Port Phillip bay

By Shannon Mitchell

Aboriginals uses of port Phillip bay

The Aboriginal people were in occupation of the area long before the bay was formed, having arrived at least 20,000 years ago and possibly 40,000 years ago. Large piles of semi-fossilised sea-shells known as middens, can still be seen in places around the shoreline, marking the spots where Aboriginal people held feasts. They made a good living from the abundant sea-life, which included penguins and seals. In the cold season they wore possum-skin cloaks and elaborate feathered head-dresses.

Many Aboriginal tribes camped on the shores of the bay, attracted by the rich harvest of food available from the sea and land. Middens and heritage sites are evidence of how they lived by the bay for thousands of years. But the face of the bay was to change forever when the Royal Navy's Lieutenant John Murray sailed into Port Phillip on the Lady Nelson in 1802.

First settlementLieutenant John Murray in the Lady Nelson discovered the entrance to Port Phillip in late 1801. Rough weather and the dangerous waters prevented him from entering the bay. He made another attempt early in 1802 and 'took possession' of the bay for Britain, calling it Port King. It was later changed to Port Phillip, in honour of Captain Arthur Phillip who led the First Fleet.

dispatched Lieutenant Colonel David Collins and his party in two ships on 27 April 1803. On board were 19 settlers, 26 settlers' wives and children, 50 marines, civil officers, 299 male convicts and 29 convicts' wives and children.

They arrived in October and established the bay's first white settlement at Sullivan Bay, near what is now Sorrento. It was short-lived. Water was scarce, the narrow bay entrance was treacherous, timber was in short supply and they were vulnerable to attack. Collins abandoned the camp and went to Van Diemen's Land to establish Hobart.

That was the shipping in port king bay and the first white man to enter port king, of course later known as port Phillip.

Gold rushIn 1851 gold was first discovered in Clunes near Ballarat, and subsequently at Bendigo. Later discoveries occurred at many sites across Victoria. This triggered one of the largest gold rushes the world has ever seen.

The colony grew rapidly in both population and economic power. Immigrants arrived from all over the world to search for gold, especially from Ireland and China.

In ten years the population of Victoria increased sevenfold from 76,000 to 540,000.

All sorts of gold records were produced including the "richest shallow alluvial goldfield in the world" and the largest gold nugget. Victoria produced in the decade 1851-1860, twenty million ounces of gold, one third of the world's output.

Port Phillip bay know

Port Phillip coastline continues to be highly sought after. Port Phillip continues to be extensively used for recreational pursuits such as swimming, cycling, boating and fishing. The bay also features a number of historical walks and fauna reserves

Large ships require expert local guidance to enter and exit, provided by the Port Phillip Sea Pilots. Work has commenced to deepen the channel entrance, to allow newer, larger container ships to access Melbourne's docks.

Swim with dolphins and snorkel with fur seals, Catch a ride on a seaplane

Fish for salmon or snapper