The iconic Henderson House Landing in Footscray will be rebuilt from scratch following an $800,000 commitment from the state government.
The Maribyrnong River wharf has been closed to the public for more than a year due to safety concerns after its partial collapse last February.
The landing has since fallen into greater disrepair and an engineering assessment of the structure revealed it will need to be replaced.
The landing will be rebuilt to maintain the look and feel of the current structure.
Last June about 100 people attended a public rally organised by the Footscray Riverside Action Group (FRAG) urging the government to rebuild the wharf.
Visiting the site on Friday, Ports Minister Luke Donnellan said he would like to see local residents, recreational fishers and boaters enjoying the landing again.
“We’re delighted that Henderson House Landing will be restored to its previous condition – preserving such an iconic connection to the river,” he said.
“Having rowed up and down here in the 80s… it is very much changed.
“I just think the recreational opportunities here, the socialising and so forth, is really what it’s about, making a happy community.”
Footscray MP Marsha Thomson said wood from the existing pier would be provided to the local community to be recycled into a public sculpture reflecting the site’s heritage.
“We all know the beauty of this part of the river and this is a hub of activity with the arts centre just up there,” she said.
“For me this is about saying that being outdoors, being able to get together as a community is so crucially important in communities holding together and feeling like they belong to something.”
FRAG president Sharman Williamson said it has been a long process but the group is happy with the outcome.
“Especially now, we feel with all the construction that is going up and about 4000 new residents, this green space and the access to the river is more important than ever,” she said.
“Although we also wanted to highlight its historical significance and that was part of the push. We’re just delighted the reconstruction is going ahead.”
The rebuild is due to commence in July and expected to be complete by February.
