Make Good Docklands | Large Office Floor & Retail Make Good

The short answer

Most Docklands commercial buildings were built from the late 1990s onwards, so make goods here usually involve large, modern open-plan office floors rather than old buildings. The main issues are scale (big floors mean big volumes of carpet, partitions and cabling), green lease clauses about recycling and reporting, and planning access around stadium events. Your lease still decides the scope.

Last reviewed 28 October 2026

Key takeaways

01Docklands office floors are often large, so waste volume and recycling drive the make-good programme and cost.
02Check your lease for green lease or sustainability clauses that ask for waste recycling or reporting.
03Buildings finished after the 2003 asbestos ban are unlikely to contain it, but confirm your building's age and ask for any asbestos register before the strip-out.
04Plan deliveries and waste removal around stadium events and waterfront traffic.

Docklands was redeveloped from former port land from the late 1990s onwards, and its office stock reflects that: large, open floors in modern buildings around Victoria Harbour, Collins Street and Bourke Street, alongside waterfront retail and hospitality. Docklands is part of the City of Melbourne. A make good here is usually less about old buildings and more about scale, recycling and logistics. This page covers what is specific to Docklands. For the Victorian rules that apply across the city, see our Melbourne make good overview.

This is general information, not legal advice. Your lease decides your make-good obligations.

What makes a Docklands make good different?

Factor	Why it matters in Docklands
Large floor plates	More carpet tiles, partitions, cabling and ceiling tiles to remove, so waste volume and recycling drive the programme
Modern base buildings	Buildings finished after 2003 are unlikely to contain asbestos, and the base-building standard is often documented in a building fit-out guide
Sustainability clauses	Some leases in newer buildings include green lease obligations that can cover fit-out waste
Campus-style buildings	Shared loading docks and goods lifts serve many tenants, so bookings matter
Stadium and waterfront traffic	Event days can slow trucks and limit kerbside access

How do large floor plates change the job?

A bigger floor is not just more of the same. On a large open-plan floor:

Waste is the main logistics task. Carpet tiles, plasterboard, glass partitions, joinery and ceiling tiles all need to be separated, loaded and moved through a shared dock. Ask each contractor how many truckloads they expect and how they will recycle.
Services work is spread out. Returning a large floor to base building can mean relocating many sprinkler heads, re-setting lighting to the original grid and rebalancing air-conditioning. In many buildings this work is limited to the landlord's nominated contractors, so get their prices early.
Data cabling adds up. Large floors often have a lot of data cabling running back to the comms room. Check whether the lease requires it to be removed, and to what point.

Does a green lease clause affect my make good?

Many newer office buildings operate under sustainability ratings, and some leases include a green lease schedule. These clauses vary widely. Some only cover energy data. Others ask tenants to recycle fit-out waste or report on what was diverted from landfill.

If your lease has one:

Read what it says about fit-out, refurbishment or end-of-lease waste
Ask contractors to explain their sorting and recycling method in their quote
Ask for waste dockets or a recycling report you can pass to the landlord

Should I offer to leave my fit-out?

Owners of large modern floors sometimes prefer to keep a good-quality fit-out, such as meeting rooms, kitchens or a reception area, to help find the next tenant. If that suits both sides, it can reduce the work you need to do. But:

the agreement must be in writing and list each item that stays,
the landlord may ask for a payment or a different handover condition in return, and
until you have that agreement, assume the lease requires removal.

An independent scope and quote helps you understand what the make good is worth before you negotiate.

What approvals and checks apply in Docklands?

Victoria-wide rules still apply, but they play out a little differently on modern floors:

Asbestos. Many Docklands buildings were finished after the 31 December 2003 ban, where asbestos is unlikely. Still confirm the building's completion date. If there is an asbestos register, it must be reviewed before refurbishment or demolition, and a licensed removalist must take out anything likely to be disturbed (OHS Regulations 2017, regs 240–246).
Essential safety measures. On large floors, sprinklers, smoke detectors and exit signs are spread across the whole plate. The Building Regulations 2018 (Sch 3, item 4) exempt many internal alterations from a building permit, but not work that affects structure, safety or an essential safety measure. A registered building surveyor can confirm.
The works guide. Expect your building manager's guide to cover approvals, insurance certificates, lift bookings, hot-works permits and fire system isolations.

Running a waterfront shop, café or gym? Your lease may be a retail lease under the Retail Leases Act 2003 (Vic). If so, a make-good dispute must normally be mediated by the Victorian Small Business Commission before VCAT will hear it (ss 86–87). See our retail make good page.

How do I plan around Docklands access?

Book the loading dock and goods lift well ahead. Shared docks serve many tenants
Check the stadium event calendar before scheduling heavy waste removal or deliveries
Confirm truck size limits for the dock and any kerbside rules
Allow time for the landlord's contractors to complete sprinkler, fire and air-conditioning work
Book a joint final inspection and get written sign-off from the person authorised to give it

How MAKE GREAT helps on a large Docklands floor

Share your lease, floor plan and photos with us. Our lease check flags what your make-good clause and any green lease schedule may require. Treat it as a preliminary read: a member of our team reviews it before contractors are briefed, and it is not legal advice. Contractors who have passed our checks (business details, insurance and licences) then quote against one brief, which makes waste volume, recycling and services work easy to compare side by side. You sign directly with whichever contractor you choose.

How we are paid: Free for tenants. If you hire a contractor through us, they pay us a referral fee. Nobody can pay to rank higher. We are a marketplace and do not carry out building work.

More detail: office make good in Melbourne and commercial strip out in Melbourne. Nearby: Melbourne CBD and Southbank. Ready? Use Get my make-good quotes.

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General information only, not legal advice. Get advice from a property lawyer about your own lease.

Frequently asked questions

Do newer Docklands buildings still need an asbestos check before a make good?

Asbestos was banned nationally from 31 December 2003, so buildings finished after that are unlikely to contain it. Some Docklands buildings are older, so confirm when yours was built. Where a building has an asbestos register, the person who manages or controls the workplace must review it before refurbishment or demolition work.

What is a green lease clause and does it affect my make good?

A green lease clause sets sustainability obligations for the landlord and tenant, such as sharing energy data or managing waste. Some ask for fit-out waste to be recycled or reported. If your lease has one, ask contractors how they will sort, recycle and report waste.

Can I leave my fit-out for the next Docklands tenant?

Sometimes. Landlords of large modern floors sometimes prefer to keep a good-quality fit-out for the next tenant. Any agreement to leave items must be in writing and list what stays, because the lease will otherwise require removal.

How long does a make good on a large Docklands floor take?

It depends on the scope and the building's rules. A full strip of a large floor can take several weeks once approvals, lift bookings and services work by the landlord's contractors are included. Start planning 6 to 12 months before the lease ends.

Is a Docklands shop lease covered by the Retail Leases Act?

It may be. The Retail Leases Act 2003 (Vic) covers premises used mainly for retail sales or services, with exceptions such as occupancy costs above $1,000,000 a year (ex GST). Check with a lawyer if you are unsure. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

Primary sources we checked when writing this page. Laws and guidance change, so check the current version.