But the biggest growth has been in the finance and insurance industry, a sector which did not exist in Docklands 10 years ago. Today, banking and insurance has grown to become the area's biggest employer, with more than 22,000 workers. Some of these jobs have been pinched from the CBD, with the relocation of the headquarters of big banks ANZ and NAB. Thanks to these big moves, about 40 per cent of the almost 60,000 jobs in Docklands belong to finance workers.

Lord mayor Robert Doyle attributes Dockland's job success to changing work preferences for big offices. He said the precinct was home to lower-rise buildings, with larger floors – making them ideal for hot desking. "The way that people are working is changing," he said. "The ANZ building is almost like a little country town in terms of the number of people down there," he said. Many businesses have been able to cash in on the influx of 9-to-5 workers.

Baristas, cooks and waiters have been the big winners. There are now 3654 food and beverage workers working out of Docklands, 83 per cent more than there were five years ago. However retail stores continue to struggle. There are now 51 fewer shops open in Harbour Town, Docklands' discount shopping mall, than there were five years ago, City of Melbourne land use and employment data shows. Jewellery store Angus and Coote and mobile phone provider Optus are among the retailers to have shut their outlets there since 2015. But the centre is currently undergoing a redevelopment, which may account for some of the vacant space. Alton Abrahams, Principal of Harbour Town owner AsheMorgan, said the centre was "undergoing significant redevelopment and is evolving from an outlet shopping centre to a destinational entertainment, retail and lifestyle precinct".

In fact, the only part of Docklands to have shed jobs over the past five years is the block bounded by Footscray Road and Docklands Drive, which encompasses Harbour Town, Docklands Studios and the Melbourne Star Observation Wheel. On Tuesday morning, Harbour Town was deserted bar a handful of shoppers walking through a well-manicured mall and a couple of strangers meeting to sheepishly exchange tickets for 'Aladdin the musical'. Harbour Town at 10.30am on Tuesday morning. Credit:Joe Armao Shopper Snezana Karovski described Harbour Town as "quite sad".

"It's not connected to the city and I think that is an issue," Ms Karovski said. "If the train did come here you would get more people." President of the Docklands Chamber of Commerce, Johanna Maxwell, said work still needed to be done to convince Melburnians that the suburb was a place to visit outside traditional Monday to Friday work hours. "There is a definite drop off of people in the precinct after 6 o'clock at night," Ms Maxwell said. "Thursday and Friday nights see after-work drinks and things like that. And what we see on the weekend is more tourism and visitors for events at Etihad Stadium." The Docklands Chamber of Commerce is calling for a permanent art installation to attract people down to the Harbour Esplanade, such as a fountain, in Victoria Harbour.

There is still room to fix Docklands' flaws, as its is still technically incomplete. Another $5.5 billion worth of development is expected to pour into the suburb before the massive urban development project comes to an official end around 2025. Medibank employee Gemma Allen said she recently made the move from Sydney to the insurance giant's award-winning office tower at 720 Bourke Street, next to Southern Cross Station. Gemma Allen works at Medibank's award-winning Docklands office. Credit:Joe Armao Ms Allen said it was convenient being so close to public transport.