Melbourne

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Melbourne, Victoria

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37°50.37′S, 144°56.15′E
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Photo gallery
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Local chartlet

Overview

In 1835 John Batman, a successful Tasmanian farmer, sails to the mouth of the Yarra River and negotiates the purchase of 600,000 acres of land from the local Wurundjeri aboriginal people with blankets, knives, looking glasses, tomahawks, scissors, handkerchiefs, shirts, flannel jackets and flour, and the promise of a yearly rental payment. Together with Tasmanian convict’s son and businessman John Pascoe Fawkner he founds Melbourne, which is temporarily called ‘Batmania’. Melbournites are wryly aware of the humourous association that Melbourne has with Gotham City.

At its inception Melbourne is unique in being an Australian settlement of ‘free’ people, not of convicts.

In the following years government buildings are built, the city grid is established and first plots of land are sold. Most buildings from that time were timber constructions that have not survived. The Melbourne Cricket Club is founded, and a seaport and market are opened. Melbourne is declared a city by Queen Victoria in the 1840's, and by the 1850's (the state of) Victoria breaks away from New South Wales to become a separate colony.

But enough of ancient history, what is Melbourne really like? Ava Gardner, who starred in the Hollywood post-apocalyptic film ‘On the Beach’ (1959)—shot on location in Melbourne—was reputed to have said that it was a great place to make a movie about the end of the world. More recently, comedian Jerry Seinfeld reported to the media, on arrival back to New York from Melbourne, that he had been "to the anus of the world". With these sorts of recommendations, you just have to come and see the place for yourself.

Cruising the region

Port Phillip Bay is generally fairly pleasant, although it can be a little choppy with wind. The worst it gets would be three metre waves accompanying a strong Southerly coming up from the Antarctic, but such conditions are rare. There is quite a lot of club racing and smaller yachts close to the shorelines in the bay, as well as the many power boats used for fishing. This tends to be seasonal, peaking at school holiday times (December-January, May.)

Cruising yachts shouldn't even consider berthing in the Port Melbourne or Yarra River marinas, unless you own a superyacht or really enjoy being gouged. At an average $50 a day there's little value, and dropping anchor in the bay will be a lot less painful.




Melbourne Map, ca. 1868 - click for larger view

Charts

Australian Hydrographic Service
AUS143 Australia South Coast - Victoria - Port Phillip Bay (1:100000)
AUS144 Australia South Coast - Victoria - The Rip (1:25000)
AUS154 Australia South Coast - Victoria - Port of Melbourne - Williamstown and River Yarra (1:7500)
AUS155 Australia South Coast - Victoria - Approaches to Port of Melbourne (1:37500)

Available for AU$35.00 each (laminated $50.00) at Melbourne Map Centre

Radio Nets

Submit details of local radio Nets.

Local Weather

Similar to Mediterranean conditions. The temperature rarely goes below freezing, but it can be cloudy and wet in winter. Summers are hot but fairly short, with the highest temperature on record being a sweltering 46.4 °C (115.5 °F), on 7 February 2009. (And there I was with no air conditioning!)

Approach and Navigation

The entrance to Port Phillip Bay is graced by three lighthouses, the Black Lighthouse at Queenscliff, the White Lighthouse at Queenscliff and the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. These are all on the western side, i.e. to port as you enter the heads.

Due to the restriction of the tidal range within Port Phillip caused by the relatively narrow entrance, the tidal stream in the vicinity of the Heads does not turn at high and low water. The force of the tidal streams depends upon the relative water levels inside and outside Port Phillip. The greatest difference in levels occurs at about the time of high and low water at Port Phillip Heads. This is when the inward and outward streams run at their strongest, up to six knots under normal conditions and may exceed nine knots in extreme conditions.

Yachts should therefore plan to enter and exit during slack water periods, which occur three (3) hours before and after high water, when levels are the same inside the harbour as outside.

