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Queenscliff Jetty/Fishermen's Pier
Weeroona Way,, QUEENSCLIFF VIC 3225 - Property No B7370
Queenscliff Jetty/Fishermen's Pier
Weeroona Way,, QUEENSCLIFF VIC 3225 - Property No B7370
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Statement of Significance
What is significant? Queenscliff Pier is a unique timber structure, preserved by having been buried in sand. It was constructed in stages from the 1850s as the first pier to be erected at Queenscliff.
How is it significant? Queenscliff Pier is significant for historic, social, scientific/ technical reasons at State level.
Why is it significant? The Queenscliff Pier is of technical and architectural significance as a unique example of a substantially intact nineteenth century pier structure (all bar the plank deckingis intact). The pier has significance as an intact archaeological example of nineteenth century pier technology and its associated undisturbed deposits of relics buried under prograded land. The inner section of the pier was buried quite early in its working life, and therefore presents a unique example of a substantially intact and buried nineteenth century pier. The pier varies in its construction techniques from other piers of similar vintage in both its outlay design, its unique plank road approach, and its probable (as yet investigated) more robust construction methods (when compared with other more sheltered piers in Port Phillip Bay). No plans for the earliest phases of the pier's construction have been located and therefore this pier's archaeological structure may provide the only extant undisturbed example of construction methods used for 1850s/60s piers.
Queenscliff Pier is of historical significance for its association with many of the earliest maritime industries in this area and the state.It has strong ties to the quarantine and pilots services, the state fishing industry and tourism around Port Phillip Bay. It was associated with some of the earliest mail services and was first port of contact for international/interstate vessels entering Port Phillip. The pier was instrumental in the development of Queenscliffe as it opened a significant gateway to the area prior to the establishment of an official road to Geelong in 1864. The pier has strong ties to the navigation service and other government official vessels, and the early channel deepening projects. The pier once housed the first self righting purpose built lifeboat used for shipwrecks rescues in and around the entrance to Port Phillip. This lifeboat was based on a design adapted from the RNLI lifeboats which was built locally in Melbourne, the first of which was placed in Port Fairy in 1858. The following year a subsequent group of lifeboats of this design were built, one of which was placed at Queenscliff. Subsequent lifeboats were housed at various locations along this pier and later briefly at the New Queenscliff Pier as the shoreline gradually prograded to the east, and the pier was the base of the lifeboat crew and lifesaving rocket practice crew. The pier therefore has ties to virtually every major international/interstate/ local shipwreck and subsequent rescue attempts undertaken in the nineteenth and twentieth century at Port Phillip Heads.
The pier was originally used to service steamers servicing the township. These steamers gradually began bringing tourists to the township and the pier eventually serviced the Bay Steamer traffic which was one of the State's major tourism ventures. The pier has strong ties to other tourism industries and structures within the township, including many heritage listed hotels and (now demolished) bath complexes along the Queenscliff Bight foreshore. The pier was the gateway to one of the State's major tourism landscapes.
Classified: 25/06/2007
How is it significant? Queenscliff Pier is significant for historic, social, scientific/ technical reasons at State level.
Why is it significant? The Queenscliff Pier is of technical and architectural significance as a unique example of a substantially intact nineteenth century pier structure (all bar the plank deckingis intact). The pier has significance as an intact archaeological example of nineteenth century pier technology and its associated undisturbed deposits of relics buried under prograded land. The inner section of the pier was buried quite early in its working life, and therefore presents a unique example of a substantially intact and buried nineteenth century pier. The pier varies in its construction techniques from other piers of similar vintage in both its outlay design, its unique plank road approach, and its probable (as yet investigated) more robust construction methods (when compared with other more sheltered piers in Port Phillip Bay). No plans for the earliest phases of the pier's construction have been located and therefore this pier's archaeological structure may provide the only extant undisturbed example of construction methods used for 1850s/60s piers.
Queenscliff Pier is of historical significance for its association with many of the earliest maritime industries in this area and the state.It has strong ties to the quarantine and pilots services, the state fishing industry and tourism around Port Phillip Bay. It was associated with some of the earliest mail services and was first port of contact for international/interstate vessels entering Port Phillip. The pier was instrumental in the development of Queenscliffe as it opened a significant gateway to the area prior to the establishment of an official road to Geelong in 1864. The pier has strong ties to the navigation service and other government official vessels, and the early channel deepening projects. The pier once housed the first self righting purpose built lifeboat used for shipwrecks rescues in and around the entrance to Port Phillip. This lifeboat was based on a design adapted from the RNLI lifeboats which was built locally in Melbourne, the first of which was placed in Port Fairy in 1858. The following year a subsequent group of lifeboats of this design were built, one of which was placed at Queenscliff. Subsequent lifeboats were housed at various locations along this pier and later briefly at the New Queenscliff Pier as the shoreline gradually prograded to the east, and the pier was the base of the lifeboat crew and lifesaving rocket practice crew. The pier therefore has ties to virtually every major international/interstate/ local shipwreck and subsequent rescue attempts undertaken in the nineteenth and twentieth century at Port Phillip Heads.
The pier was originally used to service steamers servicing the township. These steamers gradually began bringing tourists to the township and the pier eventually serviced the Bay Steamer traffic which was one of the State's major tourism ventures. The pier has strong ties to other tourism industries and structures within the township, including many heritage listed hotels and (now demolished) bath complexes along the Queenscliff Bight foreshore. The pier was the gateway to one of the State's major tourism landscapes.
Classified: 25/06/2007
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LATHAMSTOWEVictorian Heritage Register H1052
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PILOTS COTTAGESVictorian Heritage Register H1618
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ROSENFELDVictorian Heritage Register H1134
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