Newport, Victoria
| Newport Melbourne, Victoria |
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 Paine Reserve, central Newport |
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 Newport
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| Population: | 11,244 (2006)[1] | ||||||||||||
| Postcode: | 3015 | ||||||||||||
| Area: | 5.1 km² (2.0 sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Location: | 7.5 km (5 mi) from Melbourne | ||||||||||||
| LGA: | City of Hobsons Bay | ||||||||||||
| State electorate: | Williamstown | ||||||||||||
| Federal Division: | Gellibrand | ||||||||||||
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Newport is a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, 7 km south-west from Melbourne's CBD with a population of 11,244 at the 2006 Census. The Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay. Newport is approximately 15 minutes by car from Melbourne via the West Gate Freeway or a 20-minute train journey from Flinders Street Station.
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[edit] History
The Yalukit-willam people of the Boon-wurrung Country are the traditional owners of land known as Newport, with a well researched connection to the area beyond 30,000 years.[2] First contact came with European sealers (1803-1834) and followed a pattern of violence typical across Australia at the time. In 1835 the arrival of John Batman saw a treaty[3] established[4] and a period of relative peace. However despite this the plight of the Australian Aborigines was dire, as they were increasingly denied ownership and access to their lands.
European settlement began in Newport at what was then called Williamstown Junction around 1862, with a Telegraph Office and Post Office by 1869. It was renamed Newport in 1881.[5] The Newport Railway Workshops played a key role in the development of the suburb, formerly the main workshops of Victorian Railways. The workshops are just south of the Newport railway station. The Newport Power Station is another feature of the suburb, the chimney of which remains one of the tallest towers in Melbourne at 183 metres. The original coal-fired generators were replaced in 1981 with a single 500MW gas-fired generator and operates during peak-load periods.
[edit] Today
Like many of Melbourne's inner suburbs, Newport is home to people of a diverse mix of ethnic, social and economic backgrounds. It has a Mosque, a Baptist church, Catholic schools, tattoo parlors, Asian and Italian restaurants, sports clubs, boutique wine bars and an RSL. It has 12 playgrounds within just 5km2.[6] The 'Substation' Community Arts centre provides a hub for local live music performances, art exhibitions, community events and the monthly artists market. The Newport Folk Festival is held each year in June. Major natural features of the suburb include the Newport Lakes, Greenwich Bay and the Sandy Point Conservation area. Fishing, bike-riding, skate-boarding, kayaking and boating are popular local activities.
[edit] Recreation
Newport Lakes Park is a bushland oasis created from a former blustone quarry.[7] The park is 33 hectares in size has been extensively revegetated using native plants, with over 200 species of plants and 85 species of birds recorded here. The park has a picnic area, toilets, drinking taps and free electric barbecues.[7] Dogs may be exercised in the Pavey's Park and Picnic Area, the North West Area of the park and in the Arboretum.[8]
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Paisley Park is the major sporting park in Hobsons Bay and includes a gymnasium & swimming pool[9], golf course, premier league soccer facility, bowling club, badminton centre, miniature railway and lacrosse fields.[10]. It is located on the corner of Mason St and Mills St, Newport, and shares a boundary with Altona North.
Greenwich Reserve and The Strand are Newport's connection to the Bay. Mansions and modest apartments compete for uninterrupted views of Melbourne City along The Strand, while Greenwich Reserve offers access to the Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay via The Warmies Boat Ramp and includes a large picnic area, playground, baseball field and the Sandy Point Conservation Area. A sealed cycle track runs along the river front, which is also a popular fishing spot.
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Bryan Martyn Oval is home to the Newport Power junior football and netball club, cricket clubs and includes the recently completed Bryan Martyn Pavillion. A children's playground is provided. It is located on Derwent St, Newport.
Newport Park includes an athletics facility featuring an eight lane 400m running track, the Graham Morrish Pavilion with toilets, canteen and first aid rooms and the Newport Skate Park, which is the largest in Hobsons Bay[7] and hosts regular 'skate clinics'. A children's playground is provided. It is located on the corner of The Strand and Douglas Parade, Newport.
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Loft Reserve has 2 full size ovals, practice nets and a playground. It is located on Grieves St, Newport.
Newport Bowls Club located in Market St, hosts both serious competition and barefoot bowling, clubhouse and bar.
Digman Park is home to the Newport Digman Cricket Club and is located on Hobson St, Newport.
The Newport Rams Baseball Club is based at the KC White Reserve in North Williamstown.
Scouts Australia run the 2nd Newport Scout group from a historic wooden hall (1938) next door to the Newport RSL on Market St, Newport.
