A World Away in Williamstown

Full of rich history, stunning city views, quaint Victorian cottages, and a vibrant cafe scene, Williamstown feels like another world.

Long before Europeans claimed the area, Williamstown was occupied by two Indigenous groups. The first was the Marin-balluk people who occupied the area between Kororoit Creek and the Maribyrnong river, and the second was the Yalukit-willam, who occupied a strip at the top of Port Phillip Bay. Both are part of the Kulin nation. 

Surrounded by sea and wetlands, the area was teeming with wildlife, meaning that hunting and fishing was abundant, and the Yalukit-willam called the area ‘koort-boork-boork’ meaning ‘clump of sheoaks’.

COLONIAL SETTLEMENT AND GOLD BOOM

Acting Lieutenant Charles Robbins first explored the area around Point Gellibrand with a survey party in 1803. However, it was John Batman who recognised the potential of the site and named it Port Harwood in 1835.

It got its current name when Governor Richard Burke visited in 1837 and renamed it William’s Town after the reigning English monarch, King William IV.

William’s Town was initially considered as a location for the capital of the new colony at Port Phillip, together with Geelong and Melbourne. Although William’s Town offered superior access to anchorage and Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne was eventually chosen as the capital because of its accessibility to abundant fresh water, the Yarra River, or Birrarung. Williamstown, however, remained a critical port of the new colony. 

The first jetty was built of stone with convict labour in 1838 and a stream of vessels made their way from Tasmania with cattle, sheep, and passengers. 

To coincide with this, a wooden lighthouse was built at Point Gellibrand in 1840, which was replaced with a bluestone lighthouse in 1849. After a pile light was built off Shelley Beach in 1860, it became a time ball tower — where a large metal ball would drop (usually at 1pm every day) to assist navigators to set their maritime chronometers. 

In the 1850s, Williamstown saw a boom as prospectors made their way to the goldfields. They came from around the globe to seek their fortune. As a result hotels, churches, shops and banks were built, and Williamstown was connected to Melbourne in 1854 with Australia’s first telegraph and railway. 

Fort Gellibrand was then built in 1855 to guard against a possible Russian attack during the Crimean War and the Naval Dockyards were established. 

In the 1860s the stone jetty was replaced with a new pier eventually named Gem Pier after the paddle steamer Gem, which serviced the ferry route between Williamstown and Port Melbourne from 1846–1886. Gem pier still services a ferry shuttle to the city and is home to the refurbished warship HMAS Castlemaine.

RAILWAYS AND CARGO

By 1860, Point Gellibrand housed the main workshops of the Victorian Railways, which covered almost 85 per cent of the area and was a bustling industrial area with imported steam locomotives being assembled on-site. 

Williamstown fast became Victoria’s major cargo port, with the strip opposite Nelson Place exploding with new slipways, shipwrights, and boat builders. One boat builder established in 1858, C. Blunt, is still operating today. 

The Alfred Graving Dock, established in 1868, became significant for its role in the development of the shipping industry in Port Phillip Bay, and was the largest structure of its type in the Southern Hemisphere.

The HMVS Nelson, a 126 gun Royal Navy ship built in 1814, was the first ship to dock at the newly built Dock. In 1868 she was gifted to the colony of Victoria, and she was then sold, converted, and cut down several times before her final demise in Hobart in the 1930s. Her anchor and plaque can still be found opposite the promenade named after her, Nelson Place, on the Williamstown waterfront. 

Adjacent to HMVS Nelson’s anchor are two Armstrong cannons placed on the foreshore in 1864 to repel a possible Russian Navy offence during the Crimean War. They last fired blanks in 2013 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Hobsons Bay Yacht Club. The cannons are believed to have been once fired in error across the bay, damaging the St Kilda Town Hall. 

By 1870 The Victorian Navy, the Customs Department, and The Harbour Trust all secured bases in the town, as did The Victorian Water Police, who still remain there.

Williamstown was flourishing and soon opened schools, Football Club, Tennis Club and Lacrosse group. Williamstown Hospital opened in 1894 due to an ever increasing amount of accidents occurring on the waterfront and dockyards.

THE CRASH 

In 1891 the inevitable happened. A spectacular crash brought the boom to a sudden and unexpected end. Banks, shares, and businesses failed enormously, and Melbourne city reported a possible 20 per cent increase in unemployment throughout the 1890s. World War I followed in 1914 and the Spanish flu in 1919. Williamstown managed to hang on throughout the Great Depression of the 1930s until WWII in 1939. The Naval Dockyards of Williamstown were requisitioned by the Australian Commonwealth and started constructing vessels for the war. 

