The City of Melbourne is pressing ahead with plans for a $1.2 million “Little India” precinct in Docklands, inviting feedback from the suburb’s 20,000 residents until November 25 even though most submissions so far have urged caution, news.com.au reported.
The proposal, unveiled in the council’s draft 2026-27 budget and unanimously supported by councillors, would combine parts of the District Docklands Precinct, New Quay Park, Docklands Drive and Ron Barassi Senior Park into a single cultural site. A council letter to residents said Docklands was chosen because of its “strong transport links, community infrastructure, open spaces and opportunities for commercial activation.”
Docklands Residents Voice Concerns About a Single-Theme Precinct
Council received 129 responses to the plan, and the majority expressed “caution about a single-theme precinct in Docklands, citing risks to multicultural identity, top-down delivery, service diversion, and social/economic impacts as key concerns,” according to a May 12 report. Submitters said they wanted Docklands to remain a residential neighbourhood with family amenity, and called for investment in green spaces, cleanliness, harbour maintenance, schools, childcare and youth activities instead.
This is "consultation" with residents about a massive change to the local area. Let's be honest here – the decision has well and truly been made. The contracts have been signed, the money put aside and the planning permits completed. This is just theatre. pic.twitter.com/ixhdRkk0FQ
Some residents questioned the need for another Indian precinct when Tarneit, Point Cook, Clayton and Dandenong already have established hubs. Others warned the plan could fuel racist backlash online, with one Indian community member writing that it “will create further divide” and is “not safe for people of Indian ethnicity living in Melbourne.”
Indian Community Leaders Call for Bigger Investment
Indian community groups have backed the plan and urged council to raise the funding well beyond $1.2 million. Federation of Indian Associations Victoria president Vasan Srinivasan told a May 12 council meeting that a “minimum investment of $5-10 million” is required to build “a permanent cultural, tourism, business and community destination.” Prakash Gupta of the Australia India Business Council called the proposal “long overdue” recognition of the “deep and growing partnership between Australia and India.”
A City of Melbourne spokeswoman said the city is “proud to be home to Australia’s largest Indian community” and that more than 1,000 people have already given feedback on the precinct. Holi Festival director Sunny Pathak, whose annual event draws tens of thousands to Docklands, said the suburb “feels like the natural home for something like Little India.”
Councillor Acknowledges Communication Missteps
Councillor Philip Le Liu told Indian Link he regretted the haste of the announcement, saying it “may have contributed to the negative reception” and that “the way we have communicated has either confused a lot of people or have put a lot of people on edge.” Docklands resident Henry Macedo, speaking by Zoom, argued the money should go to everyday problems like wind tunnels, limited greenery and inactive streets, saying cultural precincts “can’t simply be declared into existence through a budget line.”
Council official Sara Quon said the exact location has not been confirmed but assured residents the precinct “will be small when considered in a whole-of-Docklands context.”
Consultation Closes November 25; Council Decision Due in February
The community consultation phase runs until November 25, following an initial round with key stakeholders in September and October. Council will consider all feedback by the end of the year, present consultation findings and precinct options to councillors in February, and then run “trial activations” in the first half of next year.
Labor is ramming a $1.2 MILLION “Little India” precinct down the throat of Docklands – and the locals are furious. The City of Melbourne, Labor aligned, has already decided. They’re pushing ahead with a dedicated Indian precinct across District Docklands, New Quay Park,… pic.twitter.com/MA2lh12rlx
Council Weighs Little India Site Options
Where exactly will Little India be located? The site is not confirmed. Council is considering a combination of the District Docklands Precinct, New Quay Park, Docklands Drive and Ron Barassi Senior Park, and says the chosen area will be small in the context of all of Docklands.
How much will the precinct cost? The current proposal allocates $1.2 million, but the Federation of Indian Associations Victoria says a minimum of $5-10 million is needed for a world-class precinct.
When will a final decision be made? Council will review consultation findings by the end of the year and present options to councillors in February, with trial activations planned for the first half of next year.
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