Point Wilson, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Point Wilson is a locality located on the northern shores of Corio Bay
, Victoria
. it is approximately 60 kilometres by road from Melbourne
, and 25 kilometres by road from Geelong.
The locality is bounded by Pousties Road to the west, the Princes Freeway
to the north west, Little River to the north east, and Corio Bay
to the south. Point Wilson is sparsely populated, and public access to the area is restricted due to the explosives facility
located in the area. Other nearby land uses include the Murtcaim Wildlife Area and Melbourne Water
's Western Treatment Plant
.
as a wetland of international importance. It contains important habitat for the critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot
that uses the coastal salt marsh
as a wintering site. The site is part of the Werribee and Avalon Important Bird Area
, identified as such by BirdLife International
because of its importance for wetland
and waterbirds as well as Orange-bellied Parrots.
The area surrounding the jetty consists of salt marshes, a low basalt bluff, and shelly ridges. The environment is considered in good condition due to the lack of human disturbance.
Point Wilson has been used as a explosives magazine
since 1962, when the facility was relocated from near Laverton
. Owned by the Commonwealth of Australia, the Point Wilson Explosives Area is 326 hectares in size.
A 2,700 metre long steel and concrete jetty and wharf structure was constructed in the late 1950s for the importation of explosives. Four explosives storage and handling buildings were constructed in 1981. Commercial ships are used to
transport ordnance and explosives from Europe
and the United States
to Australia, where they are offloaded at facilities including Point Wilson.
1994 saw the East Coast Armaments Complex proposal made by the Commonwealth of Australia, which involved the upgrade of the facility to handle the loading of explosives to naval ships. The proposal was deferred, although the facility continues to handle the import of explosives for the defence forces.
proposed a chloralkali
-based petrochemical
complex for Point Wilson in the 1970s. This proposal did not succeed.
The Victorian State Government in 1994 proposed that the Coode Island
bulk liquid chemical storage facility be relocated to the adjacent Point Lillias
. The proposal was dropped in June 1997.
weather station
that opened in 1990.
Corio Bay
Corio Bay is one of numerous bays in the southwest corner of Australia's Port Phillip, and is the bay on which abuts the City of Geelong. The nearby suburb of Corio takes its name from Corio Bay.-Name:...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. it is approximately 60 kilometres by road from Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, and 25 kilometres by road from Geelong.
The locality is bounded by Pousties Road to the west, the Princes Freeway
Princes Freeway
The Princes Freeway is a , 2 section freeway, which links Melbourne to Geelong on the west and Morwell on the east . It continues beyond these extremities as the Princes Highway towards Adelaide to the west and Sydney to the east...
to the north west, Little River to the north east, and Corio Bay
Corio Bay
Corio Bay is one of numerous bays in the southwest corner of Australia's Port Phillip, and is the bay on which abuts the City of Geelong. The nearby suburb of Corio takes its name from Corio Bay.-Name:...
to the south. Point Wilson is sparsely populated, and public access to the area is restricted due to the explosives facility
Magazine (artillery)
Magazine is the name for an item or place within which ammunition is stored. It is taken from the Arabic word "makahazin" meaning "warehouse".-Ammunition storage areas:...
located in the area. Other nearby land uses include the Murtcaim Wildlife Area and Melbourne Water
Melbourne Water
Melbourne Water is a government owned statutory authority that controls much of the water system in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia including the reservoirs, and thesewerage and drainage system that services the city.- Overview :...
's Western Treatment Plant
Werribee Sewage Farm
Werribee Sewage Farm or, more formally, the Western Treatment Plant of Melbourne Water, is an 110 km² sewage treatment farm adjacent to the town of Werribee, 30 km west of the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on the coast of Port Phillip Bay...
.
Environment
The Point Wilson area is environmentally sensitive. It forms part of the Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsula Ramsar SitePort Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsula Ramsar Site
The Port Phillip Bay and Bellarine Peninsula Ramsar Site is one of the Australian sites listed under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance. It was designated on 15 December 1982, and is listed as Ramsar Site No.266...
as a wetland of international importance. It contains important habitat for the critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot
Orange-bellied Parrot
The Orange-bellied Parrot is a small broad-tailed parrot endemic to southern Australia, and one of only two species of parrot which migrate. The adult male is distinguished by its bright grass-green upperparts, yellow underparts and orange belly patch. The adult female and juvenile are duller...
that uses the coastal salt marsh
Salt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
as a wintering site. The site is part of the Werribee and Avalon Important Bird Area
Werribee and Avalon Important Bird Area
The Werribee and Avalon Important Bird Area comprises some 37 km2 of coastal land along the north-western shore of Port Phillip in the state of Victoria, south-eastern Australia...
, identified as such by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
because of its importance for wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
and waterbirds as well as Orange-bellied Parrots.
The area surrounding the jetty consists of salt marshes, a low basalt bluff, and shelly ridges. The environment is considered in good condition due to the lack of human disturbance.
Explosives
Magazine (artillery)
Magazine is the name for an item or place within which ammunition is stored. It is taken from the Arabic word "makahazin" meaning "warehouse".-Ammunition storage areas:...
since 1962, when the facility was relocated from near Laverton
Laverton, Victoria
Laverton is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Hobsons Bay and Wyndham. At the 2006 Census, Laverton had a population of 4508.-History:...
. Owned by the Commonwealth of Australia, the Point Wilson Explosives Area is 326 hectares in size.
A 2,700 metre long steel and concrete jetty and wharf structure was constructed in the late 1950s for the importation of explosives. Four explosives storage and handling buildings were constructed in 1981. Commercial ships are used to
transport ordnance and explosives from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to Australia, where they are offloaded at facilities including Point Wilson.
1994 saw the East Coast Armaments Complex proposal made by the Commonwealth of Australia, which involved the upgrade of the facility to handle the loading of explosives to naval ships. The proposal was deferred, although the facility continues to handle the import of explosives for the defence forces.
Chemicals
ICIImperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
proposed a chloralkali
Chloralkali process
The chloralkali process is an industrial process for the electrolysis of sodium chloride solution . Depending on the method several products beside hydrogen can be produced. If the products are separated, chlorine and sodium hydroxide are the products; by mixing, sodium hypochlorite or sodium...
-based petrochemical
Petrochemical
Petrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sources such as corn or sugar cane....
complex for Point Wilson in the 1970s. This proposal did not succeed.
The Victorian State Government in 1994 proposed that the Coode Island
Coode Island
Coode Island, was an island at the convergence of the Yarra and Maribyrnong Rivers, 4km west of central Melbourne, Australia. Today the low-lying land is part of the Port of Melbourne, site of Swanson and Appleton Docks and their associated container storage and rail yards, as well as a number of...
bulk liquid chemical storage facility be relocated to the adjacent Point Lillias
Point Lillias
Point Lillias is a narrow peninsula jutting southwards from the northern coast of Corio Bay, near the city of Geelong, in Victoria, Australia. It was formed by a southward trending tongue of lava from the volcanic flows of the Werribee Plains. The seaward end of the peninsula forms a low cliff...
. The proposal was dropped in June 1997.
Weather station
Point Wilson is the location of a Bureau of MeteorologyBureau of Meteorology
The Bureau of Meteorology is an Executive Agency of the Australian Government responsible for providing weather services to Australia and surrounding areas. It was established in 1906 under the Meteorology Act, and brought together the state meteorological services that existed before then...
weather station
Weather station
A weather station is a facility, either on land or sea, with instruments and equipment for observing atmospheric conditions to provide information for weather forecasts and to study the weather and climate. The measurements taken include temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, wind speed, wind...
that opened in 1990.