Station Pier facts for kids
Station Pier is a really old and important pier in Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It sits on the water of Port Phillip. This pier first opened way back in 1854! Today, it's Melbourne's main place for people to catch ferries to other states and big cruise ships. Station Pier is so special that it's even listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, which protects important historical places.
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Discovering Station Pier's Past
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Station Pier wasn't always called that! When it first opened on September 12, 1854, it was known as Railway Pier. At the same time, a 4.5-kilometer railway line was built. This line connected the pier to Flinders Street station in the city. It was Australia's very first important railway! This helped move both people and goods.
The Gold Rush Era
The pier became super busy in the 1850s. This was because of the exciting gold rush! Many people came to Victoria hoping to find gold. In 1861, the pier was made even longer, reaching 661 meters. This was to handle all the extra ships and people moving to Victoria.
Building a Bigger, Better Pier
As time went on, ships got much bigger and more powerful. The old pier couldn't handle these new steamships. So, between 1922 and 1930, a brand new pier was built. This new Station Pier is the largest timber wharf structure in all of Australia!
The new pier was designed in a clever way. Passengers would arrive at terminals on the top level. Goods and cargo would be moved underneath. This was a very modern idea for the 1920s! The pier is 933 meters long. It can hold ships that are up to 305 meters long and sit 10.3 meters deep in the water.
Trains and Trams at the Pier
When the pier was first built, it had five railway tracks. It even had a special passenger platform called 'Bay Excursion Platform'. After the pier was rebuilt, it had eight tracks, four on each side.
Electric passenger trains started running to the pier in January 1921. These trains ran twice an hour on weekdays. However, they stopped in November 1930 because not enough people were using them. Later, from May 22, 1933, trains only came to Station Pier when big overseas ships were docked. A special "Boat Train" service even ran directly from Flinders Street station to Station Pier starting in 1936. This service stopped in October 1939.
In 1987, the railway line at the pier closed for good. It was replaced by tram route 109. This tram now goes all the way to Box Hill through the city.
Modern Changes and Fun Spots
In 2001, the area at the start of the pier got a makeover. They added a nice boardwalk and new restaurants and cafes. These include places like 3 Station Pier and Waterfront. At the very end of the pier, you can find Delish Fish.
How Station Pier Works Today
Station Pier has four places where ships can dock, called berths. There are two on each side of the wharf. Each berth can handle ships that sit up to 10.3 meters deep in the water.
| Berth | Length (metres) | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Inner East | 220 | Used to be for the Tasmania ferry (Spirit of Tasmania) – now moved to Geelong. |
| Outer East | 223 | For cruise ships. |
| Inner West | 185 | For cruise ships and Royal Australian Navy ships. |
| Outer West | 305 | For cruise ships. |
The pier is open 24 hours a day for ships. However, for pedestrians (people walking), it's open from 6 AM to 9 PM. It closes to walkers when cruise ships or navy ships are visiting. The pier also has a road down the middle. This allows cars to drive directly onto ships that can carry them.
