This is the archive site of the successful St Kilda Triangle Campaign, led by community activist group unChain St Kilda in the years 2007 to 2009.  

The St Kilda Triangle, marked above by a yellow line, is Crown (public) Land on the foreshore of a popular seaside location.  In May 2007 the then Port Phillip Council signed an agreement with developer Citta Property Group and financier Babcock & Brown to build a massive commercial, shopping and nightclub complex on the site.  This did not accord with the promised vision for the site

Follow the overwhelming community outcry and subsequent campaign to overturn the unpopular proposal. What started as an objection to a public land proposal, turned into a fight for local democracy, toppling the Council and many careers and, ultimately, terminating the Triangle project agreement with the developer.   Find out more about the Triangle issues and how the campaign evolved.

Key features of the campaign include some 200 media stories and a fundraising effort based on sales of prints by Mirka Mora and Greg Irvine.  A few prints are still available. Don't miss out. ORDER NOW.  0411470651. Each print is numbered and signed by the artist.

In the process, four separate Ombudsman's inquiries were launched into probity of the Council’s tender processes, including the Triangle site.  The findings revealed poor procurement and contract management processes, failure to demonstrate transparency, honesty and probity in decision-making, conflict of interest at the highest levels, including Councillors, staff misconduct and a culture of intimidation.  Download these and other reports.

In December 2009 the Council, the state government and the developer agreed to terminate the Citta proposal. In June 2011, the City of Port Phillip began a new process to re-imagine the Triangle.

The campaign is now the subject of a documentary The Triangle Wars, which premiered at the 2011 Melbourne International Film Festival.

In April 2010 we changed our name to unChain Inc, and changed our statement of purposes. This was to permit a wider range of activities than just the Triangle and just St Kilda. Our new website is www.unchain.org.au

• Port Phillip Leader, 15 December 2009 - Triangle's now in your hands
• The Age, 12 December 2009 - St Kilda Triangle not my idea of urban renewal
• The Age, 9 December 2009 - New angle for St Kilda's future
• The Age, 9 December 2009 - The St Kilda triangle goes back to the drawing board
• Australian Design Review, 8 December 2009 - St Kilda Triangle plans scrapped at cost of $5 million
• ABC Radio 774, 8 December 2009 - Tracy Bartram and Peter Holland President of Unchain St Kilda (Audio)
• The Age, 8 December 2009 - St Kilda triangle plan scrapped
• ABC Online, 8 December 2009 - Council shelves controversial St Kilda development
• Herald Sun, 8 December 2009 - St Kilda Triangle development project scuttled
• Port Phillip Leader, 8 December 2009 - St Kilda Triangle dumped

more press links

"You should all give yourselves a big pat on the back! Stand up and take a bow! Well done and next time you need some help I shall be there! Thanks again to all of you for showing us the possibility of community action. Much Love and blessings!"
Susan Humphrey, St Kilda

"It has been a long robust fight - we have not stepped backwards, we have not worried who stood against us but, we have always valued who stood with us and who we stood for. To you all thank you for standing against all odds and never flinching. Thank you for all you contributions. Thank you for standing next to me and helping me and your community through this. Democracy belongs to people who stand up."
Paul Coghlan, St Kilda

"I have to congratulate everyone at Unchain St Kilda for your amazing work. I must also apologise to everyone involved in this wonderful organisation because I had given up hope and had decided to meekly succumb what I thought was inevitable. You have restored my faith in the power of the community. I will not break like that again. I cannot thank you enough for your efforts. Bless you all"
Omid Shayan, St Kilda

"Congratulations to all at unChain St Kilda! Thank you for all your hard work, determination and personal commitment to the campaign, thank goodness balance and reason has prevailed."
Amanda Carlton, St Kilda West

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