City of Melbourne has signed the Swimmable Cities Charter, committing to restore the health of the Yarra River for swimming.
In a Future Melbourne Committee meeting on 2 December, the council outlined its long-term plan to make the Birrarung/Yarra River swimmable by 2050. City of Melbourne will sign the Swimmable Cities Charter, a public commitment to uphold the community’s right to swim and a clear statement of the council’s ambition to restore the river’s health for public use. Council will also ask other local councils in the catchment to sign the charter alongside them, broadening the commitment across the region.
Cities around the world that have enabled urban swimming report serious benefits including improved liveability, greater tourism and economic activity, stronger property values, healthier waterways and biodiversity, plus enhanced social connection. Paris, Berlin and Copenhagen have all demonstrated what’s possible when agencies collaborate to transform their waterways, with local governments typically acting as the catalyst for change.
Key actions outlined by City of Melbourne
- Sign the Swimmable Cities Charter and invite other catchment councils to join
- Establish a coalition with other local councils and Victorian government agencies
- Run community engagement activities at the 2026 Moomba Festival promoting the swimmable Yarra ambition
- Identify three waterfront activation opportunities along the river
- Develop water quality targets and a new Stormwater Management Plan
- Undertake joint technical analysis to determine investment required
- Map pollution hotspots and explore large-scale stormwater harvesting projects
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Making the Birrarung/Yarra River swimmable requires collective action spanning the river’s 242-kilometre land catchment and waterway corridor. Multiple agencies hold influence over the health and activation of the river, including the Victorian government, Melbourne Water, Environment Protection Authority, Parks Victoria and other local governments in the catchment.
City of Melbourne has limited direct authority to make the river swimmable on its own, as the council only manages a small section of the waterway and a relatively small area of the catchment. That’s why establishing a coalition with other stakeholders sits at the centre of the plan.
Council has identified three streams of activity it does have authority to deliver: establishing a coalition for a swimmable Birrarung/Yarra to gain long-term commitment from other agencies, celebrating and activating the waterfront by working with private and public partners to increase how people connect to and experience the river, and cleaning stormwater through activities within City of Melbourne’s control to improve water quality and waterway health.
Early work will zero in on activating the riverfront beyond just water quality improvements. Management will scout three opportunities for new public spaces or water-related recreation along the river, building out ways for people to connect with the waterway even before swimming becomes possible. Community engagement activities at the 2026 Moomba Festival will help build momentum around the swimmable Yarra ambition.
Improving stormwater sits as another major focus. Council will set fresh water quality targets, update its Stormwater Management Plan, and ramp up compliance checks at construction sites. Pollution hotspots will be mapped out, and large-scale stormwater harvesting projects explored as potential solutions.
Management will work with partners to undertake joint technical analysis informing the level of investment required to make the river swimmable. Future swimming locations will be assessed against specific criteria laid out in the report, including cultural approval from Traditional Owners, good water quality, safety standards, and public accessibility. No sites have been nominated yet, but investigations will kick off next year to identify the best spots.
Swimming in the lower Birrarung has been off-limits for decades due to pollution and heavy boat traffic. Lord Mayor Nick Reece has publicly expressed confidence that city bathing will return within a generation, an idea that’s gained rapid public support.
Council officers say the benefits of a swimmable Birrarung stretch well beyond recreation. Cleaner water would support biodiversity, cool the city during heatwaves, attract tourism and investment, and help reconnect Melburnians with the Yarra River.
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