One of those early warships built at the Naval Dockyards was the HMAS Castlemaine.

HMAS CASTLEMAINE

I am lucky enough to be the only daughter of William Rowland Berrill (1924–2015), who was the chief naval draughtsman who designed the HMAS Castlemaine, a Bathurst class corvette.

It was the second of 60 minesweepers built during WWII. She was 186 feet, 650 tons, with a draught of 6ft 6in and a top speed of 15.5 knots. Constructed at a cost of £250,000, she was launched at Williamstown with some difficulty on 7 August 1941 by Mrs RG Menzies, wife of the then Prime Minister. Cold weather had set hard the tallow on the slipway, and she refused to budge. After 20 minutes she was eventually pulled into the water by tug boat Keera.

Castlemaine first sailed on an escorting mission to Sydney where, on the 11 August 1942, after exercises off Broken Bay, she sustained damage after colliding with a Manly Ferry.

After repairs, she resumed duties in Townsville, escorting vessels from Townsville to Port Moresby. Subsequent duties included Darwin to Thursday Island and Darwin to Timor. 

During a relief operation to Timor in November 1942, Castlemaine, in company with HMAS Armidale and Kuru, came under fire from Japanese aircraft by a formation of five bombers. Australian Beaufighters drove off the bombers and no serious damage or injury was reported.

However, the following day, HMAS Armidale and Kuru were again attacked, with Armidale being hit, turning over and sinking within four minutes. One hundred lives were lost.

Castlemaine continued to Darwin, where she continued to perform escorting and minesweeping duties for the remainder of the war.

She then sailed to the Phillipines and Hong Kong, arriving on 29 August 1945, where she took part in the Japanese surrender ceremony. She returned to Melbourne in November 1945 having steamed 117,000 miles on war service.

Following more than a decade in reserve, Castlemaine underwent a refit in 1958 before being transferred to HMAS Cerberus, Westernport, Victoria, for use as a stationary training ship by the Seamanship School.

In 1971 Castlemaine was put up for disposal and presented to the Maritime Trust of Australia for preservation as a museum ship. She has been painstakingly restored and can be found at Gem Pier, not far from where she was constructed. 

About seven years ago, I was fortunate enough to take my father back to visit the ship and speak to the volunteers who passionately restored and continue to care for her. It was a very special day and there were quite a few misty eyes. 

CURRENT DAY

In the 1950s and ‘60s, Williamstown’s popularity hit an all-time low and it was seen to be a run down, ugly, industrialised centre.

By the 1990s it was incorporated into the City of Hobsons Bay and residential estates were developed and the coastal strip was preserved.

Historical buildings were preserved and restored, and the Jawbone Flora and Fauna Reserve was established, consisting of open grassland, two wetland lakes, the salt marsh and mangroves conservation area, Wader Beach and Kororoit Creek.

Williamstown has continued to thrive, with the major retail sector between Ferguson Street and Douglas Parade expanding with a mix of cafes, upmarket retail, banks, restaurants, and hotels.

It is now a mix of elegant Victoria-era buildings, pretty period cottages covered in roses, and important historical sites all set on beautifully preserved wide streetscapes.

SURROUNDED BY WATER

Williamstown is surrounded by water on three sides thanks to a peninsula jutting out into the far northern end of Port Phillip Bay. With three yacht clubs to choose from, it makes for the perfect destination to visit on your boat from anywhere around the bay. 

There are three yacht clubs and one marina in town, all of which will accommodate casual berthing from one night upwards. In town is the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, by far the oldest club, established in 1853. With capacity for 170 vessels up to 25m in length, visitor berthing is limited. The club sits adjacent to Gem pier and is close to the restaurant Pelican’s Landing. 

A little way along the waterfront is the Royal Victorian Motor Yacht Club, with 80 berth capacity up to 18m, the club welcomes visitors, as does the Hobsons Bay Yacht Club. 

Further up the Strand is The Anchorage Marina, with capacity for 100 berths up to 23m. This is where the beautiful Italian restaurant Pier Farm is located. 

If you feel like a night on land or travel without a boat, Williamstown is full of beautiful B&Bs to choose from. 

Once here, you can see most of this lovely place on foot. First impressions will be of a leafy park-lined waterfront, with spectacular city views, leading to the convict built line of shops and cafes along Nelson Place. It’s a relaxed stroll along the promenade, stopping in at gift and homewares shops and lingering over coffee and a delicious snack to watch life and people go by. 

