Western Bayside

Williamstown

Travel over the West Gate Bridge and you’ll find a landscape of factories and new suburbs. But south of the bridge, on the western arm of Hobsons Bay, is Williamstown – one of Melbourne’s true gems. If St Kilda feels like a city within a city, then Williamstown feels like a village, perhaps even an island. It is bounded by a vast industrial area on two sides and by the sea on the other two, across which are superb views of the Melbourne skyline. Bobbing up and down in its harbour are a fleet of yachts, and along Nelson Place are restaurants, bars and cafes in old maritime buildings. People spill out onto the pavement in summer to sip lattes and sniff the sea air (despite all the industry, the sea does seem cleaner on this side of the bay). Alternatively, they buy fish and chips and ice-creams and spread out on the grass in front of the harbour. Williamstown’s main beach is around the other side of the bay. For those after an alternative to driving, there is a ferry service to Williamstown from St Kilda and Southgate, with an optional stop at Scienceworks .

Scienceworks

This is the place to come to ‘push it, pull it, spin it, bang it’, and inadvertently get a grasp on science. It is a great place to bring the kids, with interactive exhibitions on all things science-related. Also in the complex is the Melbourne Planetarium, with simulated night skies and 3D adventures through space. A historic pumping station is located on site, and tours are available. 2 Booker St, Spotswood; (03) 9392 4800; open 10am–4.30pm daily.