Schools in Docklands

After a regrettably long delay, we are delighted to welcome news of a new campus for Docklands Primary School. But we say, this is not enough! Now is the time to ramp up pressure on the state government for a Docklands Secondary School.

A local secondary school is an essential public asset – one the state government provides to all comparable growing communities. Docklands is no different; the community needs and is entitled to one.

Development Victoria (DV) is the state agency responsible for providing Docklands community infrastructure. Sadly, both the state government and DV have a seemingly myopic focus on building housing – the result has been a primary school in a shopping mall and still no mention of a Docklands Secondary School – a facility that is essential to stabilising and servicing the precinct’s population.

Action on a Docklands Secondary School is needed now. But where?

A legacy of poor planning means few sites remain for new buildings in central Docklands, which brings us to Melbourne Maritime Heritage Network’s (MMHN’s) solution, which bypasses new construction completely.

In our view the Education Department can and should repurpose one of the many vacant commercial premises and transform it into a secondary school – a fast, cost-effective model successfully adopted all over the world. In the CBD, Haileybury’s city campus is located in a repurposed commercial building on King St, providing an excellent example. 

MMHN strongly believes that the Docklands Precinct Secondary School has a rare opportunity to capitalise on its unique location by offering a curriculum connected to the surrounding maritime environment, including pre-vocational electives linked to the diverse maritime industry sector – freight and logistics, engineering, information technology and related fields.

Australia is an island nation; our ports are the lifeblood of trade, and an understanding of that industry offers students a genuine career advantage. Such a school would not only satisfy an urgent community need but also satisfy federal maritime sector skills objectives.

Combining this secondary school offering with the growing number of higher education groups represented across Docklands, provides the opportunity to cultivate an education ecosystem which when you boil it down, is a pretty exciting opportunity.

See the MMHN vision.

Ferries past, present and future

MMHN offers a sincere thank you to our ferry operators – Port Phillip and Searoad Ferries. We are grateful to Jamie Ruscoe from Port Phillip Ferries who hosted the event at Docklands Ferry Terminal and Matt McDonald from Searoad Ferries who spoke about the present and hopefully expanding future of ferry services on Melbourne’s waters.

MMHN member Bruce Gooley, well known as the convener of the Maritime Heritage lectures at Hawthorn U3A, entertained us with images and stories of the 19^th century vessels that travelled the bustling waterways of Melbourne, Port Phillip Bay and Bass Strait. Remarkably, despite the river’s heavy traffic – and the countless collisions and sinkings involving thousands of sober and intoxicated passengers alike – only one recorded death from a ferry accident is known to have occurred.

Sadly, these colourful excursion ferries, punts and rowing boats – powered by muscle, cable and steam – have gradually disappeared from our waterways. Perhaps a new generation of vessels and services will once again offer a unique and enjoyable way to travel around our state’s waterways.

A re-cap: “The tiny colonial riverport of Melbourne evolved on the Birrarung/Yarra River. The discovery of gold in the 1850s rapidly drew immigrants from afar. As a result, the economy boomed and the growing population spread across the river and around Port Phillip Bay. The demand for water transportation for people, livestock, commerce and pleasure became essential. Privately-run ferry services flourished in the burgeoning port city. By the late 19^th century, public investment in bridges, railways and roads, led to a decline in public demand for ferries”.

MV Steve Irwin aka Ship4Good

Having lost the Heritage Fleet from Victoria Harbour, MMHN is delighted to welcome the freshly painted and refurbished MV Steve Irwin back to Docklands. After several years – and a great deal of dedicated work in Newcastle – the vessel is once again berthed at the City of Melbourne marina at NewQuay.

We encourage all in Docklands to visit the vessel for their exciting programs. From June 6, each Saturday tickets are available for Victor Holder’s Seaing is Believing multimedia exhibition about the MV Steve Irwin and the lives saved. Or be inspired to join their fundraiser on June 8 to celebrate World Ocean Day and bring family and friends every Sunday from June 21 to tour the ship and enjoy the immersive experience of what life at sea is really like.

This ship has a remarkable history of adventure and environmental activism, much of it involving bold but non-violent direct action. It served as a frontline vessel in 18 campaigns against illegal whaling in the Australian Marine Sanctuary and Antarctic waters. Over the course of a decade, the ship and its volunteer crew fought valiantly to help save more than 6000 whales – efforts documented in the acclaimed television series Whale Wars.

Originally built in 1975 as the Scottish Patrol Fisheries vessel Westra then renamed in 2006 after the founder of Greenpeace, Robert Hunter, then renamed again as the MV Steve Irwin in honour of the Australian naturalist.

While it is in your neighbourhood – don’t miss it! Check the events page ship4good.com.au to see what is on offer. •