Sustainable - Hobsons Bay

Sustainable 

TOURISM STRATEGY 

2006-2012

Table of Contents 

CHAPTER 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 

CHAPTER 2 PROJECT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES 5 

CHAPTER 3 PROJECT METHODOLOGY 6 

CHAPTER 4 SUSTAINABLE TOURISM 7 

CHAPTER 5 SITUATION ANALYSIS 9 

5.1 Demand 9 

5.2 Economic and Employment Impact of Tourism 

5.3 Supply 4 

5.4 Marketing 7 

5.5 Infrastructure Development 9 

5.6 Product Development 

5.7 Links to Existing Policies and Strategies 

5.8 Structure Management and Resources 

5.9 SWOT Analysis 5 

CHAPTER 6 STRATEGY OVERVIEW 27 

6.1 Increasing Visitor Yield, Dispersion and Lessening Seasonality 7 

6.2 Framework for Sustainable Tourism 7 

6.3 Target Markets 7 

6.4 Marketing Strategy Including Destination Image 8 

6.5 Events 8 

6.6 Visitor Services 8 

6.7 Infrastructure Development 8 

6.8 Product and Industry Development 9 

6.9 Management, Structure and Resources 0 

6.10 Business Development, Education and Training 0 

6.11 Stakeholder Involvement Communication 0 

6.12 Measurement KPI’s and Strategy Review 

CHAPTER 7 FIVE YEAR ACTION PLAN 32 

APPENDICES 

Attachment 1 SWOT Matrix 49 

Attachment 2 Literature Review 51 

Attachment 3 Draft Accessible Tourism Strategy 77 

REFERENCES 79 

TABLES 

Table 1 Hobsons Bay Key Sustainable development objectives and strategies 8 

Table 2 Information requested by visitors to the Hobsons Bay Visitor Information Centre 

(Williamstown) for the year ending March 2006 

0 

Table 3 Visitor activities in Nelson Place 1996 

 

Table 4 Origin of visitors to Hobsons Bay Visitor Information Centre (Williamstown) 

for the year ending March 2006 

 

Table 5 Seasonality of visitation to the Hobsons Bay Visitor Information Centre (Williamstown) 

for the year ending March 2006 

 

Table 6 Hobsons Bay Key Attractions 

5 

DISCLAIMER 

Any representation, statement, opinion or advice, expressed or implied in this document is made in good faith 

but on the basis that Tourism Destination Management Pty Ltd and Quercus Marketing are not liable (whether 

by reason of negligence, lack of care or otherwise) to any person for any damage or loss whatsoever which has 

occurred or may occur in relation to that person taking or not taking (as the case may be) action in respect of 

any representation, statement or advice referred to here. 

GLOSSARY OF TERMS 

ABS Australian Bureau of Statistics 

HBCC Hobsons Bay City Council 

IVS International Visitor Survey 

NVS National Visitor Survey 

PMA (former) Port of Melbourne Authority 

SA Socially Aware 

SWOT Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats 

TFL Traditional Family Life 

TRA Tourism Research Australia 

VA Visible Achievers 

VIC Visitor Information Centre

Chapter 1 

E X E C U T I V E S U M M A RY 

The Hobsons Bay Sustainable Tourism Strategy 2006– 

2012 provides the pathway for tourism development 

in Hobsons Bay that complements community 

expectations and enhances the already significant 

tourism destination based around Williamstown and 

Hobsons Bay. The Strategy fits within the Council’s 

City Plan 2005–2008. 

The Strategy identifies the economic and employment 

significance of tourism accounting for an estimated 

5–6% of employment within the local government 

area. It notes the increasingly competitive nature of 

tourism destination marketing and the flat forward 

estimates for domestic tourism growth. 

The Strategy highlights the 

predominantly seasonal nature 

of Hobsons Bay tourism 

and recognises the negative 

impacts tourism may have 

on the resident population if 

it is not effectively managed 

and aligned with general 

community values. 

The Strategy data analysis indicates that the main 

visitor hub is Williamstown, with key nodes of Altona 

Beach/Pier Street and Newport. The key linear spoke 

is the coastal bike path, beaches and the coastal parks 

stretching from West Gate Bridge to the Cheetham 

Wetlands. 

The Strategy focuses on 

Hobsons Bay competitiveness 

in terms of city accessibility, 

historic and cultural heritage 

and its natural attributes to 

attract higher yielding visitors, 

with less fluctuation in 

numbers across the week and 

the seasons. 

The Strategy recommends development of a more 

competitive destination presence on key websites. It 

highlights the need to build the marketing leverage 

particularly from Destination Melbourne Inc. It 

highlights cooperative marketing opportunities linked 

to Wyndham and Western Melbourne Tourism Inc. 

and potentially the City of Melbourne and with city 

ring Councils (Yarra and Port Phillip) for interstate and 

overseas markets. 

It recommends further investigation of opportunities 

to develop and strengthen community events 

including celebrating the area’s historic seaside location 

– maritime heritage – pub music etc and assist in 

building off peak visitation and visitor dispersion. 

