? I'm glad that they're fixing up the Docklands but I was wondering just how interesting that area is.

Feel free to fill me in on anything I've missed.

 

[Muffo]

Well, since I moved to the US in 2004 it seems like there has been a lot of new stuff going on in Melbourne, and I was curious about how the city is looking, with the new Docklands stuff going up and the construction of the Eureka Tower. I was also kinda curious about that weird Spencer Street Station refurb - how's it all looking? I'm glad that they're fixing up the Docklands but I was wondering just how interesting that area is.

Feel free to fill me in on anything I've missed.

Sydney won the 2005 grand final.

 

[Zeke]

This is what it looked like as of 2am yesterday morning.

 

[nut]

This is what it looked like as of 2am yesterday morning.

Still looks cold

 

[Diego]

From what i heard the docklands development is doing very poor. They can't sell any of the apartments let alone get people to move in.

From my experience its very cold, concrete and no character. You have this feeling that greedy developers just wanted to make a quick buck and no real over sight on how the place will hold against the test of time.

Poor Eddie must be mulling over on what to do with all his apartments there.

 

[Murray]

From what i heard the docklands development is doing very poor. They can't sell any of the apartments let alone get people to move in.

From my experience its very cold, concrete and no character. You have this feeling that greedy developers just wanted to make a quick buck and no real over sight on how the place will hold against the test of time.

Poor Eddie must be mulling over on what to do with all his apartments there.

He doesn't have any.

 

[bmwofoz]

He doesn't have any.

Ofcourse not, his too busy buying Toorak.

 

[Jason Voorhees]

Theres a good photogallery of the Spencer Street station development here:

http://www.spencerstreetstation.com.au/default.asp

Expensive exercise - $700 million ...

 

[Murray]

Ofcourse not, his too busy buying Toorak.

Correct - Elephant stamp for you little boy

 

[MS_7TIMES]

Melbourne is building up nicely for the Commonwealth Games, the Eureka Tower is almost complete, the Docklands development is looking good, the MCG is completed and has been listed on the World Heritage List, Southern Cross is weird but Vics will get used to it like Fed Square and Flinders Street Station is getting a makeover.

People in Sydney are getting a little jealous because all the developers and big business are looking to Melbourne for their new building and business opportunities.

 

[Diego]

People in Sydney are getting a little jealous because all the developers and big business are looking to Melbourne for their new building and business opportunities.

What was that i was saying about Melbourne people having a huge complex towards Sydney? Thanks for proving my point right.

And if you call over development of an area with high density "modern" apartments which will look bland in 5 years progress, then yeah Melbourne is on a wiener!

But I guess the yarra aint no habour and the princess bridge (what ever is called) aint no habour bridge.

 

[Murray]

What was that i was saying about Melbourne people having a huge complex towards Sydney? Thanks for proving my point right.

And if you call over development of an area with high density "modern" apartments which will look bland in 5 years progress, then yeah Melbourne is on a wiener!

But I guess the yarra aint no habour and the princess bridge (what ever is called) aint no habour bridge.

And you prove his point very effectively

 

[wez10000]

We are also getting a new state of the art Soccer/Rugby Stadium next to Olympic Park to be ready by the start of the 2008 season

 

[Daytripper]

Well, since I moved to the US in 2004 it seems like there has been a lot of new stuff going on in Melbourne, and I was curious about how the city is looking, with the new Docklands stuff going up and the construction of the Eureka Tower. I was also kinda curious about that weird Spencer Street Station refurb - how's it all looking? I'm glad that they're fixing up the Docklands but I was wondering just how interesting that area is.

Feel free to fill me in on anything I've missed.

I work at the Docklands and it must surely be the coldest and windiest part of Melbourne.

Most of my co-workers hate it because :
1. There are no shops to have a look at during lunchtime.

2. Parking is horrendously expensive considering where it is. The cheapest option is $8 per day and you have to be in before 7.30am to get that. Most of the others are between $9 and $12 per day, are out in the open with no protection from the elements and are a good 10 minute walk to the offices.

3. The train station is about an 8 minute walk away and if your train is on a loop line you have to get off at Flagstaff (going to work) and connect with a Spencer St train. Then when you eventually reach your destination its a walk in the wind, up and down stairs and through construction work. Not a good start to the day.

4. There are no cafes that sell reasonably priced food. Everything is catered to the high end of the market. Its impossible to get a simple sandwich or a bucket of chips or whatever. One food place decided to put schnitzel sandwiches on their menu one day. Fantastic, I thought, at last I can get some simple food. The price, $14

5. There is a pub there now (The Watermark) which is great however you can't get a taxi in the area after 7pm without calling one up.

6. Did I mention how cold and windy it is !!!!!

I'm not surprised that the apartments have a slow take up rate. Why would you live there when you can get something for a similar price in Richmond, Carlton or even in the city and have heaps of infrastructure around you.

They're trying to turn it into Melbourne's version of Darling Harbour and its a mile away from ever becoming anything like that.

 

[Zeke]

Give it a decade.

 

[Adrian Shelton]

Docklands is Pox, someone please implode it, or maybe another Coode Island BBQ will clean house, give me the 'real' suburbs(10-20k from city, all sides) anyday (or even Melton!!!)

