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Culture & Heritage

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Hobsons Bay’s rich history is visible across the city.

Experience a slice of the first settlement in the seaside town of Williamstown with Victorian era pubs throughout Nelson Place, maritime museums and the Cannons in John Morley Reserve.

Originally known as Edom, Spotswood was established itself as a hub for manufacturing in the 1840s. Still standing today is the heritage-listed pumping station, located as part of Scienceworks.

On your journey through the past you’ll learn about The Boon Wurrung and Woi Wurrung Peoples of the Kulin Nation, the historical tie to the American civil war, the Government’s first train line in Australia, the wealthy citizens of The Strand and visit one of Victoria's earliest Botanic Gardens.

The Cannons

The large Armstrong Cannons in John Morley Reserve on The Strand were placed in the years after the Crimean War, to repel a possible Russian naval offence.

First People

The Boon wurrung and the Woi wurrung clans of the Kulin Nation were the original inhabitants of the area now known as Hobsons Bay.

First White Settlement

Williamstown, or William’s Town was named for the British sovereign, King William the fourth, on Native Settlement April 10 1837.

The Victorian Gold Rush

The alluvial gold fields of central Victoria were the richest ever discovered allowing for the growth of businesses in Hobsons Bay.

A Railway Centre

With hosting the Williamstown Station as the oldest in Victoria which still in its original form and the first Government line in Australia, Hobsons Bay is a railway centre of the West.

The Home of the Victorian Navy

The Victorian Navy, which was centred at Williamstown, guarded the colony from maritime threat for half a century and was the first navy created on the continent of Australia.

Point Gellibrand Coastal Heritage Park

Point Gellibrand was the landing place for Victoria’s first white settlers and Williamstown’s first burial ground.

The Timeball Tower

The Williamstown tower was built in 1849 of local bluestone. It was originally a lighthouse, and later served as a timeball tower from 1861 to 1926.

The Tide Gauge House

This small bluestone building was built in the late 1850s by convict labour from the old prison hulks, and originally stood at Point Gellibrand.

Fort Gellibrand

Fort Gellibrand was used as an army training camp, commencing in 1855 during the Crimean War, to guard against a possible Russian invasion.

Point Gellibrand & the ‘Shenandoah’ Incident

American visitors may be interested to know that Williamstown was the only part of Australia to play a role in the American Civil War, on the side of the Rebels (Confederates).

Nelson Place and the Strand

Nelson Place, named after Lord Nelson, is home to shops, hotels, and restaurants, as well as some magnificent public buildings; and The Strand is a street of lovely houses.

Commonwealth Reserve

Commonwealth Reserve is located in the heart of historic Williamstown, on the foreshore adjacent to Gem Pier. The park provides great views across a row of yacht masts to the City of Melbourne.

The Strand

The Strand was where Williamstown’s wealthiest citizens lived.

A City of Pubs and Churches

The old expression ‘a pub on every corner’ was very close to the truth, as Williamstown was a naval centre and the point of disembarkation for many diggers bound for the Victorian goldfields.

Williamstown Botanic Gardens

Officially opened in 1860, these small but exquisite gardens are one of the earliest intact botanic gardens in Victoria.

Vanished Williamstown - The Williamstown Racecourse

The Williamstown Racing Club (W.R.C) founded in 1864, was once one of the senior thoroughbred racing clubs in Victoria.

The Merrett Rifle Range

The rifle range was closed in 1987, and is now a housing estate. The original clubhouse has been preserved at the centre of the estate.

The Williamstown Ferry

The ferry first began operation in 1873 and carried passengers across the Yarra River near the Newport Power Station, saving a much longer journey around the peninsula.

Williamstown Town Hall

The Town Hall was for many years the centre of local political life. Work on the Town Hall building began in 1918 and opened in 1927.

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