Station Pier facts for kids

The Bass Strait Ferry Spirit of Tasmania II at Station Pier

Station Pier is a famous old pier in Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It sits on Port Phillip Bay. Opened in 1854, it's Melbourne's main place for passenger ships. This includes ferries that travel between states and big cruise ships. The pier is so important that it's listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, which protects special historical places.

History of Station Pier

Station Pier first opened on September 12, 1854. It was originally called Railway Pier. At the same time, a 4.5-kilometer railway line was built. This line went from the pier to Flinders Street station in the city, crossing the Sandridge Bridge. This was Australia's very first major railway line! It helped move people and goods easily.

The Gold Rush and Pier Growth

The pier became very busy in the 1850s. This was because of the Victorian gold rush, which brought many new people to Victoria. To handle all the extra ships and people, the pier was made longer in 1861. It grew to 661 meters, which is about two-thirds of a kilometer.

Building the New Pier

By the early 1900s, ships had become much bigger and more powerful. The old pier wasn't large enough for these new steamships. So, a new, bigger pier was built between 1922 and 1930. This new Station Pier is the largest timber (wood) piled wharf structure in Australia. It was designed in a very clever way for the 1920s. Passengers would arrive at the top levels, while goods were moved underneath. The pier is 933 meters long. It can hold ships up to 305 meters long that need water at least 10.3 meters deep.

Trains and Trams at the Pier

When the new pier was built, it had eight railway tracks. Four tracks ran along each side of the pier. There was also a special passenger platform called 'Bay Excursion Platform'.

Electric passenger trains started coming to the Bay Excursion Pier in January 1921. However, these services were stopped in November 1930 because they weren't making enough money. Trains started coming back to Station Pier when big overseas ships were docked there. A special "Boat Train" service even ran directly from Flinders Street station to Station Pier starting in 1936. This train was blue with a silver roof. This special service stopped in October 1939.

In 1934, the Victorian Centenary Bridge was built. This bridge went over the railway lines and allowed cars to drive onto the middle of the pier. The bridge was taken down in 1991. In 1987, the railway line to the pier was closed. A tram line (Route 109) now runs in its place.

Modern Changes

Around 2001, the area at the start of the pier was updated. A nice boardwalk was added, along with new restaurants and cafes. So, Station Pier continues to be a lively and important spot in Melbourne!

How Station Pier Works

Station Pier has four places where ships can dock, called berths. There are two berths on each side of the pier. Each berth can handle ships that need water up to 10.3 meters deep.

The pier is open 24 hours a day for ships. However, for people walking, it's open from 6 AM to 9 PM. It might be closed 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 vehicles.

Images for kids

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  Road entrance to Station Pier.

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  Railway Pier in the late-1800s.

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  HMS King George V Battleship docked at Station Pier in 1945.

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  Spirit of Tasmania I loading at Station Pier.

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  Station Pier in 2016.