City of Perth ratepayers can no longer submit feedback on the riverfront masterplan: the six-week consultation closed on 5 May 2025. After considering the engagement report on 26 May 2026, council retained the draft as a strategic reference document—not as approval of a fully funded construction program. The City says it will use the plan to inform advocacy and collaboration on State riverfront projects and guide future asset renewal and public-realm improvements as opportunities arise.
Can Perth ratepayers still have their say?
No. The City’s public engagement phase is complete. The online survey ran from 24 March to 5 May 2025 and was open to all Western Australians, not just City of Perth ratepayers. The City said the project had significance beyond the local government area. Council considered the engagement report on 26 May 2026 and retained the draft masterplan as a strategic reference document. The City’s current project page says the engagement phase is complete.
That status does not mean the entire concept has been approved, funded or scheduled for construction. The City describes the draft as a reference for advocacy, collaboration on State riverfront initiatives, and future asset renewal and public-realm upgrades when opportunities arise.
What does the draft riverfront masterplan cover?
The City’s current project description covers a riverfront corridor incorporating Supreme Court Gardens, Terrace Road Car Park, Langley Park, Point Fraser and Ozone Reserve, Riverside Drive, the shared path and river’s edge, and foreshore east of the Causeway up to Matagarup Bridge. Its project page groups the concept into five precincts:
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- Cultural
- Play
- Leisure
- Event
- Ecology
The City’s August 2024 announcement described a 44-hectare area extending 2.2 kilometres between Supreme Court Gardens and the Causeway. That announcement’s boundary description is not identical to the current page’s list of places, which also identifies foreshore east of the Causeway to Matagarup Bridge. For the current draft scope, the City’s present project list is the more useful reference.
Features described as concepts in 2024
The 2024 City announcement outlined a reimagined river edge, a realigned Riverside Drive and better connections between the city and river. A release from Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas also referred to a lagoon, cafes and restaurants, public mooring and a ferry jetty, a river walk, an ecological precinct and 3,000 new trees. These are concepts described at the time, not confirmation that the features have been approved or built.
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PerthNow’s August 2024 report characterized the proposal as a “$1 billion-plus” masterplan and reported concepts including two hotels, about 30 restaurants and cafes, and an event precinct that could support up to 180,000 people. Those details belong to that contemporaneous media account; the City’s current project page does not confirm $1 billion as an approved budget.
What did the consultation find?
The City reports that its 2025 survey received 1,582 responses, which it described as the highest response count for a City project. The official engagement summary says 77% of respondents agreed or somewhat agreed that the draft addressed five themes identified through a 2020 community survey: a place for all, connectivity, activation, on-water activities and cultural heritage.
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The 77% figure is about whether respondents thought the draft addressed those themes. It is not a vote on every proposed feature, a binding decision, or a ratepayer-only measure. Alongside the online survey, engagement included public drop-in sessions; State agencies and private industry groups also provided input.
What could affect future works?
River-wall, drainage and flooding issues
The City says the river wall and drainage network need renewal and that Langley Park and Riverside Drive flood during high tides and inclement weather. Its project FAQ says these conditions may worsen with a predicted river-level rise of 0.7 metres by 2100. This is the City’s stated planning context, not an independently verified forecast.
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Langley Park’s reserve status
The City says Langley Park is an A-Class reserve, protecting its primary use for parks, gardens and recreation. It says development would need approval from the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage at the development-application stage. The reserve status is a planning constraint, not evidence that any particular proposal has received approval.
Heritage and cultural context
The City says heritage-listed places require ongoing engagement and that it commissioned a Cultural Heritage Assessment in 2020. The masterplan’s cultural-heritage theme and any future proposals therefore sit within a process that must continue to engage with heritage considerations.
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Is the $1 billion riverfront plan going ahead?
The available status is more limited than that phrase suggests. “$1 billion-plus” was a description reported by PerthNow in August 2024, while the City’s current project page does not confirm an approved budget. Council’s 2026 decision to retain the draft as a strategic reference keeps it relevant to future planning, advocacy and renewal; it does not establish a complete funding package, construction approval or delivery timetable.
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