In February, we took one of the free boat tours around the port, run by the Port of Melbourne Authority. These ran once a month out of both Victoria Harbour at the Docklands and Gem Pier at Williamstown.

Gem Pier

We chose the tour from Gem Pier because driving to Williamstown is a pleasant drive, and parking options aren’t too demanding (compared to the nightmare of navigating the docklands and paying exorbitant parking fees). I didn’t think to take a pic of the boat that did the tour, but it was VERY nice. Not a tug or old rust bucket like I was expecting, but a large, comfortable, very well-staffed private vessel that the Port of Melbourne pays to do these tours.  

Cruising

It was a really, really warm morning – we were on the 11 am tour and sitting at the front in the open as it was the best spot for photographs. Some fellow passengers started wilting and moved inside, allowing us to move closer to the show. We were fading too, but stoic. I wanted those pics and knew the breeze would make it about 10 degrees cooler upfront once she started moving, which was the case.

Webb Dock

The Williamstown tour takes you to Webb Dock. Seeing those enormous container ships and the cranes operating and moving the containers around was terrific. Those ships and containers are HUGE, and to watch the cranes move them around like dominoes was a highlight.

HMS Castlemaine

After the cruise ended, we took a walk around the HMAS Castlemaine. She’s a mine sweeper permanently berthed at Gem Admission was $6 per adult or $15 for a family. Although it was an exciting learning experience to wander around the ship, the staff volunteers advised us to go down the stairs backwards. And I can tell you few hail marys were said when we looked at them and descended, and we’re not religious. The steps were about as wide as a 3″ plank and went down at about a 70-degree angle!

The engine room required about three lots of take-your-life in-your-hands stairs but was worth the descent. I loved the old dials and machinery rising and dropping up and down as it ran.

  Highly recommend both the Port of Melbourne tour and the HMAS Castlemaine.