A historic Geelong boatyard re-opened on Wednesday as a family park featuring a 103-year-old fishing boat.
The boat sits on an old slipway to show how it would launch, following a $340,000 Geelong council restoration of Western Beach Boat Yard Reserve.
Mayor Bruce Harwood and deputy Peter Murrihy joined relatives of the original boat-building families who operated the site at the official opening.
Relatives provided photos and family stories to assist in the research and design of the reserve, Cr Harwood explained.
“The project has been a huge collaborative effort between the City, contractors and other stakeholders over many years to open this prominent piece of foreshore for public use,” he said.
The space now features restored boat-building infrastructure, original boats and interpretive signage that showcase the rich history of the area.
New pathways have been built to link the reserve to the existing waterfront path, as well as fitness equipment to encourage more physical activity along the Geelong Waterfront.
The marine precinct first became popular for swimmers in the 1840s with the addition of sea baths, before later becoming a boat-building hub.
Council planned to bring the 3000 square metre reserve back into public use after it was fenced off in 2005 when the last boat-building yard closed.
“Geelong has such a rich maritime history and it’s great to see how original boats and infrastructure have been utilised in new ways,” Cr Murrihy said.
“This upgraded reserve provides locals and tourists with interesting history and a place to exercise and socialise, against the backdrop of our world-class waterfront.”
