In reflecting on the arrival of Chinese goldseekers during the 1850s and the road they may have trod that took them from ship to goldfields, fellow PHA (Vic & Tas) member Liz Rushen, suggested that I put on my historian’s walking boots and head to Port Melbourne. It was one of Melbourne’s glorious winter days when I did so. Highly recommended.

From the end of the Port Melbourne Light Rail you can walk down to Station Pier where the Spirit of Tasmania departs and can then stroll along the beachfront, passed Princes Pier which is currently being restored and then all the way along to Sandridge Lookout on Webb Dock where you can see the incredible machinery used to load, unload and move goods onto enormous container ships. Along the way is plenty of interpretative signage to guide you through the histories of these places and if the wind is blowing in the right direction when you get to Sandridge Lookout there is hauntingly beautiful musical note created by the metal fencing.