What is Yani Barripbarripuyt?
Yani Barripbarripuyt, formerly the Shrine to Sea project, will create a boulevard connecting the Anzac Station Precinct to Port Phillip Bay via Albert and Kerferd roads.
Once complete, the improved green boulevard will provide usable open space and increased safety with clearer connections for pedestrians and cyclists. Interpretation and artwork stories will also offer the opportunity to learn more about local history.
The Victorian Government has invested $13 million to support the planning and delivery of Yani Barripbarripuyt. The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) became the lead agency for this project in late 2019, and is working in partnership with the City of Port Phillip (CoPP), Parks Victoria (PV) and the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) to deliver the project.
Project vision
Yani Barripbarripuyt: an evolving story of journey, place and people. A boulevard for Melbourne connecting stories of our past and present to meet the needs of our future community.
When complete, Yani Barripbarripuyt will:
- Enhance the green boulevard
- Create safer and clearer links and connections for walking and cycling
- Celebrate local stories
- Improve usable open space
Bunurong naming of the boulevard
Through the development of the Shrine to Sea masterplan, the community selected ‘Aboriginal Country’ as the leading interpretation theme for the boulevard. As the Registered Aboriginal Party for Bunurong Country, Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (BLCAC) has informed and guided the boulevard’s development process, including the reintroduction of Boonwurrung language on Country.
Between masterplan finalisation and commencement of the implementation phase, BLCAC underwent a restructuring of their language research process. This reflected a new understanding of how to interpret 19th century sources of language, from which most Boonwurrung names today are derived:
"When reconstructing Boonwurrung language today, we need to compare across multiple sources to produce an accurate word."
"We are now proud to say that BLCAC has implemented a much more rigorous and effective standard for researching Boonwurrung language, which will be instrumental in reawakening language in community."
With this new approach, BLCAC completed a review of the word Yannawatpanhanna, which was chosen as the new name for the Shrine to Sea boulevard in 2022. Through this process, Yani Barripbarripuyt was determined to be an accurate and culturally respectful form of the word.
Yani Barripbarripuyt means 'go to the sea/ocean' in Boonwurrung language, and captures the spirit of the corridor as a journey.
From June 2025, the Shrine to Sea project will formally adopt the name Yani Barripbarripuyt.
Listen to the name here:
DEECA and our project partners are proud to support BLCAC in their language journey and look forward to sharing more Boonwurrung language through the boulevard’s delivery.
Delivering Yani Barripbarripuyt
With the masterplan now complete, DEECA continues to work in partnership with the City of Port Phillip, Parks Victoria, and the Department of Transport and Planning to support its implementation. Each project partner will lead the detailed design and construction of works within their respective areas of land management.
City of Port Phillip will also work with BLCAC to design and deliver the boulevard's interpretation design, celebrating local stories. Interpretation elements - such as stories and artworks - will be interwoven through the open space design, based on priority themes chosen by the community and identified in the Thematic History and Aboriginal Cultural Values report. All project partners will manage the construction of interpretation works for their respective areas.
Delivery of the funded works by project partners is anticipated to be completed by early 2028.
For more information on each partners' project scope, design and delivery status, please visit their webpages:
The Shrine to Sea masterplan
The Shrine to Sea masterplan was officially launched by the Victorian Government in September 2024. Preparation of the masterplan involved a comprehensive planning process and extensive community engagement, including input from a community panel and a variety of stakeholders. The Victorian Government would like to acknowledge all community members who provided feedback through the various community engagement activities.
Download the masterplan here:
More information on the history and development of the Shrine to Sea masterplan, including community engagement documents and reports, can be found here:
Celebrating local stories
Celebrating Local Stories is a key initiative in line with Yani Barripbarripuyt which explores the rich local history, stories, and culture of the boulevard area.
In this multi-part series, we explore the little and well-known stories from the boulevard and surrounding areas. As we continue to enhance the boulevard and provide safe and enjoyable experiences for the future, we also want to celebrate the area’s vibrant past.
FAQs
What is the implementation phase?
With the masterplan now approved, DEECA and its project partners have entered the implementation phase, the next stage in delivering the vision for the Yani Barribarripuyt boulevard.
DEECA has established funding agreements with the City of Port Phillip (CoPP), Parks Victoria (PV) and the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) to enable detailed design and construction of priority works along the boulevard.
When will the works be delivered?
Priority works will be progressively delivered between 2026 and early 2028. Construction will be coordinated by project partners to minimise disruption during peak times, such as summer periods and major public events.
How will the approvals for this project be managed?
DEECA, in collaboration with project partners, has submitted a request to the Minister for Planning to consider the Yani Barripbarripuyt project under Clause 52.30 – State Projects of the Victoria Planning Provisions.
Clause 52.30 provides a standardised planning pathway that helps prioritise and streamline the planning and assessment process for significant state projects. If the project is granted State Project status, it will follow a streamlined approvals process, while still meeting all relevant planning and environmental requirements.
How do I find out more about what’s being delivered?
To stay informed of each partner’s implementation works, including any access or usage changes to the boulevard during construction, please visit their respective partner pages:
Department of Transport and Planning (webpage under development)
How much funding remains for the implementation phase?
In 2018, the Victorian Government invested $13 million to support the planning and delivery of Yani Barripbarripuyt.
Following a comprehensive planning and engagement process, including extensive community engagement, approximately $10 million remains to deliver the priority works. These funds have been allocated to CoPP, PV and DTP, which will cover the costs associated with detailed design, project management, and construction.
The remaining funds will not cover all the design initiatives proposed in the masterplan.
What is the Kerferd Road bike lane?
The Kerferd Road bike lane is a proposed protected cycling route that would connect Beaconsfield Parade to Moray Street.
During the Shrine to Sea masterplan development, five different bike lane designs were drafted and assessed to improve safety and connectivity. Following this analysis, a protected bike lane was identified as the preferred option for Kerferd Road, based on a range of criteria.
Why was the bike lane removed from the Shrine to Sea masterplan?
In reviewing the draft masterplan, the Victorian Government considered a number of factors, including the Department of Transport and Planning’s decision to remove temporary Pop-Up Bike Lanes in the City of Port Phillip. It was determined that further targeted community engagement was required to develop a safer, long-term active transport solution along Kerferd Road.
As a result, the protected bike lane was removed from the Shrine to Sea masterplan to be considered separately at a future time. This decision allowed the final masterplan to progress without further delay, enabling delivery of other key improvements.
What are the next steps for the Kerferd Road bike lane?
The Department of Transport and Planning will now lead the Kerferd Road bike lane project. The design, modelling and analysis work completed by DEECA has been retained and will inform future planning.
Importantly, the works outlined in the Shrine to Sea masterplan do not prevent the future development of a protected bike lane along Kerferd Road.
The Kerferd Road bike lane project will not proceed under Clause 52.30 and will instead be subject to a separate planning process.
Contact us
If you have any queries about this project, please contact us.
Email: open.space@deeca.vic.gov.au
Page last updated: 22/07/25