Point Wilson, Victoria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Point WilsonVictoria |
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Road towards Point Wilson
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 Point Wilson
Location in City of Greater Geelong
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| Postcode(s) | 3212 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 18 m (59 ft) | ||||||||||||||
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| LGA(s) | City of Greater Geelong | ||||||||||||||
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Point Wilson is a special place found on the northern edge of Corio Bay in Victoria. It's about 60 kilometers from Melbourne and 25 kilometers from Geelong by road.
This area is surrounded by Pousties Road, the Princes Freeway, Little River, and Corio Bay. Not many people live here. You can't just visit Point Wilson because it has a special facility for storing explosives. Nearby, you'll also find the Murtcaim Wildlife Area and Melbourne Water's Western Treatment Plant.
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A Special Natural Place
The Point Wilson area is very important for nature. It's part of the Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsula Ramsar Site. This means it's a wetland that is important all over the world!
This area is also part of the Werribee and Avalon Important Bird Area. BirdLife International has named it this because it's a key spot for many wetland and waterbirds. It's also a vital home for the orange-bellied parrot, which is a special bird.
The land around the jetty has salt marshes, low basalt cliffs, and shell ridges. Because not many people disturb the area, its natural environment is in very good condition.
Point Wilson's Explosives Facility
Point Wilson has been used to store explosives since 1962. Before that, the storage facility was in Altona. The Commonwealth of Australia owns this area, which is 326 hectares in size.
A long jetty and wharf, about 2,700 meters long, were built in the late 1950s. This was to help bring in explosives by ship. In 1981, four buildings were built to store and handle these materials. Large commercial ships bring weapons and explosives from places like Europe and the United States to Australia. Point Wilson is one of the places where these items are unloaded.
In 1994, there was a plan to upgrade the facility to handle loading explosives onto navy ships. This plan was put on hold. However, Point Wilson still helps bring in explosives for Australia's defense forces.
Other Uses and History
In the 1970s, a company called ICI wanted to build a chemical plant at Point Wilson. This plan did not go ahead.
Later, in 1994, the Victorian State Government suggested moving a large chemical storage facility from Coode Island to a nearby area called Point Lillias. This idea was also dropped in June 1997.
Weather Station
Since 1990, Point Wilson has been home to a Bureau of Meteorology weather station. This station helps scientists track the weather.
Point Wilson in Pop Culture
If you're a fan of movies, you might be interested to know that some parts of the famous film Mad Max were filmed on Point Wilson Road!
