Point Wilson, Victoria

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Point Wilson
Victoria

Road towards Point Wilson
Postcode: 3212
Elevation: 18 m (59 ft)
LGA: City of Greater Geelong

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, Princes Freeway to the north west, Little River to the north east, and Corio Bay to the south. Public access to the area is restricted due to the explosives facility located in the area.

Point Wilson is sparsely populated. Other nearby land uses include Avalon Airport, the Murtcaim Wildlife Area, Melbourne Water's Western Treatment Plant, a factory producing concrete railway sleepers, and the Cheetham Saltworks at Lara.

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[edit] Environment

The Point Wilson area is environmentally sensitive. Coastal wetlands in the area are recognised as significant under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance[1] and are also important habitat for the endangered Orange-bellied Parrot that uses the coastal saltmarsh as a winter habitat.[2]

The area surrounding the jetty consists of saltmarshes, a low basalt bluff, and shelly ridges. The environment is considered in good condition due to the lack of human disturbance.[3]

[edit] Explosives

Disused bunker near the shoreline of Corio Bay
Disused bunker near the shoreline of Corio Bay

Point Wilson has been used as a explosives magazine since 1962, when the facility was relocated from near Laverton.[4] 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,[5] although the facility continues to handle the import of explosives for the defence forces.

[edit] Chemicals

ICI proposed a chloralkali-based petrochemical complex for Point Wilson in the 1970s.[6] 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.[7] The proposal was dropped in June 1997.[8]

[edit] Weather station

Point Wilson is the location of a Bureau of Meteorology weather station that opened in 1990.[9]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Commonwealth heritage places in Victoria. Retrieved on 2007-07-26.
  2. ^ Birds Australia Report Series. Retrieved on 2007-07-26.
  3. ^ DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES - Point Wilson - Prograding Shell Ridges. Retrieved on 2007-07-26.
  4. ^ Rail Geelong - Laverton Station. Retrieved on 2007-07-26.
  5. ^ REPORT relating to the proposed EAST COAST ARMAMENT COMPLEX POINT WILSON, VIC. Retrieved on 2007-07-26.
  6. ^ Chemical Industry - Victoria. Retrieved on 2007-07-26.
  7. ^ TWO MAJOR PROJECTS - A BOOST FOR VICTORIA. Retrieved on 2007-07-26.
  8. ^ NO CHEMICAL STORAGE PROPOSAL FOR POINT LILLIAS. Retrieved on 2007-07-26.
  9. ^ Bureau of Meteorology site summary. Retrieved on 2007-07-26.

[edit] External links