[edit] Transport
Newport is well serviced by public transport, with the Newport bus interchange and both the Williamstown and Werribee Metro rail lines. A 200 space carpark is located along Market St for commuters. Melbourne Road connects directly to the West Gate Freeway and Footscray to the north and Williamstown to the south, whilst Mason St and Blackshaws Rd provide a direct path west. The NightRider bus service operates from the city to Newport in the early hours, departing every 30 minutes from 1.30am Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Train services
Bus services
- 432 Yarraville – Newport via Altona Gate SC (every day). Operated by Sita Bus Lines.
- 471 Sunshine – Williamstown via Altona Gate SC, Newport (every day). Operated by Sita Bus Lines.
- 472 Moonee Ponds – Williamstown via Ascot Vale, Flemington Racecourse, Footscray, North Williamstown (every day). Operated by Sita Bus Lines.
- 944 NightRider - City – Werribee via Spotswood, Newport, Hoppers Crossing (Saturday and Sunday mornings from 1.30am). Operated by Dyson's Bus Services.
Cycling
- The Bay Trail, a shared cycle track runs along the Yarra River from the Westgate Bridge through Newport to Williamstown, Altona Beach and on to Altona Meadows in the west.[11]
- The Punt, a pedestrian and bicycle barge, operates between Scienceworks and Port Melbourne, travelling under the Westgate Bridge.[12]
- Federation Trail, a 25km dedicated cycle track, runs from [Brooklyn, Victoria|Brooklyn] to [Werribee, Victoria|Werribee] and is 5km north of Newport connected by the Bay Trail and the partially complete extension from Brooklyn to Melbourne Rd.[13]
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[edit] Schools
Hobsons Bay council operates two kindergartens in Newport, Home Road Kindergarten (44 Home Rd) and Hobsons Bay Kindergarten (corner Laurie St & Woods St).
Schools include Newport Gardens Primary School (formerly Hobsons Bay), Newport lakes Primary School, Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School and Bayside Secondary College.
Victoria University maintains a campus in Newport, which focuses on automotive, metal fabrication, building and electrical trades. The Newport campus hosts the Centre for Curriculum Innovation and Development.
The Newport Maternal & Child Health Centre is located across Paine Reserve at 11 Mason St.
[edit] Culture
[edit] The Substation
Formerly known as The Hobsons Bay Community Arts Centre[14], The Substation is a contemporary, community-based arts center located in the historic Newport substation building adjacent the Newport Railway Station on Market St. Originally constructed in 1915 to convert electricity for the Victorian Railways, this massive neo-classical brick building had fallen into disrepair by the 1960's. Local residents embarked on the enormous task of restoring the building and converting it into a community arts facility and after 12 years of work it officially opened its doors to the public in 2008.[15]
Regular events include the annual Substation Contemporary Art Prize, the Carpark Fiesta, the monthly Artists' Market, the Koori Night Market, children's theater, Westside Circus, dance classes, life-drawing, public forums, an art exhibition program across 5 gallery spaces and a diverse range of performance including cabaret, comedy, jazz and contemporary music.
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Newport Folk Festival
The Newport Folk Festival is an annual music event held over 3 days in July (6-8th July 2012) organised by the Newport Fiddle and Folk Club.
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[edit] See also
- City of Williamstown - the former local government area of which Newport was a part.
[edit] References
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Newport (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/LocationSearch?collection=Census&period=2006&areacode=SSC21497&producttype=QuickStats&breadcrumb=PL&action=401. Retrieved 2007-09-26.
- ^ Gary Presland, The First Residents of Melbourne's Western Region, (revised edition), Harriland Press, 1997. ISBN 0-646-33150-7
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman%27s_Treaty
- ^ http://www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/Page/page.asp?Page_Id=6288&h=0
- ^ Premier Postal History, Post Office List, https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&country=, retrieved 2008-04-11
- ^ http://www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/page/page.asp?Page_Id=716&h=0
- ^ a b c Hobsons Bay Council website
- ^ Friends of Newport Lakes
- ^ Bayfit Leisure Centre
- ^ Hobsons Bay Council - Paisley Park
- ^ Bay Trail, Bicycle Network Victoria
- ^ Westgate Punt
- ^ Federation Trail
- ^ The Hobsons Bay Community Arts Centre
- ^ The Substation History
[edit] External links
- Hobsons Bay Community Online Forum
- Newport, Victoria is at coordinates 37°50′31″S 144°53′02″E / 37.842°S 144.884°ECoordinates: 37°50′31″S 144°53′02″E / 37.842°S 144.884°E
- Friends Of Newport Lakes (FONL)
- Victoria University Newport campus map
- Newport Folk and Fiddle Club
- The Substation, Newport
- TravelSmart, for Hobsons Bay
- Protect Newport
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