Queenscliffe Maritime Museum

The Queenscliffe Maritime Museum was established in 1986 to display Queenscliff’s last lifeboat (pictured). This beautifully restored, British Watson Class lifeboat, built in Adelaide, commenced service in Queenscliff in 1926 and was on call for 50 years until the service ceased in 1976. (The Queenscliffe was recently added to the Australian National Maritime Museum’s Register of Historic Vessels.)

The Museum has expanded over the years to cover the maritime history of Queenscliff and Southern Port Phillip. This history includes the Bay Steamers Weeroona, Hygeia and Ozone, old postcards of Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale, artefacts from some of the 200 ships wrecked at the Entrance to Port Phillip, a diving display, the early Chinese fishermen, the couta fishermen and their unique couta boats, charts from the beginning of Victoria and a lighthouse display.

The Museum houses a unique hydrographic model of "The Rip" which shows the underwater contours at Port Phillip Heads and the shipping channel and explains the dangers of the infamous "Rip Deep" and the underwater rock banks which make the Entrance to Port Phillip so dangerous.

The official history of the Port Phillip Sea Pilots is on display. The service, commenced in 1837 by George Tobin, is still operating a twenty four hour, seven day per week service to all shipping entering and leaving Port Phillip.

The Boat Shed contains the early history of the Queenscliff boat builders, the unique Queenscliff couta boats, designed by the local fishermen and boat builders to safely travel through the dangerous water at the entrance to Port Phillip, shipwrights tools, an oar making machine, early boat engines and outboard motors. Outside the boatshed is a full size replica of a couta boat.

A restored Fisherman’s Cottage and the Heritage listed Fishermen’s Waiting Shed from the old pier which houses the ship paintings by Henry Zanoni are also on display in the Museum grounds.

Point Lonsdale Lighthouse Volunteers from the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum conduct half hour tours of the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse every Sunday between 10 am and 1.00 pm Group sizes limited to 8 people per tour and bookings are preferred Phone 0419 513 007 (Children under 5 years not permitted)

Maritime Festival The Museum and the Queenscliff Couta Boat Association hold a Maritime Festival on the last weekend in February each year. This festival promotes awareness of the unique Queenscliff Couta Boat which boasts of being the largest single class historic fleet still sailing.

Location - Openings The Queenscliffe Maritime Museum Inc. is on Wharf Street, Queenscliff, Victoria 3225 – see bottom of map. It is open Monday to Friday 10.30am – 4.30pm. Saturday & Sunday 1.30pm – 4.30pm. ANZAC Day 1.30pm – 4.30pm and other Public & School Holidays 10.30am – 4.30pm. Closed all day Christmas Day and Good Friday.

For more information visit the museum's website, phone/fax: 03 5258 3440 or email the museum.