See also Port Phillip

Check-in facilities (Customs and Quarantine)

Customs Contact Details
414 Latrobe St,
Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (24hrs) 03 9244 8969
Facsimile: 03 9244 8970
E-mail: [email protected]
Quarantine Contact Details
6th Floor, 414 Latrobe St
Melbourne VIC 3000
Office hours: 03 9246 6713
After hours: 0417 551 965
Facsimile: 03 9246 6841

Boarding Station for Arrival: Contact Customs and Quarantine for information on anchorage/berthing.

Port Draughts: Deep water port.

See also Australia

Offshore Islands

Marinas & Yacht Clubs

PORT PHILLIP BAY

DOCKLANDS (YARRA RIVER, CITY)

Anchorages

  • Port Phillip Bay is well protected from the elements and most places should provide a good anchorage. Just be sure not to drop the hook inside the shipping lanes and you'll be fine. It would be advisable to ensure you're not moored in an environmentally protected area as well, such as parts of Swan Bay.

Yacht Repairs and Services

Marine Stores

  • Whitworths Marine Supermarket
    556 Elizabeth St
    Melbourne, VIC 3000 Australia
    Phone: (61 3) 9347-6511, Fax: (61 3) 9347-6702
    HOURS: Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm, Sat 8.30am-12.30pm
    Whitworths Location Map

Repairs/Yards

  • Travel lifts and repair facilities are available at Patterson Lakes Marina and Savages Wharf.

Fuel, Water, & Electricity

See individual marinas

Things to do Ashore

Tourism

  • Melbourne is a cosmopolitan city of 4 million people with a temperate climate, if somewhat damp in winter. The city and inner northern suburbs furnish a wide variety of excellent restaurants and pubs catering for any taste including all European, Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines. We also have the usual complement of museums, art centres and tourist traps. Best seen during the daytime, as the city tends to become very quiet after hours during the week. Weekends are livelier, with the many clubs and Crown Casino attracting crowds.
  • The inner suburb of St Kilda, a short ride by tram from the CBD, is the local "red light" district with entertainment and activities running into the wee hours of the morning. Further down the peninsula, the many bayside suburbs have their own measure of interest, although you may need to consult a local to find something to do at night.
  • Melbourne is also renowned for its wide variety of music venues, where you'll find good jazz, blues and retro rock/pop cover bands as well as more modern "music" according to individual taste. There's something for everyone!
  • For those staying more than a fortnight, the Yarra Valley wineries are worth a tour, as is the Grand Ridge Brewery at Mirboo North (try the Moonshine beer). Also during winter the ski area near Mansfield (3hrs drive) is a good trip for a few days, although accomodation needs to be booked well in advance.
  • Residents of Melbourne have a passion for cars, beer and Australian Rules Football.
  • There are more Greeks in Melbourne than anywhere outside of Athens.
  • Formula 1 Grand Prix - Annually in late March
  • Melbourne Comedy Festival - Annually in April

Internet/WiFi

You should be able to find an open broadband network from anywhere within Port Phillip. There are also legitimate WiFi "hot spots" in the city.

Motorbike and Car Rentals

Routes/Passages to/from

Since there is no real culture of cruising into Melbourne — most yachts in the bay are only sailed occasionally, if at all — this is an open-ended question. Arrivals will most likely come from either Adelaide, northern Tasmania or down the coast from Sydney rather than direct from another country.

See also Australian Coastal Passages

References & Publications

Cruiser's Friends

Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.

Forum Discussions

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

External Links

Personal Notes

  • Living aboard is generally not acceptable on most of the marinas in Port Phillip Bay. This was discovered by a New Zealander who contacted all of the marinas within commuting distance from the Melbourne CBD. He did find that New Quay Marina accepts live-aboards but they charge around AU$10,000pa for the privelege. See Forum discussion.
    None of this may be applicable to international cruising yachts since their situation is different. In general, marinas will see a stay of a few days aboard as acceptable in any case, but facilities for long-term stays (showers, washing machines, pump-outs, etc) may be limited or non-existent unless one is a member of a local yacht club, or another club with reciprocal agreements. --Haiqu 02:25, 26 May 2011 (BST)


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Names: Haiqu, Lighthouse,


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