Central Equity : Melbourne Articles : Yarra River

Melbourne - The Yarra

The Yarra once more the focus of Melbourne

One of the challenges any city faces is to integrate new developments within the city. Even better is to ensure that new developments make the city more attractive, drawing together some of its best assets and allowing it to be seen again, as if for the first time.

The Southbank development gave the people of Melbourne a whole new view of their city. The Northbank series of developments is set to do the same again. The Yarra is being spanned in a number of new places. Barriers between the Yarra and the centre of the city are being removed and new routes are being established between the city and our cultural and sporting precincts south of the Yarra.

While it is all too easy to become mesmerised by the breath and diversity of the developments proposed, what is just as interesting is the effect these developments will have in unifying the city and making the Yarra once more the major focus of Melbourne. The Yarra will be the thread that draws together the city's major attractions from MCG, Riverside Park and Federation Square, to Swanston Street and the CBD, Southbank and the Aquarium, to the Crown Entertainment Centre, the Exhibition Centre and Docklands.

Melburnians have had a changing relationship with the river affectionately known to some as "our brown river".

Once victim to industrial pollution from the abattoirs, tanneries and factories lining its banks, the Yarra is now taking on a central role in the life of the city.

When the Southbank development revitalised a prominent section of the riverbank in the late 1980's, Melburnians were offered a new perspective on one of the their city's less recognised assets. The project even prompted some to say that city's early planners had built the city with its back on the Yarra.

This impressive lists of developments are drawing more and more Melburnians to the Yarra. Roller blading, cycling, rowing and river cruises are now commonplace while the river precinct is home to a growing residential population.

In particular the Southbank area has continued to grow in importance in Melbourne's development and is now a sought after residential area for those wishing to be near the Central Business District, universities and educational facilities, parks, gardens, sporting, theatre and dining venues of inner Melbourne.

Central Equity's contribution to the growth of Southbank has been significant where residential property development is concerned. Foreseeing the potential of inner city living, Central Equity has completed over thousands of inner city apartments to meet the demand for inner city living in Melbourne.

Approximately 75% of Southbank's residential projects have been completed by Central Equity. This area has now even got its own postcode 3006, and is now becoming the entertainment point for all Melburnians, Australians and international visitors. All enjoying the bustling precinct of arts, cultural, cafes, restaurants and shopping.