 

[The Dice Man]

I work at the Docklands and it must surely be the coldest and windiest part of Melbourne.

Most of my co-workers hate it because :
1. There are no shops to have a look at during lunchtime.

2. Parking is horrendously expensive considering where it is. The cheapest option is $8 per day and you have to be in before 7.30am to get that. Most of the others are between $9 and $12 per day, are out in the open with no protection from the elements and are a good 10 minute walk to the offices.

3. The train station is about an 8 minute walk away and if your train is on a loop line you have to get off at Flagstaff (going to work) and connect with a Spencer St train. Then when you eventually reach your destination its a walk in the wind, up and down stairs and through construction work. Not a good start to the day.

4. There are no cafes that sell reasonably priced food. Everything is catered to the high end of the market. Its impossible to get a simple sandwich or a bucket of chips or whatever. One food place decided to put schnitzel sandwiches on their menu one day. Fantastic, I thought, at last I can get some simple food. The price, $14

5. There is a pub there now (The Watermark) which is great however you can't get a taxi in the area after 7pm without calling one up.

6. Did I mention how cold and windy it is !!!!!

I'm not surprised that the apartments have a slow take up rate. Why would you live there when you can get something for a similar price in Richmond, Carlton or even in the city and have heaps of infrastructure around you.

They're trying to turn it into Melbourne's version of Darling Harbour and its a mile away from ever becoming anything like that.

Ahh yes, I remember now why the only thing I miss about Melbourne is the Footy.

When I last flew down 8 months ago as we're circling the Williamstown area getting ready for landing I had a great view of teh entire city and suburbs from a westerley perspective, looking all over the northern, eastern and southern suburbs. And all I could see was flat dirty concrete.

I missed the place for 3 years, now the only thing that could ever get me to stay back there is one fine piece of ass, or 100K+ per year.

Hell, I'd even move and work in the mines for 100K so that aint saying much.

 

[Z_K]

2. Parking is horrendously expensive considering where it is. The cheapest option is $8 per day and you have to be in before 7.30am to get that. Most of the others are between $9 and $12 per day, are out in the open with no protection from the elements and are a good 10 minute walk to the offices.

Not looking hard enough!!

Footscray road, just before La Trobe street. 5 bucks. I am a regular. If you are of devious intent, you can do what I have done a few times and tailgate some poor bugger and get out for free.

Easy.

 

[Captain Sensible]

Not looking hard enough!!

Footscray road, just before La Trobe street. 5 bucks. I am a regular. If you are of devious intent, you can do what I have done a few times and tailgate some poor bugger and get out for free.

Easy.

Nearly rear ended some poor scmuck doing that at Sunshine Hospital a year or so ago.

 

[Z_K]

Nearly rear ended some poor scmuck doing that at Sunshine Hospital a year or so ago.

One must be careful, of course.

A couple of times I have arrived at the car park without the required change (machine only takes coins) and have organised with other rebellious types for me to follow them, no questions asked.

I find women are easily swayed to allow this. It must be the rush of having such a magnificent beast (me) close behind them doing something naughty. That is my un-biased interpretation anyway.

 

[Captain Sensible]

One must be careful, of course.

A couple of times I have arrived at the car park without the required change (machine only takes coins) and have organised with other rebellious types for me to follow them, no questions asked.

I find women are easily swayed to allow this. It must be the rush of having such a magnificent beast (me) close behind them doing something naughty. That is my un-biased interpretation anyway.

Gold. I've never met you but I'm ready to follow you to the ends of the earth.

 

[Daytripper]

Not looking hard enough!!

Footscray road, just before La Trobe street. 5 bucks. I am a regular. If you are of devious intent, you can do what I have done a few times and tailgate some poor bugger and get out for free.

Easy.

I think its gone up to $7 now. Is it the one on the corner of Footscray Rd and Dudley St on the left hand side as you go towards the Telsta Dome ?.

The entrance is on Footscray Rd (Harbour Drive) and there is a set of lights there now.

Or is it further up ?

 

[Murray]

Ahh yes, I remember now why the only thing I miss about Melbourne is the Footy.

When I last flew down 8 months ago as we're circling the Williamstown area getting ready for landing I had a great view of teh entire city and suburbs from a westerley perspective, looking all over the northern, eastern and southern suburbs. And all I could see was flat dirty concrete.

I missed the place for 3 years, now the only thing that could ever get me to stay back there is one fine piece of ass, or 100K+ per year.

Hell, I'd even move and work in the mines for 100K so that aint saying much.

Pfffttt pocket money down here these days

 

[The Dice Man]

Pfffttt pocket money down here these days

I never knew the Pines was full with such a well-off demographic.

Let us know when they start actually buying their TVs, cars, stereos and DVD players

 

[Z_K]

I think its gone up to $7 now. Is it the one on the corner of Footscray Rd and Dudley St on the left hand side as you go towards the Telsta Dome ?.

The entrance is on Footscray Rd (Harbour Drive) and there is a set of lights there now.

Or is it further up ?

Nah, that's it. I haven't been there for about 2 months. 7 bucks you say eh? That is an outrage. I propose to go there for a week and not pay once, and I shall report on my progress.

Fight the power!!!