The City of Perth’s draft Riverfront Masterplan went out for public comment in March 2025, but consultation is closed and the proposal is not a funded construction program. After considering the engagement report on 26 May 2026, Council retained the draft as a strategic reference document to inform advocacy with the State Government and guide future renewal and public-realm improvements when opportunities arise.
What area did the draft cover?
The draft addressed about 2.2 kilometres of foreshore, linking a series of existing public spaces rather than proposing one continuous new development site. Its area included Supreme Court Gardens, Langley Park, Point Fraser, Ozone Reserve, Riverside Drive and the river path toward Matagarup Bridge. The City framed the vision as a contemporary public space connecting Perth with the Derbarl Yerrigan / Swan River, with an emphasis on culture, nature, biodiversity, play and leisure. City of Perth project information
What did the proposal envision?
The March 2025 draft used illustrative concepts for different precincts, including culture, play, leisure, events and ecology. Reported concepts included a lagoon, beaches and jetties, food and drink venues, habitat islands and extensive planting. These were proposed features, not confirmation that the amenities would be built. The City’s later description of the draft as a strategic reference document further distinguishes the concepts from an approved delivery plan. The West Australian coverage of the draft concepts
What did the consultation find?
The City of Perth reported 1,582 survey responses to the engagement, which it described as the highest response count for a City project. It also reported that 77% of respondents definitely or somewhat agreed that the draft addressed the five key themes. That percentage is an average of the two agreement categories in the City’s engagement materials; it describes survey respondents, not a representative poll of the wider population. City of Perth engagement report
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The five themes were identified in an earlier 2020 consultation. The 2025 process asked whether and how the draft addressed them:
- A place for all: whether the riverfront could serve a broad range of people.
- Connectivity: how the city and riverfront could connect.
- Activation: how activity could be supported along the foreshore.
- On-water activities: how people might use the river as well as its banks.
- Cultural heritage: how cultural significance could be recognised.
The response figures indicate engagement with the draft; they do not determine a final design or establish that all respondents supported every proposed element.
Is the public comment period still open?
No. The City released the draft for public engagement on 24 March 2025, and the six-week comment period closed on 5 May 2025. The City’s project page uses the label “Have your say about the future of Perth’s Riverfront,” but that wording does not mean submissions are currently being accepted. City of Perth Riverfront project page
Is the riverfront transformation going ahead?
The available City update does not establish a full-project budget, funding commitment, construction schedule or final delivery design. After considering the engagement report on 26 May 2026, Council’s stated approach was to retain the draft as a strategic reference document. The City says it will use it to inform advocacy and collaboration with the State Government on riverfront initiatives and guide asset renewal and public-realm improvements as opportunities arise. That is a basis for future planning and coordination, not a commitment to build every concept in the draft. City of Perth project status
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How should the City’s comments be read?
In its 24 March 2025 release, Deputy Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds said: “The draft Masterplan meets the needs of Perth’s growing population, while also prioritising nature, culture and biodiversity, and fostering a stronger, safer connection to the river.” This was a statement about the draft’s aims; it is not independent evidence that those outcomes have been achieved. City of Perth release, 24 March 2025
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