Further south you will come to Seaworks, a museum collection that tells the maritime history of the Port of Melbourne. Seaworks also welcomes the tall ships from around the globe as well as Sea Shepherd when she’s in town. 

A little further you will pass the Titanic Theatre Restaurant, a fun filled entertaining evening with delicious food — “The only place in the world where your night is guaranteed to be a disaster!” It’s worth a visit, I am told.

Head to the rocky, south-east tip of the peninsula to find open parkland which includes the Port Gellibrand Coastal Heritage Park. Here you will find the Old Fort Gellibrand and the Timeball Tower. 

Rounding the peninsula is the Botanic Gardens. Officially opened in 1860 these small, but significant gardens are one of the earliest intact botanic gardens in Victoria. 

The south-west strip is a line of tranquil parks, mirrored by the sweeping expanse of sandy, sheltered Williamstown beach. 

By this time you will have worked up an appetite and there is a choice. At one end of the beach is a cute historic cafe, where you can order food and enjoy it on the sand. The other end offers Sebastian Beach Grill, a Basque-inspired restaurant serving tapas and charcoal-grilled meats with a spectacular view of the water.

After lunch continue to the Jawbone Flora and Fauna Reserve, consisting of wetland, mangroves and salt marsh this is a significant wetland for migratory birds and the preservation of many native grasses. It’s quite a long walk so you may want to leave this one for tomorrow and hire a bike! 

FURTHER AFIELD

If you have access to transport it is definitely worth a visit to Scienceworks in nearby Spotswood. This fascinating museum is a kaleidoscope of things to challenge curious minds of all ages. 

The Melbourne Planetarium also calls this site home, with a 16m domed ceiling and reclining seats, you can take an awe-inspiring journey through space in just 35 minutes. 

While you are in Spotswood, why not drop into the Two Birds Brewing? The first all-female brewing company in Australia, founded by Jane and Danielle in 2011, it boasts International award winning beers with names like Sunset, India and Taco. Consisting of a brewery, a tasting room pouring twelve beers, and restaurant called Nest, you can book a tour to see what all the fuss is about and relax after with a beverage. 

If you have had your fill of wonderful Williamstown and feel the need for a bit of city excitement, you can wander down to Gem Pier and catch the city shuttle to St Kilda or Port Melbourne. The shuttle runs seven days a week and you can pop over to the big smoke, before happily returning to the tranquil shores of Williamstown, a world away. 

WHAT TO DO

• Take a picnic to the Botanic Gardens
• Ride a bike around Jawbone Reserve 
• Visit the Titanic theatre restaurant 
• Take a Melbourne Seaplane tour around Port Phillip Bay, Mornington and Bellarine Peninsula 
• Visit the Willy Markets on the third Sunday of each month
• Experience a Lantern Ghost Tour of Williamstown at night
• Check the dates for when the tall ship, The Enterpise, is in town 
• Visit the Railway Museum
• Take the shuttle to the city for the day

THE BEST OF WILLIAMSTOWN

BEST RESTAURANT PIER FARM AT THE ANCHORAGE MARINA

Beautiful Italian food crafted from locally sourced seafood and celebrating fresh local produce. With a serious wine list, woodfired pizza oven and spectacular views, this is the place for a long relaxed lunch. Ask about the Olive Ascolane, a delicious treat made by local Nonnas or veal stuffed green olives, crumbed and then deep fried — bellissimo! 

BEST CAFE TICK TOK, 181 NELSON PDE

With a choice of a cute rear courtyard, a cosy interior or outside on Nelson Place with water and city views, this cafe has something for everyone. Seriously delicious food catering to all tastes (and gluten-free options) includes dishes such as Sicilian Club Sandwich and Omlette Primavera.

If you feel like a treat, you can even enjoy a glass of bubbles with your Eggs Benny!

BEST HOTEL THE STRAND, 1 THE STRAND

This two storey, upmarket hotel has beautiful views over Hobsons Bay, attentive service and great food. 

PORT PHILLIP CONTACTS

ROYAL YACHT CLUB OF VICTORIA

P: (03) 9397 1277

W: rycv.com.au

ROYAL VICTORIA MOTORYACHT CLUB

P: (03) 9393 2888

W: rvmyc.net.au

HOBSONS BAY YACHT CLUB

P: (03) 9397 6393

W: hbyc.org.au

C. BLUNT BOATBUILDERS

P: (03) 9398 2323

W: bluntboats.com.au