At the Council Meeting on Tuesday 11 August 2026, Yarra City Council adopted the Victoria Street Revitalisation Plan, with some amendments. Read the Council Meeting Minutes.

Project background

The Yarra City Council’s Victoria Street Revitalisation Plan sets out practical steps to make the precinct safer, cleaner and more welcoming, while backing local businesses and celebrating the communities and cultures that give the street its character.

Council developed the plan with residents, businesses, a Community Reference Group and expert advice. During public consultation from 14 May through to 7 June, more than 580 people took part through surveys, street conversations, community events and targeted outreach.

Who did we hear from?

The consultation included an online survey on Your Say Yarra as well as six in person events and targeted stakeholder engagement. We received feedback from:

• 314 Your Say Yarra responses

• Six in person opportunities

• 110 participants across 78 intercept conversations

• Nine submissions, Oracle requests and emails.

What we heard

Community feedback received during the engagement influenced project prioritisation (what might be dialled up or down); priority actions - game changers / deliberate disruptors and gaps in actions or advocacy.

The two main engagement methods captured different groups and provided perceptions with emphasis on different areas: The online survey attracted a largely residential population and included the strongest views on safety, drugs and cleanliness. The in-person conversations captured more business operators and people from the Vietnamese and wider multicultural community, and showed a stronger emphasis on food, identity and greening.

The survey asked, 'To what extent do you agree that amenity, economy and pride are the right way to measure the success of the Plan?’ to participants. Sixty-eight percent of survey respondents either strongly agreed or agreed with these measures. 

The main themes from the engagement were consistent across all channels and included:

1. Safety is the thing almost everyone agrees on.
2. Vacant shops, high rents and absentee landlords.
3. Food and accessibility and multicultural identity.
4. Cleanliness, graffiti and the look of the street.
5. Trust in Council’s follow through.

Community feedback received on the Plan has led to a stronger focus on safety, clearer requests for State Government action and more regular public reporting so the community can see what is changing.

You can find more details about community feedback in the Engagement Report and Final Plan, both are linked below:

What happens next?

The Victoria Street Revitalisation Plan will be implemented over the next four years.

You can read more about the next steps on Yarra City Council’s website.

Visit the project page

To learn more about this project and consultation please visit the Revitalising Victoria Street page on Your Say Yarra.