Docklands West - Central Pier, Victoria Harbour, North Wharf and Docklands Park loop
Docklands West - Central Pier, Victoria Harbour, North Wharf and Docklands Park loop
A great walk that you can take you a bit longer than a lunch break, But it takes in some great views. A regular walk taken by the Docklands Walkers walking group.
Summary
A great walk that you can take you a bit longer than a lunch break, But it takes in some great views. A regular walk taken by the Docklands Walkers walking group.
Description
• Commencing at (1) Docklands Park (Corner of Bourke Street & Navigation Drive) walk towards the Bourke Street and Harbour Esplanade intersection.
• Cross Bourke Street at the traffic Lights. Follow the path along Harbour Esplanade walking towards Central Pier (Careful: Do not walk on the bike path).
• Turn left at the third entrance to (2) Central Pier and follow the pier all the way around. Turn right on to the walking track back towards Bourke Street.
• Turn right to see (3) Cow Up a Tree and the (4) Port Phillip Ferries terminal (They make great coffee at the cafe here).
• Follow the walking track towards Victoria Harbour Promenade and turn right the nearest footpath.
• Follow Victoria Harbour Promenade along the waters edge (5) past the Library at the Dock all the way down to the end (6 & 7).
• Turn left at the (8) old Harbour Control Tower and walk through the car park towards (9) Bolte Bridge. (Careful: Some sections of the road are gravel).
• Turn around at the fence after taking a look at the view, make your way back past the old Harbour Control Tower and follow Victoria Harbour Promenade to the (10 & 11]) Library at the Dock.
• Turn right at the Library and walk around (12 & 13) Buluk park and return to Victoria Harbour Promenade taking the closest footpath.
• Turn right at Merchant Street and follow this all to the Docklands Pharmacy.
• Turn left at the pharmacy and go down the stairs towards Import Lane (Note: There is an access lift available, if required).
• Cross Import Lane and walk around (14) Victoria Green and turning left at the (15) Docklands Community Garden.
• Follow Keera Way and turn right at Collins Street, cross Collins Street at the traffic lights at the tram stop.
Turn right and follow the path towards the Yarra River (Australia Wharf).
• Follow Australia Wharf up to Navigation Drive and cross at the pedestrian crossing. Follow the path through Docklands Park (South) (15) and cross Collins Street at the traffic lights.
• Continue walking through Docklands Park (North) and turn left at (16) Reed Vessel toward Navigation Drive (Careful: This can be slippery if it is wet, you can always walk around it).
• Turn right at Navigation Drive towards Bourke Street, the walk conclude at Docklands Park at the corner of Bourke Street and Navigation Drive.
Public Toilets:
• Docklands Park South, Harbour Esplanade;
• Rear of the 800 Bourke Street building (Victoria Harbour Promenade);
• Central Pier;
• Docklands Library;
• New Quay;
• Waterfront City;
• South Wharf;
• Southern Cross Station.
Public Transport:
• The starting point is a short walk from Southern Cross station.
• The closest tram stops to the starting point are:
o Harbour Esplanade – Stop D4 Routes 35, 70 & 75
o Collins Street – Stop D16 Routes 11 & 48
o Collins Street – Stop D17 Routes 11 & 48
4562 Views
Points of Interest
1. Starting Point – Docklands Park
Courtyard, Corner of Bourke Street and Navigation Drive. The landscaped gardens of Docklands Park at Victoria Harbour have free BBQs, public art and the interactive playground.
2. Central Pier
Central Pier houses many businesses in these 1914 heritage-listed cargo sheds, including Alumbra; Va bene; The Woolshed Pub; Peninsula; MAI; Sumac; Sketch and Mill & Bakery.
3. Cow Up A Tree (2000)
Cast in five tonnes of bronze and standing eight metres high. John Kelly’s 'Cow Up a Tree' at first seems something of a whimsical work, but the sculpture has its roots in serious historical events.
4. Port Phillip Ferries terminal
This passenger ferry service that runs between Docklands and Portarlington on the Bellarine Peninsula. Operating 365 days of the year, the service is enjoyed by daily commuters and leisure travellers.
5. White Caps (2012)
An artwork by Ari Purhonen. Nesting on the timber piles that once supported the old wharves, the artwork shimmers like a shoal of fish gently moving with the winds and tides of the harbour
6. Alma Doepel
This three-masted topsail schooner, is one of the oldest surviving ships . Built in 1903 in Bellingen, NSW, by Frederik Doepel. Under restoration due early 2019.
7. Enterprize Ship Trust
A timber two-masted, topsail schooner, the Enterprize Tall Ship is a replica of the first vessel that brought British settlers to Melbourne in 1835.
8. Old Shipping Control Tower
Old Shipping Control Tower
9. Bolte Bridge
A large twin cantilever bridge is the longest bridge in Australia. The bridge features two 140 metre high silver towers. (Longest Span - 173 metres, Clearance - 25 metres)
10. Community Hub at the Dock
A community facility for boating enthusiasts (Docklands Yacht Club, Dragon Boat Victoria & Melbourne Outrigger Canoe club) and maternal and child health centre and other community services.
11. Buluk Park
The central lawn is edge by large decks and trees, with a playground. Timber decking made from reclaimed ironbark.
12. Shadow Trees (2014)
A construction of painted and fabricated mild steel, with silhouette elements, bolts and structural elements. The work casts shadows within its structure creating complex changing imagery.
13. Library at the Dock
At the civic heart of Docklands. It offers traditional and digital catalogues, free wi-fi, a range of unique events and multipurpose rooms for hire.
14. Victoria Green
This park lies between Bourke Street and Collins Street, and is bounded by Import Lane and Geographe Street. It has shade, BBQs and areas to get away from the city hum.
15. Docklands Community Garden
Celebrates gardening, community living and sustainable urban lifestyles. A backyard for local residents, a vegie patch for the area's green thumbs and a nurturing green space for everyone to enjoy.
16. The Blowhole (2005)
A 15-metre-high wind-powered kinetic sculpture. Its many moving parts include arms and anodised aluminium cups, which interact with each other to form changing patterns, colours and shadows.
17. Reed Vessel (2004)
Caution: When the water display is working the path can be slippery. The airy, metaphorical form of 'Reed Vessel' is achieved through the joining of more than 300 stainless-steel pieces into a canoe.
Features
Public Transport
Playground
Picnic spot
Drinking water available
Seating available
Public toilets
Pram friendly
Historical interest
Local treasures
Art and culture
Lake, creek, river
Park / Garden
