Williamstown and Hobsons BayA LT O N A , L AV E R T O N , N E W P O R T A N D W I L L I A M S T O W N

ALTONAAltona is a traditional strip shopping centre framed byparks and a wide sweeping beach.

Its relaxed urban character, personality and charm andweekly Tuesday market is worth exploring.

LAVERTONJust off the Princes Freeway, Laverton offers a greatvariety of products; serviced by rail and road. Lavertonhas affordable accommodation, shops and eateriesthat won’t stretch the budget.

NEWPORTCapturing a multicultural flavour and the artistic talentsof the locals, Newport is a great place for coffee,traditional Lebanese breads and treats. Newportmakes a great base for a visit to the Railway Museum,Newport Lakes Park and the Substation arts precinct.

WILLIAMSTOWNOriginally Melbourne's first sea port, Williamstown hasdeveloped into a fashionable maritime village, with manyhistorical buildings, cafes, restaurants and a vibrant areathat locals and visitors love. It's surrounded by water,with the northern and eastern coastline dotted with piers,gardens and remnants of Williamstown's maritime history.

GETTING THEREOne of the real charms of getting to Hobsons Bay isjust that, getting there! Travel by ferry from the City,get on your bike and ride, take the train or travel acrossthe West Gate Bridge. Which ever way you come, youradventure starts the moment you leave home.

Situated between the Princes Freeway andthe western curve of Port Phillip Bay, HobsonsBay is a picturesque seaside municipality. Hereyou can find a peaceful natural environment,clean beaches, wide streets, heritage buildingsand a diverse choice of restaurants, cafés andshops, connected by bike paths and only15 minutes from the hustle and bustle of theCity. Hobsons Bay offers breathtaking viewsof the City skyline; a perfect accompanimentto alfresco dining, leisurely café atmosphereor a family outing.

Hobsons Bay offers a great variety of attractionsin a small area, from hands on interactivescience, to maritime and rail history. It’s familyfriendly and won’t break the budget so you cancome back again to discover more of what wehave to offer.

MAIN RETAIL AREA• DOUGLAS PDE• FERGUSON ST• NELSON PL

The Visitor Information Centre can assist you with brochuresand information on Hobsons Bay and Williamstown to helpyou get the most from your visit to our area.

Located in Commonwealth Reserve (on the corner ofNelson Place and Syme Street), the Visitor InformationCentre is open daily from 9am to 5pm. The VisitorInformation Centre can be contacted by:

Phone: 03 9932 4310 Fax: 03 9399 8650Email: visitorinformation@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au Web: www.visithobsonsbay.com.au

Hobsons Bay VisitorInformation Centre.

Copyright: Hobsons Bay City Council. Produced by Great Southern Destinations Marketing Pty Ltd JN 8701. 02/09. Ph 5222 5685 Cartography: Country Cartographics. This map may not be reproduced in full or part thereof without written permission from all parties concerned.

Williamstown Beach

Enjoy the shops, cafes and fine restaurants in Williamstown

www.vis i thobsonsbay.com.au

®

H I S TO R I C S E A P O RTA N D W E T L A N D S

To GEELONG andTHE BELLARINE

To WERRIBEE PARKand RAAF MUSEUM

If you're looking for a seaside escape with adifference, consider taking a drive along the BayWest Trail. Covering 55km the trail takes you pastsome of Victoria's premier attractions, frommuseums and historic sites to places of naturalbeauty and environmental significance.

The Hobsons Bay Coastal Trail takes you past botanic gardens, sandybeaches, internationally important habitat and spectacular historicbuildings. The trail is easily navigated by foot or bicycle and is clearlysignposted with tall markers topped with colourful nautical motifs thatshow local information. The total length of the trail from the West GateBridge to Skeleton Creek is 23km. A bicycle punt runs across theYarra River on weekends and public holidays to link to the WestgatePark and the Bay Trail, which leads to St Kilda and beyond.

Point GellibrandCoastal Heritage Park

This 23km cycling and walking trail links many of thenatural and cultural features of Hobsons Bay. Most ofthe trail is through parkland. Along the trail you’ll finda series of markers, designed like channel markers,which provide directions and information.

• Stony Creek BackwashAt the northern end of the trail, the estuary of StonyCreek includes an extensive boardwalk, mangroverevegetation and a memorial park to the workerswho lost their lives in the West Gate Bridge disaster.

• Timeball TowerAt Point Gellibrand Coastal Heritage Park, the copperball atop the tower was dropped at a set time eachday to allow ships to adjust their chronometers.

• Williamstown Botanic GardensOfficially opened in 1860 and listed on the Registerof the National Estate, the gardens provide a greenand tranquil respite.

• Jawbone Reserve and Altona Coastal ParkThe trail provides access to important salt marsh-mangrove habitat; Altona Coastal Park includes theremnants of the former Williamstown racecourse

• Altona PierAdjacent to historic Logan Reserve, and with aseries of bronze sculptures of marine creatures inits forecourt, the pier is a great place to set out fora walk and is an easy-to-identify point for meetingup with friends.

Cycling along The Strand, Williamstown

Williamstown Botanic Gardens

Pelicans roam the foreshore

What to See Hobsons Bay Coastal Trailwww.vis i thobsonsbay.com.au www.vis i thobsonsbay.com.au

• Get a grasp of science at Scienceworks!Enjoy one of the many hands-on exhibitions andactivities. It’s a great day out for curious mindsand active bodies. Discover the historic SeweragePump and visit the only digital planetarium in theSouthern Hemisphere. Facilities include café,BBQ and souvenir shop.

