Gem Pier is an historic pier

Pier

A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...

  on Port Phillip Bay

Port Phillip

Port Phillip Port Phillip Port Phillip (also commonly referred to as Port Phillip Bay or (locally) just The Bay, is a large bay in southern Victoria, Australia; it is the location of Melbourne. Geographically, the bay covers and the shore stretches roughly . Although it is extremely shallow for...

, in Williamstown, Victoria

Williamstown, Victoria

Williamstown is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay. At the 2006 Census, Williamstown had a population of 12,733....

, Australia. The pier is 145 metres (475.7 ft) in length and is currently home to the museum ship HMAS Castlemaine

HMAS Castlemaine

HMAS Castlemaine , named for the city of Castlemaine, Victoria, was one of 60 Bathurst class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy ....

 and Melbourne Seaplanes.

History

The first pier was built in 1839 near the present-day Gem Pier. Originally known as "The Jetty", in 1853 it was renamed "Old Pier" following the construction of the "New Pier" (the Ann Street Pier). Throughout the 1860s and 1870s it was known as "Steamboat Pier". In the 1870s it was renamed "Gem Pier" after the paddle steamer

Paddle steamer

A paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...

 Gem that ran a ferry service from Williamstown to Port Melbourne from 1846 to 1886.

The pier was rebuilt in 1992.

External links

• Picture Victoria - A photo of the old Gem passenger ferry and Quaratine Launch Greswell at the pier.