My first visit to Williamstown was in 1982 as the New South Wales project officer for the Australian Government’s Disadvantaged Schools Program. In Victoria the program was termed the Priority Schools Program. Targeting schools with high concentrations of socio-economic disadvantage, it sought to improve educational outcome for the 10% to 15% most disadvantaged students.

Williamstown was an industrial area, with high levels of socio-economic disadvantage.

Later in 2018 some family members moved into Wiliamstown, now an expensive greatly sought after location close to Port Phillip Bay.

Several aspects of contemporary Williamstown stand out for me.

Arts and Crafts Era Architecture

This period spans the late 1800s to the early 20th century. It is uniquely Australian in its forms, scale and selection of building materials and, for me, its. timber cottages stand out

Port Phillip Bay: Geology

Hills are not a feature of Williamstown or Port Phillip Bay’s hinterland with the occasional exception. In the following sunset vista, taken towards the south west only a distant prominence can be observed, beneath the setting sun. It is in Alvie district. The European name for the prominence, an extinct volcanic structure, is Red Rock. The Indigenous name for Red Rock is Corangamite.

Vulcanism is a feature of the region with basaltics often used as a building material. Along the waterfront at Williamstown basalt, dacite and pumice have been used to create sea walls and groynes. The area was also quarried for its basalt in convict times.

At one point there is the remains of an exploded gas bubble in a basaltic flow.

Port Phillip Bay: Clouds and Seascape

The images speak for themselves. At the time there was a strong high pressure system over Victoria.

Views of the city from Williamstown