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The White Hat Guide to Williamstown

In the earliest days of European settlement in this area, two small villages had grown up in the region. Governor Bourke arrived from New South Wales and named the settlement near the mouth of the river Williamstown (after the king) and the settlement further up the river near the fresh water Melbourne (after the prime minister of England). From his choice of names, Governor Bourke clearly thought that Williamstown would become the more important settlement. As it turned out, Melbourne flourished and became the social and commercial hub of the 'Port Phillip District'. Williamstown, whilst remaining an important port and maritime centre, became a secondary settlement. If you didn't have a boat, access between Melbourne and Williamstown was through the swampy western suburbs. Even until the early 1970s, many people's access to Williamstown was through queuing for the slow and clumsy car ferry (more of a punt really) that crossed the mouth of the Yarra. If you look in a street directory you will still see Williamstown Road in Port Melbourne heading straight towards the ghost of the Williamstown Ferry.

With this relative isolation, ‘Willy' (as the locals call it) was able to retain much of its own separate character. The word 'village' is used rather indiscriminately by guidebooks and breathless tourist brochures to describe such an atmosphere, but in Melbourne, Williamstown is one of the few areas that White Hat considers can justly use that title.

For a flavour of Williamstown in the nineteenth century, take a walk along Nelson Place with its buildings facing the bay and the port. They are in varying stages of preservation – some have been modernised, others have been faked up in 'Ye Olde Tea Shoppe’ style – but there is plenty there to suggest the atmosphere of the old port where John Price was murdered on the beach by convicts. You can also visit the local museum (see below) and the Williamstown Botanic Gardens to get a feeling for nineteenth century Williamstown.

For much of the twentieth century, the area had a strong industrial focus. Williamstown was home to a large naval shipbuilding works, neighbouring Newport had rail yards and workshop, Altona had refineries and Spotswood had numbers of manufacturing industries. (The film Spotswood weaves a gentle story around one such industry in decay and the area is sometimes unkindly satirised as one that has been slow to adapt to the effects of changing conditions in manufacturing and world trade.) For a flavour of this period visit the Railway Museum and the excellent Scienceworks Museum housed in a large pumping station.

With the building of the West Gate Bridge in the 1970s, Williamstown became more accessible from the eastern suburbs and the Sunday market on the foreshore (see below) has become a firm favourite with Melbournians.

Suburban trains run regularly to Williamstown and there are regular ferry services from Southgate, Docklands and St Kilda Pier (St Kilda ferry runs only weekends, public holidays and throughout January). Williamstown is also very bicycle friendly with numbers of bicycle tracks and a regular bicycle ferry operating underneath the West Gate Bridge.

If you are planning on staying a few days you will find a variety of Holiday Accommodation in Williamstown as well as in the neighbouring suburb of Yarraville.

ARHS Railway Museum Enter through a replica 1880s railway station building to view steam, diesel & electric locomotives, railway carriages & wagons, signal box & railway artefacts. Further details at ARHS Railway Museum. See also Steam Trains in Melbourne & Victoria. 12noon - 5pm, Sat, Sun & public holidays (except Good Friday & Christmas Day); 12noon - 4pm Wed (during school holidays)   Champion Road - North Williamstown (Mel ref 55 K7) Enquiries: (03) 9397 7412

Williamstown Historical Society Museum Covering maritime history, model ships, furniture, costumes and general exhibits relating to life in Williamstown. 2-5pm, Sundays   Electra Street - Williamstown (Mel ref 56 C9) Enquiries: (03) 9397 5423

Defunct Markets

To the best of White Hat's knowledge, the following markets no longer operate:

• Williamstown Producers' Market

Altona Lions Club Market An outdoor market with 40 stalls in the spacious park next to Cherry Lake with trash & treasure, toys, clothes, preserves, home-grown and home-made goods. 8am—2pm, 1st Sunday of month (except January)   Cherry Lake, Millers Road - Altona (Mel ref 54 K9) Enquiries: (03) 9398 3496

The Way We Wear Vintage Fashion and Textile Fair The fifth Melbourne Vintage Fashion and Textile Fair with period, retro, vintage and designer label clothing, fashion accessories, textiles, sewing accoutrements, fashion drawings and boudoir items. Highlights include a special 'Fashion on the Ration' exhibition and celebrity 'stallholder' milliner Peter Jago. Admission $10 Adults/Children $6/Family $25 Part proceeds to Rotary Club of Donvale 14th & 15th June 2008   Williamstown Town Hall - Williamstown Enquiries: (03 0 5468 7418

Williamstown Craft Market A large outdoor market in an atmospheric location featuring handcrafted wares, arts, crafts and other goods. Accommodation near this market >> 10am to 4pm, 3rd Sun of month   Commonwealth Reserve, Nelson Place - Williamstown (Mel ref 56 D9) Enquiries: 0402 811 756

Yarraville Farmers' Market Organic Fruit & Vegies, Eggs, Organic Breads, Olive Products, Wines, Plants incl Indigenous, Pestos/Dips, Organic Coffee, Cheeses, Great Hot Food available. Fantastic grassed areas for sitting, picnicing, children's playground, dog park. Plenty of parking 9am to 1pm (8am to 12noon in summertime), 4th Sat of month   Cnr Hyde St & Somerville Rd - Yarraville Enquiries: 0412 910 496