Melbourne Maritime Museum - Home of the Polly Woodside

THIS PAGE HAS BEEN REPLACED - PLEASE GO TO BARQUE POLLY WOODSIDE.

Discover the sights, sounds and sensation of Melbourne’s maritime heritage at the Melbourne Maritime Museum, home of Polly Woodside, owned and operated by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria).

Easily accessible in Melbourne’s city centre on foot, by car or by public transport, the site gives a fascinating glimpse into Melbourne’s maritime past.

Afloat in Melbourne’s historic wooden walled dry dock, the three masted barque, Polly Woodside , is one of only two nineteenth century deep water sailing ships still afloat in Australia. In 1988 it became the first merchant ship in the world to be awarded the International World Ship Trust Medal.

Built in Belfast in 1885 for the South American coal and nitrate trade, Polly made sixteen voyages around the infamous Cape Horn before being sold to a New Zealand shipping company in 1904. Re-named Rona, the ship carried coal and general cargo in Australasian and Pacific waters until the 1920s. From that time until 1964, Rona served the Port of Melbourne as a de-rigged coal hulk. During the Second World War it was requisitioned by the Royal Australian Navy for use as a coal hulk in New Guinea.

In 1968, as a rusty, derelict hulk, the ship was bought – for one cent – by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria). Restored and given back her original name, Polly Woodside, the ship is the central exhibit at the Museum.

In addition to the Polly Woodside, the site contains a fascinating mix of important historic buildings and exhibitions. The pump house and boiler room used for pumping water out of the dry dock give a sense of the atmosphere of this important heritage site, while exhibitions tell the story of the development of the port of Melbourne from pre-European settlement to today.

The Museum also provides vibrant and innovative education programmes, which can include a ship tour, water taxi ride, and ‘hands-on’ activities. The unique overnight education programme – ‘Set Sail for the Southern Ocean’ – gives students the chance to become a member of the Polly Woodside crew and experience life aboard a nineteenth century sailing ship.

It also has an extensive maritime library and archives, including 200 years of Lloyd’s Registers and a collection of more than 30,000 photos of ships from the mid nineteenth century to the present day. The Museum undertakes research on behalf of members of the public, particularly family historians who are seeking information and photographs of ships and the Melbourne Docklands.

Facilities – café and souvenir shop, indoor and outdoor children’s activity areas. Function and birthday party venue. Location for commercial filming and photography.

Opening hours – 10am – 4pm, except Good Friday and Christmas Day.

Location – South Wharf Road, Southbank, Melbourne, Victoria, 3006

Transport – Free City Circle tram, alight at the corner of Flinders Street and Spencer Street Bridge. Trams 109 and 112 West along Collins Street or 96 West along Burke Street. Alight at Crown Entertainment Complex stop. Free parking at site.

Telephone +61 (0) 9699 9760
Email polly@nattrust.com.au
Website www.nattrust.com.au