Station Pier
Station Pier was opened in 1854 in what was then known as Sandridge. It
was originally known as Railway Pier and the first major railway in
Australia ran from Melbourne to Station Pier. A description of the
conditions prevailing in the early days of the pier and railway line can be
found at our entry on Seven Bridges of Melbourne under
Sandridge Bridge. Much of
Melbourne's early infrastructure was created and operated by private
businesses including the Melbourne-Hobson's Bay Railway line. During the
1950s and 1960s Station Pier was the focal point of the post war migration
to Australia particularly from Italy and Greece. It now has almost one
million passengers per year. It is the terminal for the ferry service to
Tasmania as well as having numbers of visits from cruise ships throughout
summer and autumn. Numbers of navy and visiting research ships also berth at
Station Pier.
Rainbow Warrior II at Station Pier
May 2004
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The Piers Festival
The Piers
Festival is held at Princes Pier, Port Melbourne during Victoria’s
Term 1 school holidays. The day will be headlined by singer/songwriter
Archie Roach alongside new global musical collaborations, kids’ activities,
forums, exhibitions and a gourmet foods from Victoria’s artists and cultural
communities. Schedule includes:
- Main Stage will feature one of
Australia’s finest celtic rock bands Claymore, Italian Greek aficionados
Magna Grecia, Orkeztra Glasso Bashalde’s wide spanning repertoire from
Romanian gypsy to Klezmer, Arabic, Macedonian and other Balkan melodies,
powerful mana from Polynesian dance group Nuholani, Melbourne’s favourite
60s Asian/Western garage pop explosion Empat Lima, sensational high energy
collaborators Amaru Tribe & The Lalibelas ft. Oscar Jiminez and Nhatty Man,
headlined by Australia’s iconic and profound Indigenous voice and musician
Archie Roach.
- The Landing will bring together a collection of some of
Victoria’s most active cultural associations representing their communities
and culture through exhibitions, activities and performances.
- What Happened
at the Pier is curated by Lella Carridi and will feature live poetry
readings, forums and musical responses inside The Gatehouse on Princes Pier
alongside an exhibition of artefacts and moving image illustrating the
narratives from the artists and Memory Keepers who arrived to Melbourne from
Princes Pier
- Cultural games, roving activities and performers
- Food
stalls and food trucks from local providers
Piers Festival celebrates and reflects on the collective historical and
contemporary migration stories at its site, Princes Pier, the significant
entry point where almost half of Australia’s post World War II refugees
arrived. The Festival brings to life the pivotal role Princes Pier played
from 1915 to 1969 in Victoria’s growth and as a gateway to the diversity of
cultures that enrich our community. With 12,000 attendees in 2015, Piers
Festival has grown to become an annual fixture in Victoria’s cultural
calendar and a significant occasion to acknowledge and bring to light our
Indigenous and multicultural talent.
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Two large cruise ships at Station Pier
in early 2005
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Proposed cruise ship visits to Station Pier.
You can find a full schedule of cruise ship visits at the
Port of Melbourne Authority.
Please note - schedule may vary and arrival and departure times can
typically vary by an hour in either direction.