Sam and I always enjoy our visits to Williamstown - so we decided to stay for a couple of nights this time.
We stayed just off Gem Pier on this visit.
Sea Shepherd are based here on their off season.
We stayed at the Quest on this visit - which made for a very convenient spot to head out and explore.
Setting off this afternoon we were loosely following a set of Tyrone Thomas' old notes, using notes and a map that is over twenty years old generally makes for an interesting walk. We picked up Tyrones route from Gem Pier and pretty well immediately left the main tourist strip and started to zig zag our way through Williamstown's quiet back streets. Our convoluted route took us out to the coast via the historic railway footbridge at Williamstown Station. Once we'd arrived on the shoreline we turned right and kept heading west for the next couple of kilometres.
Nelson Place.
Even the back streets of Williamstown have an historic feeling about them.
We crossed the old pedestrian bridge at Williamstown Station as we headed for the coast.
Arriving onto the shore of Port Phillip Bay we turned right... and kept walking for a couple of kilometres.
I haven't mentioned it yet however as usual the weather was playing a part today, we'd had a fair dump of rain early this morning and showers had been scudding through all day while I was at work. Arriving at Williamstown this afternoon it looked like most of the showers had cleared, however as Sam and I stepped onto the shared path running along the coast and started heading west it was pretty obvious that there was still some rain around. It wasn't just the showers that made things a little uncomfortable along here though, no - there was a brisk and biting wind blowing in off Port Phillip Bay as well. Even accounting for all our meteorological issues the coast walk was still pretty good really, our sealed path making progress pretty easy and the low and wind pruned vegetation meaning that views weren't hard to come by. The tracks along the this coastal section of the stroll are many and varied, we walked everything from shared sealed paths, crushed granite paths, grassy pads and concrete promenades. After rounding Gellibrand Point we shuffled along until we arrived at the pretty well deserted Williamstown Beach which we proceeded to walk along at the speed of a sloth on valium as I procrastinated in the hope that the afternoon sun would show itself.
Our coastal amble took us past the historic Fort Gellibrand.
There is an old quarry near the fort - yes pretty well everything on this walk is prefaced with old or historic!
We followed sections of the Bay Trail West this afternoon.
Something makes me think that they might see a lot of onshore wind along this section of the coast.
Looking west along the coast towards Williamstown Beach, with Altona in the distance.
Port Phillip Bay.
Williamstown Anglers Club.
Williamstown Beach.
Williamstown Beach.
With no real luck waiting for the sun to make an appearance, Sam and I headed away from the coast back into the suburbs along Victoria Street before we swung right down the equally suburban Osborne Street. As we made our way along Osborne Street towards the Botanical Gardens I was now somewhat ironically thwarted by the sun as I tried to get photo of an old milk bar (remember when we used to have a local milk bars? ... yes, Google is your friend kids). After the fairly easy stroll along Osborne Street we arrived at the Historic Williamstown Botanic Gardens and headed in for a bit of a look. These botanic gardens are pretty small in the grand scheme of things although they are home to a great variety of beautiful mature trees.
Wandering along Osborne Street we saw something very old.... a suburban Milk Bar - these corner shops seem to have just dropped off the radar nowadays.
There are some big Paperbarks along Osborne Street.
The Williamstown Botanic Gardens might be small however they pack a decent punch I think.
Fungi in the botanic gardens.
I'm thinking they had more respect for their politicians in the ye olde days.
Williamstown Botanic Gardens.
Williamstown Botanic Gardens.
After a quick lap of the botanic gardens Sam and I set off heading back through the quiet suburban streets of Williamstown. Arriving back at the café strip on Nelson Place just in time to grab some dinner before meandering back to our accommodation near the Gem Pier.
Leaving the botanic gardens we shuffled our way through the suburban back streets back to Nelson Place.
Winters coming... the trees were adding a splash of colour.
There no shortage of old bluestone churches around Williamstown.
The Dirt.
According to my GPS we walked around 6.5 kilometres and climbed around 42 metres on this easy stroll. This walk should be suitable for most people I guess. Starting at Nelson Place near Gem Point means that the Williamstown Beach and it's cafés are around half way so lunch or a swim might be an option. As I've mentioned we used some of Tyrone Thomas' old notes and map, there are some free maps and notes available at the local visitor information centre (basically at the start point of the walk) that allow for some other walking options around Williamstown.
Relevant Posts.
Back on Nelson Place it was time to find somewhere for dinner.
The café strip on Nelson Place in Williamstown was surprisingly quiet on this visit - maybe it was a Covid thing?
Williamstown Newport Foreshore Reserve.
Time to settle in for the night:)
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