• Watch the ships go by at Greenwich BayGreenwich Bay is home to Williamstown’s numberone address, The Strand. The area incorporatessporting clubs, playgrounds and a habitat area, andoffers breathtaking views of the City. The bay is alsofamous for its close up glimpses of container shipstravelling the Yarra River, a sure winner with youngand old.

• Explore WilliamstownWilliamstown is famous for its village ambienceand rich maritime heritage. Come and enjoy thefine restaurants, shops and cafés or explore theWilliamstown Craft Market held on the thirdSunday of every month. Weekends in Williamstownare bustling with people and activity.

• Enjoy a walk or three in and around WilliamstownWhile in Williamstown take one of the self-guidedHeritage Walks. The three walks can be takenseparately or together and take you throughsome of the most picturesque corners of thishistoric seaport. Pick up a brochure at theHobsons Bay Visitor Information Centre inCommonwealth Reserve in Williamstown.

• A 'gem' of a pierGem Pier is the gateway to Williamstown fromthe bay; you can catch a ferry to Southgate, gofor a sail on the Enterprize or take a scenic cruisearound the bay. The adjacent CommonwealthReserve also offers a great venue for picnics.Gem Pier is also home to the HMAS Castlemaine,a historic warship (1942) museum. Visitors caninspect a fascinating collection of nauticalexhibits and memorabilia from the past.

• Watch ‘time fly’ at the Timeball TowerBuilt in the 1840s by convict labourers, theTimeball Tower at Point Gellibrand originallyoperated as a lighthouse and then as a timeball.Restored as an Australian Bicentennial project in1988, the tower is part of the Point GellibrandCoastal Heritage Park.

• Military aviation - now boardingThe RAAF Museum offers you an insight intothe history of military aviation in Australia. Themuseum tells the history of the Australian airforceand the most exciting machines ever built andthe fascinating stories of the daring men whoflew them. Entry is free. Weekday tours areavailable by arrangement.

• A place of peace and beautyThe Victoria State Rose Garden is located atWerribee Park. Set in the shape of a Tudor rose,the garden features over 4,000 rose bushes in aspectacular display that changes throughout theyear. The impressive Heritage Border featuresunusual and historic roses from around theworld. The blooms are in their glory fromNovember to May.

• The sounds of Africa in the middle of WerribeeGet up close and personal to magnificentgrassland animals from Africa, Asia and Australiaat the Werribee Open Range Zoo. Rhinos rangefree with giraffe, zebra and antelopes, while thehippos wallow in a nearby waterhole and thevervet monkeys chatter. Facilities include a50 minute safari tour, walking trails, SavannahDiscovery Centre, Safari Shop and Meerkat Bistroand Function Centre.

• Australia's National Equestrian Centre, Werribee ParkThe RAAF Museum offers you an insight into thehistory of military aviation in Australia. The museumtells the history of the Australian airforce and themost exciting machines ever built and thefascinating stories of the daring men who flewthem. Entry is free. Weekday tours are availableby arrangement.

• Go back in time at The Mansion,Werribee ParkOne of Australia’s most majestic stately homes.Built in 1874 and 1877, the rambling Italianatemansion was once home to the wealthyChirnside family. See how the Chirnsides lived,and listen to their ghostly chatter through theself-guided headset tour.

Take a stroll to the Shadowfax Winery andVineyard for a gourmet food and wine experience.

Scienceworks at Spotswood

• Flock to Jawbone ReserveJawbone Reserve is one of the few SaltmarshMangrove habitats remaining in Melbourne.A boardwalk enables you to explore this richlytextured area without disturbing the naturalvegetation. This is a rare opportunity to observepelicans and migratory wading birds in abundance.

• ‘Cherry-ripe’ all year round!Cherry Lake is a popular destination for families,cyclists, walkers, windsurfers and rollerbladers.A multi purpose track around the lake suits land-based recreational pursuits while windsurfers,model boat owners and anglers enjoy the inlandwaters. Cherry Lake includes picnic areas, gardens,a children’s playground, electric BBQs, publictoilets, and bird sanctuary and observation hutch.

• Altona Beach, the perfect placeto soak up the sunSwim at Altona Beach, with sandy beaches andwonderful bay views. Conveniently located nearpublic transport, the Altona foreshore offers avibrant local shopping strip in Pier Street and aweekly street market every Tuesday. Adjacent to theforeshore is the lovely Logan Reserve equippedwith playgrounds and undercover sitting areas.

FURTHER AFIELD • A top spot to view birdlife

The Cheetham Wetlands at Point Cook CoastalPark rank amongst the top three places in theworld to see birdlife. With birds arriving from asfar afield as Siberia, Alaska and Japan, you won’tbe the only visitors dropping in to sample thedelights of this protected habitat! The Park offers360 degree views of the surrounding wetlandsand the City skyline in the distance.

The Mansion at Werribee Park

• 100 Steps to FederationTake in the view of Port Phillip Bay and CheethamWetlands, a migratory bird habitat, from the topof the grand basalt staircase and enjoy the picnicfacilities in Truganina Park.

• Skeleton CreekAt the western-most point of the trail, the lagoonon Skeleton Creek is a great place to see swansand pelicans.

TIPS FOR HEALTHY RIDING AND WALKING• Wear sunscreen in all seasons; UV rays can burn

skin on dull days as well as sunny days

• Take a water bottle and drink before you feel thirsty

• Half an hour of exercise each day is good for theheart, the bones and the mind!

Hobsons Bay City Council is commited to protecting and enhancing our environment. This publication, when printed, is printed with vegetable inks on recycled, non-chemically bleached stock.