If you park in Docklands or Fishermans Bend — whether you live there, work nearby or just come for the food and footy — things are about to look a bit different on the street. The City of Melbourne is consulting on a set of proposed changes to on-street parking across both areas, and you’ve got until Friday 19 June 2026 to weigh in before they lock it in.
Here’s what’s actually being proposed, and what it means for you.
Why is this happening?
The short version: both areas are getting busier and the kerbs aren’t keeping up. Increased traffic, higher-density housing and greater kerbside demand are all piling pressure on the available on-street parking — and what worked five years ago isn’t really working now.
The review sits under the City of Melbourne’s Parking and Kerbside Management Plan, endorsed by Council in 2023, which commits to rolling neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood reviews across the municipality. Docklands and Fishermans Bend are the latest cab off the rank, following earlier rollouts in Carlton, West Melbourne and North Melbourne, among others.
Worth knowing: this isn’t intended to be set and forget. The council will check in annually and fine-tune conditions where they’re not working. So if the changes land badly, there’s at least a mechanism to push back.
What’s actually being proposed?
New paid parking around Ron Barassi Senior Park and Lorimer Street
This is the change most people will feel. Paid parking meters are proposed around Ron Barassi Senior Park at $2 per hour, all day. On Lorimer Street at Yarra’s Edge, 4P meters are going in. On Lorimer Street in Fishermans Bend, 12 bays are being trialled as all-day paid parking at $2 per hour.
Paid parking hours will generally run from 7am to 10pm, Monday to Sunday — so yes, that includes weekends. If you’ve been sneaking in a free Sunday park near the waterfront, that’s likely over.
Time limits getting a rethink across Docklands
Not every change is a cost. In lower-demand areas, time restrictions will be relaxed — typically to 4P or all-day — to better suit workers and recreation visitors who need longer stays. The idea is to stop forcing people into a 2P space when they’re there for the afternoon.
Evenings and weekends now counted
Near shopping, dining and Marvel Stadium, controls will apply from 7am to 10pm seven days a week, reflecting what anyone who’s tried to find a park on a Saturday night already knows: demand doesn’t stop at 6pm.
Loading zones getting simpler
All loading zones will move to a standard 30-minute window from 7am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. After 4pm and on weekends, those bays open up for general use. The inconsistent signage that currently confuses everyone — apparently including drivers who’ve worked in the area for years — is getting cleaned up.
Fishermans Bend: mostly a refresh
Given how rapidly the area is changing and the volume of privately-managed parking already in place, the council is keeping it minimal this round — refreshing signs, line markings and controls for consistency rather than overhauling the whole thing. More significant changes will likely come in future review cycles as the precinct develops.
A few city-wide changes landing here too
15 minutes free. All paid parking bays across the City of Melbourne now offer 15 minutes free when you log your session through the EasyPark app. Already live in other neighbourhoods, this is now rolling through here too. Useful for a quick errand or a pickup.
Those short-stay bays are disappearing. In paid parking areas, existing P10 and 1/4P signs will be replaced with “No Parking” signs — meaning you can stop for up to two minutes to drop off or pick up, but no longer claim a short stay spot. The logic is that the 15-minute free option via EasyPark covers that need. Whether that works in practice is another thing.
New accessible bays. Additional accessible parking bays are being installed near health services, public facilities and transport, line-marked in blue and built to DDA compliance — meaning they’ll be longer and wider than standard bays. Disability permit holders can also park for double the posted time limit in any general green-sign space.
When does this all start?
Changes are scheduled to roll out in the second half of 2026, once consultation closes and feedback is reviewed. Exact timing will be confirmed closer to the date.
Haven’t had your say yet?
The survey is open until Friday 19 June 2026. Head to participate.melbourne.vic.gov.au/docklands-and-fishermans-bend-parking-review to complete it. If you missed the earlier rounds of engagement, the council has confirmed the current survey is still the place to have your say before anything is finalised.
