Public notice: Melbourne CBD - Sunday 30 November 2025 to Friday 29 May 2026

Declaration of the Designated Area under section 10D (1) of the Control of Weapons Act 1990

The public place area depicted on the map below has been declared to be a Designated Area under section 10D (1) of the Control of Weapons Act 1990 (the Act).

Boundary of the Designated Area

The designated area contains all public places within the area bounded by the intersection of:

• Peel Street and Victoria Street
• east to the intersection of Victoria Street and Rathdowne Street
• north to the intersection of Rathdowne Street and Carlton Street
• east to the intersection of Carlton Street and Nicholson Street
• south to the intersection of Nicholson Street and Victoria Parade
• east to the intersection of Victoria Parade and Hoddle Street
• south to the intersection of Hoddle Street and Wellington Parade
• south to the intersection of Punt Road and Domain Road
• west to the intersection of Domain Road and St Kilda Road
• north to the intersection of St Kilda Road and Park Street
• southwest to the intersection of Park Street and Clarendon Street
• northwest to the intersection of Clarendon Street and Whiteman Street
• northwest to the intersection of Spencer Street and the Yarra River
• west along the southern side of the Yarra River to Webb Bridge
• north over the Yarra River to the intersection of Navigation Drive and Harbour Esplanade
• north to the intersection of Harbour Esplanade and Dudley Street, and
• northeast to the intersection of Dudley Street and Peel Street

The designated area includes:

• all roadways and footpaths associated with the stated road and road related areas, and
• all railway stations, underpasses and associated public transport hubs within the defined area.

Road has the same meaning as in section 3 of the Road Safety Act 1986.

Victoria Police powers in designated areas

Police officers and protective service officers (PSOs) are empowered to search a person and anything in the possession or control of the person, or a vehicle, for weapons under the Act.

You, your vehicle or things in your possession are in a public place within a designated area.

A police officer or PSO intends to conduct a limited search of you or your vehicle/things:

• You are requested to co-operate with that search.
• You may be requested to remove items of outer clothing such as headwear, scarves, jackets, etc.
• You may be searched using an electronic wand.
• You may be requested to remove items from any bags or pockets.
• You may be given a “pat down” search.

Whilst within the designated area, a police officer may request that you remove any face covering if the police officer reasonably believes the face covering is being worn primarily to:

• conceal your identity, or
• protect from the effects of crowd-controlling substances.

A police officer may also exercise their power under the Act to direct you to leave the designated area if you refuse to remove a face covering.

A police officer may direct you to leave the designated area if they reasonably believe that you intend to engage in conduct that would constitute an affray or violent disorder under s.195H and s.195I of the Crimes Act 1958 respectively.

It is an offence under the Act to obstruct or hinder a police officer or PSO in the exercise of a power to stop and search a person or vehicle or to fail to comply with a direction to leave the designated area.