why were geelong’s old buildings preserved?

Unlike most cities where highrise dominates the landscape, Geelong’s old buildings were spared demolition. There was a reason for this and it wasn’t just a handful of people who argued against the loss of these tasteful buildings.

geelong’s Federal woollen mills

I headed to the western edge of Port Phillip Bay to North Geelong combing antique stores when I spotted the tasteful Federal Woollen Mills’ main building. The brick factory was constructed by the first Australian Labour Government in 1915 and offered better working conditions for factory employees. Workers were responsible for scouring, carding, dyeing, spinning and weaving Australian wool into cloth using the mill’s own power plant.

by the bay

On an early morning hike I past two women heading to the beach with their surfboards. Wind swept over Port Phillip Bay, but still the waves were no higher than thirty centimetres. Further ahead was Station Pier Cruise Ship Terminal where the Queen Elizabeth was docked. Cars crawled past to enter the ferry that would later sail to Devonport, a journey I’d taken in my late teens.

What is a lava blister?

To be honest, I’d never heard of a lava blister until I traipsed around Williamstown’s point and came across this unusual rock formation.

A hike by the bay

Beginning at Williamstown’s Point Gellibrand Coastal Heritage Park, a trail ran parallel to Port Phillip Bay. I passed Shelley Beach where a multitude of sea birds gathered on the rocks extending into the sea. Others squawked overhead.

Sailing across the bay

On the first sunny fourteen degree day in a week, I raced to St Kilda pier to catch a ferry across the northern end of Port Phillip Bay. After the ferry docked at Port Melbourne pier, we sailed over calm waters towards Williamstown.

Back in the 1900s

South of Albert Park Beach was Middle Park Beach. In the 1900s when men and women  were not permitted to swim together at the beach, there were public baths along the shoreline to cater to this law.

Cancer country

Port Phillip Bay stretched around on its eastern side with one perfect beach after another. For me, the only disappointment was being a bay, the sea was like swimming in a lake, flat with no surf.

The lure of a spirit

The Bay Trail from St Kilda to Port Melbourne was about a five kilometre trip one way. I stepped on to the trail somewhere at the midpoint and usually turned south, but that day I headed in the opposite direction. Far in the distance sat the Spirit of Tasmania and I had this urge for ages to walk right to the pier.

A hike to Point Ormond Hill

I headed south past the lighthouse along the path that meandered close to Port Phillip Bay. On this perfect autumn day, there were plenty of bikers and hikers taking advantage of the sunny conditions. Off shore, sail boats bobbed over the choppy sea while wavelets splashed against the rocks below.