This is a beautiful, historic walk around Williamstown featuring
original gas lamps, Williamstown Primary School, built in 1878 and the
Time Ball tower.
Williamstown was established at the same time as Melbourne and operated as its first port. It sits at the end of a small peninsula bounded by Hobsons Bay on the north and Altona Bay to the south.
Williamstown was originally named Port Harwood by the party of John Batman who arrived to assess the Melbourne site for pastoral settlement in mid-1835.
Settlement at Melbourne began in August that year. The site was visited by Governor Bourke and Captain William Lonsdale in 1837 and they gave Williamstown its current name in honour of then-King William IV.
Melway Map reference: 56B10-56D11
"Maps reproduced from Melway Edition 35 with the permission of Melway Publishing Pty Ltd"
Toilet facilities and coffee stop: At the Rotunda on the Esplanade
Take a train to Williamstown Beach station. On leaving the station, walk along Pasco St. and turn left into Verdon Street. Here you will notice some interesting old houses on this street.
Turn right into Perry St and into Dennis reserve where you will note the earliest Manse (Presbytery) and the memorial Gas lamps on Lyons street.
Turn left on Melbourne Road and left again into Parker Street. Have a look at the beautiful stone building of the Primary school.
Turn right into Cecil street, pass the Robertson reserve to Railway Place and turn left into Gifford street. Cross the railway line and enter the Botanic Gardens.
Exit the Botanic Gardens, pass the toilets to the Esplanade.
Have coffee at the Rotunda on the Esplanade.
Turn left on the Esplanade and walk along the Esplanade and follow the path to Battery Road, past the Time Ball tower.
Walk up Nelson place to have lunch at Commonwealth Reserve.
Williamstown was established at the same time as Melbourne and operated as its first port. It sits at the end of a small peninsula bounded by Hobsons Bay on the north and Altona Bay to the south.
Williamstown was originally named Port Harwood by the party of John Batman who arrived to assess the Melbourne site for pastoral settlement in mid-1835.
Settlement at Melbourne began in August that year. The site was visited by Governor Bourke and Captain William Lonsdale in 1837 and they gave Williamstown its current name in honour of then-King William IV.
Melway Map reference: 56B10-56D11
"Maps reproduced from Melway Edition 35 with the permission of Melway Publishing Pty Ltd"
Toilet facilities and coffee stop: At the Rotunda on the Esplanade
Take a train to Williamstown Beach station. On leaving the station, walk along Pasco St. and turn left into Verdon Street. Here you will notice some interesting old houses on this street.
Turn right into Perry St and into Dennis reserve where you will note the earliest Manse (Presbytery) and the memorial Gas lamps on Lyons street.
Turn left on Melbourne Road and left again into Parker Street. Have a look at the beautiful stone building of the Primary school.
Turn right into Cecil street, pass the Robertson reserve to Railway Place and turn left into Gifford street. Cross the railway line and enter the Botanic Gardens.
Exit the Botanic Gardens, pass the toilets to the Esplanade.
Have coffee at the Rotunda on the Esplanade.
Turn left on the Esplanade and walk along the Esplanade and follow the path to Battery Road, past the Time Ball tower.
The timeball tower at Williamstown. A telegraph signal from Melbourne Observatory at precisely 1pm each day lowered the brass ball. This allowed ships in Hobson's Bay to correct their chronometers -- essential for safe navigation. The timeball was erected on this tower in 1861.
Walk up Nelson place to have lunch at Commonwealth Reserve.
From
there either take the ferry to Melbourne or walk down Thompson Street
to Williamstown railway station to get the train back to Melbourne.
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