The St Kilda Harbour is at the centre of the St Kilda foreshore precinct and together with the St Kilda Pier and Kiosk pavilion is an “iconic” destination for Melburnians, a tourist postcard feature. Parks Victoria research indicates that more than two million visitors promenade along the pier each year, and there are more than eight million visitors to the St Kilda foreshore precinct. The St Kilda breakwater was built in the mid 1950s to form a harbour as the headquarters for sailing events during the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games.

The Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron (RMYS) has been working with various government agencies for many years on the development of a safer boating harbour and new marina facilities.

Parks Victoria manages St Kilda Pier as part of its Local Port of Port Phillip responsibilities and is the Committee of Management for the St Kilda Harbour, appointed under the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978.

A colony of 1200 Little Penguins currently inhabits the breakwater and has regional significance to the area, being the only permanent colony in Port Phillip Bay and accordingly protected under the Wildlife Act 1975. Parks Victoria and RMYS have considered the Little Penguin feeding times and breeding season in the approved Works Plan and Construction Environmental Management Plan.

Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron and Parks Victoria undertook the following works, starting in January 2013. Completion was achieved in January 2014.

1. Breakwater Civil Works RMYS funded the safe harbour development and delivered an extended Northern Groyne and Southern Rock Breakwater wave protection infrastructure. Once completed the RMYS $6.5 million infrastructure investment was transferred to State Government ownership and management into the future. The Little Penguin colony has benefited from the extended breakwater nesting places.

2. RMYS Marina Redevelopment. RMYS invested around $7.5 million to build a new 250-berth marina facility with the latest safety and environmental services. The existing dilapidated timber marina was subsequently removed by RMYS in the latter half of 2014. The RMYS marina is located on a 21-year seabed lease

3. Swing Moorings relocation. RMYS managed the relocation of their current swing mooring holders to alternative sites within the harbour to enable development of the new marina. 

4. Timber Jetty renewal. Parks Victoria renewed the existing timber public jetty leading to the new Marina. $1 million funding was provided by the State Government for the placement of piles and renewal of the jetty superstructure and deck.

5. St Kilda Kiosk / Pier Platform Connection Works. The redevelopment work also provided for the construction of a grid of piling foundations for the future connection to a new pier and deck, to bridge between the existing kiosk platform and the RMYS built Southern rock breakwater. The State Government contributed funding of $200,000 for this work to ensure the ongoing viability of the St Kilda pier kiosk, an important facility for the public, and to ensure a safe public promenading space.