Originally Melbourne's first sea port, Williamstown is today a popular and fashionable suburban maritime village, playing host to both locals and visitors to Melbourne who embrace the change of scenery and slow down in pace it offers. Surrounded on three sides by the calm waters Port Phillip Bay, its northern and eastern coastline are dotted with piers, gardens and remnants of Williamstown s maritime history that includes numerous colonial-era shipyards and slipways.
Railway Pier in 1883
In the past decade Williamstown has received a face lift and become a major tourism drawcard. It retains the coherence and charm of a maritime village, due, in no small part, to the many historic buildings. A proliferation of cafes and restaurants are a major feature of Nelson Place which runs adjacent the foreshore while boats, yachts and dinghies decorate the shoreline and ships sail through the estuary en route to the Port of Melbourne. The former maritime industry buildings on Nelson Place, which runs parallel to the foreshore and form its main street, house an interesting array of cafes, restaurants, galleries and shops, and overlook a ribbon of bayside beach sand where children are often seen playing in the shallows.
HMAS Castlemaine
Williamstown Maritime Museum is located on the HMAS Castlemaine which is moored at Gem Pier on the foreshore. The former World War II minesweeper, HMAS Castlemaine, was built in Williamstown in 1942 so it appropriate that she has returned there after being de-commissioned. Painstakingly refurbished, she is open for public inspection. On display is a 4 inch gun, the bridge complete with wheel, compasses, radar screen and more.
The Seaworks Maritime Discovery Centre celebrates the heritage of the site and the town of Williamstown itself, with an impressive collection of artifacts and literature. The Seaworks Maritime Precinct and Seaworks itself was formerly the site of the Melbourne Harbour Trust.
Point Gellibrand
One of the most important sites in the history of the state of Victoria, it was at Point Gellibrand that Victoria's first permanent non indigenous settlement and seaport was established in 1835. It was John Batman, Melbourne s founder, who stepped ashore and named the area Point Gellibrand in honour of his close friend, London barrister, Joseph Tice Gellibrand. While battling wild weather, illnesses and the occasional murder, the colony thrived; creating Australia s first telegraph station and government owned railway alongside the evolution of the state s navy and military.
Williamstown Dockyards
Williamstown Dockyards, including Alfred Graving Dock (Ann Street and Nelson Place) is an interesting place to visit for anyone interested in maritime history. A number of historically significant piers, slipways, docks and shipyards have been located in the Williamstown Dockyards precinct. Slip Pier was built in 1858 and was used in conjunction with the Government Patent Slip. It was later known as the Lady Loch Jetty after the similarly named Government steamer. The pier and Government Patent Slipway were demolished in 1919.
Alfred Graving Dock
In 1858, the Victorian Government recommended that a reserve be set aside for a graving dock and dockyard. Construction commenced in 1868, and was completed in 1874. The dock was designed by William Hardell for the Public Works Department, and it was the largest structure of its type in the southern hemisphere. The Dockyard Pier, originally known as Dock Pier was constructed in 1874 for use with vessels engaged in pre/post docking in the Alfred Graving Dock.
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