The George Street Dining Deck Trial ran from December 2024 to March 2025.

This exciting initiative came from the broader City Heart Place Plan, adopted by Council in 2024, with the aim of bringing more life, activity and enjoyment to the heart of our city.

George Street sits within the 'CBD Core East' character area—an area known for its rich heritage, vibrant entertainment, arcades, and dining opportunities. The idea behind the trial was to build on these strengths by creating an ‘eat street’ experience that adds vibrancy, slows traffic, and gives us useful data to help shape future streetscape changes.

We gathered feedback from the community, businesses, and stakeholders during and after the trial. The feedback has been instrumental in shaping our understanding and will continue to influence our approach not only to this trial but to future projects as well.

In addition to community and business feedback, extensive data was gathered, including traffic patterns, parking utilisation, and economic impact.

This feedback and data formed the basis of a comprehensive evaluation presented to Councillors in early May 2025.

The outcome.

Based on the key findings and primarily positive outcomes, as well as the alignment with trial objectives, Councillors have endorsed the ongoing use of the dining decks.

Participating businesses will be offered a 12-month licence agreement, and we are exploring measures to address the concerns raised during the trial. This includes initiatives to promote all local businesses, updates to On-Street Dining Guidelines, and enhancements to multi-story car parks to improve accessibility, particularly for pensioners and concession card holders.

The results of the trial will also help guide the long-term vision for George Street, with future concept designs aiming to balance the needs of all users while creating a more welcoming, vibrant city centre.