In this part of Melbourne Sights and Sites we love, we’re looking at our favourite things to do with Victoria’s war history.
Shrine of Remembrance
A glimpse of the Shrine is a reminder to us all that we have a lot to be thankful for in Australia. More specifically, we have our brave Defence heroes to thank for much of it.
The Shrine of Remembrance was built in 1934 as tribute to Victoria’s fallen World War 1 soldiers and was designed by two Melbourne architects who were also returned soldiers - Philip Hudson and James Wardrop. It was dedicated on Remembrance Day, 11th November in front of a crowd of around 300,000 people which was approximately 1/3 of Melbourne’s entire population. These days it remembers every fallen Victorian service man or woman from all three branches of the Australian Defence Force (Army, Navy, Air Force).
During the Dawn Service on ANZAC Day we remember those fell at Gallipoli. This is followed by the ANZAC Day Parade along St Kilda Road. We’ve been unable to join the Dawn Service the last two years, with many of us instead remembering at the end of our driveways. We look forward to returning to the Shrine on ANZAC Day for the Dawn Service.
Victoria Barracks
The Victoria Barracks on St Kilda Road is currently home to branches of the Australian Defence Force and the Australian Federal Police. The Barracks were originally built to house the British Imperial garrison troops. These were the troops who travelled to Ballarat and put a stop to the Eureka Stockade.
The first building to appear on the site is now known as G Block, which was built by garrison soldiers between 1856 and 1858. The imposing “A Block”, pictured below, is the magnificent face of the collection of buildings which span many decades and a number of architectural styles. Construction of the Renaissance Revival-style A Block commenced in 1860 and, in stages, was completed by 1876. The bluestone used was quarried locally and is common throughout the city of Melbourne.
Like our state, Victoria Barracks was named for Queen Victoria and since its inception has housed the military. When the colonies became a nation in 1901, Victoria Barracks stopped providing accommodation and instead became office headquarters for the Australian Defence Department and the Army. It was Headquarters throughout both World Wars and during the first World War, A Block was extended to accommodate the War Cabinet Room. Victoria Barracks remained as Australian Defence Headquarters until 1958 when the Russell Offices were built in Canberra.
HMAS Castlemaine, Williamstown
HMAS Castlemaine is one of 60 Minesweeper (more commonly known as Corvette) warships which were built by the Melbourne Harbour Trust Commissioners at Williamstown Dockyard. This particular ship was first launched on 7 August 1941 and was commissioned on 17 June 1942. Throughout World War II she served with distinction in the waters north of Australia, specifically around Timor, New Guinea, Hong Kong, The Philippines, the Pacific Islands and the China Sea. The Castlemaine’s services were awarded with three Battle Honours; Pacific 1941-1945, Darwin 1942-1943 and New Guinea 1942-1944.
After 117,000 miles (188,293 kilometres) of war service, the Castlemaine returned to Melbourne in November 1945. She spent more than a decade in Reserve until receiving a refit in 1958 and being transferred to Westernport to serve as a stationary training ship. In 1971 HMAS Castlemaine was presented to the Maritime Trust of Australia for preservation as a museum ship. She was restored to her former war-days glory and has been located on Gem Pier in Williamstown ever since. Retired only a few hundred metres from her place of creation, she attracts visitors from around the world and is a much-loved sight and site on a visit to the historic suburb of Williamstown.
RAAF Museum, Point Cook
RAAF Point Cook was Australia’s first military airfield and is the oldest continually operating military air field in the World. Australia’s first military pilots trained here and when the worlds second oldest air force, the Royal Australian Air Force, was established in 1921, Point Cook became Australia’s first RAAF Base. Two more Bases followed in 1925, one only eight kilometres away at Laverton and the other in Richmond, New South Wales. Today RAAF Point Cook is known, collectively with RAAF Laverton, as RAAF Williams, named for the ‘father’ of the RAAF, Air Marshal Sir Richard Williams who was the first military pilot to be trained in Australia. The Laverton site is still an active military site, while Point Cook operates the RAAF Museum under the control of the RAAF.
The first military flight to take off from Australian soil was on 1 March 1914 in a Bristol Boxkite from the Point Cook Airfield. It was made from timber, linen and wire, weighed 550 kilograms and had a top speed of 64 kilometres per hour. The plane was used to train Australia’s pilots for 4 years. Another Boxkite was manufactured at Point Cook which became the first military aircraft to be constructed in Australia and took its maiden flight on 10 August 1915. Very few of these still exist today, however volunteers at the RAAF Museum built a flyable replica which is on display within the museum along with many others including the 1940’s De Havilland Vampire pictured below.
The RAAF Museum provides a fascinating history of our nation’s military aviation history while also providing thrice weekly flying displays. For the safety of staff, the museum and displays are currently closed due to the pandemic and we cannot wait for them to re-open.
Point Nepean
While not technically in Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula is a popular destination for Melburnians on holiday, long-weekend and even just a day trip. The fingertip of the Peninsula is entirely taken over by the Point Nepean National Park which is visited by history buffs and nature lovers alike. There are plenty of ways to explore the 560-hectare park including a shuttle service plus loads of walking and cycle paths.
Fort Nepean occupies the end point of the park and its where you will find military fortifications which were built in the 1800s to defend Victoria’s goldfields. Along with the fort on the opposite headland at Queenscliff, Port Philip Bay became one of the most heavily defended harbours in Australia. Both forts were in use until the end of World War II.
Probably the most significant wartime event that happened at Fort Nepean was that the first shot in World War 1 by a Commonwealth country was fired from there. A German steamer, the Pfalz, was leaving Melbourne just before the declaration of war was received. The ship was still in Port Philip Bay when the declaration came through. A warning shot was fired and the Pfalz and her crew were placed under arrest.
Fort Nepean was still occupied by the Army in 1967 when the Melbourne-born Prime Minister Harold Holt visited with friends and family. Early on Christmas morning he took a swim off Cheviot Beach in the treacherous waters known as The Rip and was never seen again. There are around 130 shipwrecks at the bottom of The Rip and no one has been permitted to swim there since his disappearance.
Point Nepean is also home to Australia’s first quarantine station. There are some 50 heritage listed buildings forming the Quarantine Station which sprang to life in November 1852 when a passenger ship the Ticonderoga anchored off the heads. On board were over 600 passengers and crew all sick and close to death from typhus and scarlet fever. 100 had already died and been thrown overboard on the three-month journey from Birkenhead near Liverpool, England. You can visit the graveyard of those who were unable to be nursed back to health.
These days Point Nepean National Park is a picturesque but rugged landscape with panoramic sights of Port Philip Bay and Bass Strait. There is lots to explore and many ways to learn more about the sites’ deep history.
Show Me Melbourne run a variety of historical tours and are happy to create private tours on request for any aspect of sightseeing in Melbourne. If you would like us to create a tour for you that includes any of the above sites just drop an email and let us know what you’re interested in at info@showmemelbourne.com.au