The development of Melbourne’s best maritime 

heritage precinct and development of niche 

accommodation and transport infrastructure to 

support increased visitor yield through longer stays and 

increased intra City dispersion is also recommended. 

The Strategy recommends actively pursuing strategies 

to improve consumer awareness of the various non car 

transport options into Hobsons Bay and to facilitate 

and lobby for improved public transport services 

including frequency, coordination and quality. The 

purpose is to ‘demystify’ the public transport journey 

to Williamstown. 

It recommends encouraging the ongoing development 

of tourism related products such as increased open days 

for the museums to increase length of stay, visitation 

during current trough periods and increased profitability 

of businesses. Western Melbourne Tourism Inc, in the 

development of across council products and packages 

to attract visitors west of the city and linked to the 

Great Ocean Road, is also seen as important. The 

market for people with disabilities is a growth area and 

another product development opportunity for the City. 

The Strategy highlights the need for effective 

management of tourism to sustain its benefits for 

the local community. It recommends formalising a 

tourism structure that includes mechanisms for industry 

leadership in partnership with Council and allows for 

wider community involvement to ensure sustainable 

tourism development. 

It also recommends use of Council tourism generated 

revenues to further manage and enhance tourism related 

public infrastructure and the environment for visitors 

and residents alike. An annual cooperative marketing 

prospectus is another recommended mechanism for 

development to increase destination marketing and 

increase collective industry investment in tourism. 

To be effective the Strategy will require a commitment 

by Council (and supported by stakeholders) to annual 

reviews of the five year tourism action plan based on 

measurable key performance indicators and supported 

by Visitor Information Centre, industry, community and 

tourism agencies research data. 

Key Actions 

• Develop a co operative marketing campaign and 

associated marketing material in consultation with 

the Hobsons Bay tourism industry 

• Create a strong internet presence for Hobsons 

Bay and its tourism product 

• Develop an Events Strategy, that recognises 

events in terms of their, community, regional and 

potential state wide significance 

• Promote the advantages of non car travel to 

Hobsons Bay 

• Strongly support the development of the Port of 

Melbourne Authority site as a key tourism 

attraction 

• Develop a Council wide Tourism Committee to 

oversee the implementation of the Tourism 

Strategy supported by Council’s Arts, Events and 

Tourism Unit

Chapter 2 

P R O J E C T B A C K G R O U N D 

A N D O B J E C T I V E S 

The project goal is to develop 

a municipal-wide Sustainable 

Tourism Strategy and 

associated action plans for 

Hobsons Bay that builds on 

previous work. 

The strategy and action plan will form the basis of 

Council’s strategic direction for tourism management 

and development over the next five years. 

In achieving the overall project aim, the study is 

expected to meet the following objectives: 

• Assess the current tourism situation – including 

identifying existing markets and trends, key 

issues, opportunities, and the socio-cultural 

issues relating to tourism. 

• Identify ways to increase total tourist 

visitation, expenditure and dispersal across the 

municipality, rather than maximising mass 

tourism. 

• Consider strategies to address seasonality, and 

increase the spread of tourism across the year. 

• Make recommendations as to key infrastructure 

requirements for tourism management and 

growth. 

• Provide strategies to build awareness of 

Hobsons Bay as a tourism destination to local, 

interstate and international markets, including 

leveraging from surrounding destinations. 

• Identify the role of special events as a vehicle 

for tourism growth and dispersal. 

• Consider funding sources for key 

recommendations. 

The Strategy should also: 

• Make recommendations for the sustainable 

management of tourism to protect and enhance 

the natural and built heritage, preserve local 

amenity, and mitigate any negative socio-cultural 

impacts from tourism. 

• Identify relevant strategies, infrastructure, 

regulatory controls, or other requisite actions to 

improve sustainability need to be based on five 

identified key principles. 

• Include a prioritised and broadly costed action 

plan as a framework to guide the staged 

implementation of the strategy over a five-year 

period. 

• The recommendations of the report should be 

synergistic with the stated direction of regional, 

State and Commonwealth tourism strategies and 

the tourism industry at large.

Chapter 3 

PROJECT METHODOLOGY 

The methodology adopted for the preparation of the 

draft strategy included: 

• An initial briefing session with the Project 

Steering Committee to discuss and confirm the 

project objectives and methodology. 

• Familiarisation tours of the municipality to 

develop awareness and understanding of the 

major attractions, issues such as transport access, 

and to gauge general tourism ambience and 

potential. 

• A review of all previous studies and other 

documents and strategies relevant to the project. 

• Preparation of an issues paper and questionnaire 

to assist Project Steering Committee members, 

Chambers of Commerce and others in 

considering the key issues and opportunities for 

sustainable tourism development in 

the municipality. 

• Stakeholder consultations including with Council 

staff, industry operators, land managers and 

other government agencies to identify key issues 

and opportunities, in respect of tourism product, 

tourism issues and development opportunities. 

• Community forums held in Williamstown 

and Altona to gain feedback from the local 

community about the direction of the Strategy 

• A public consultation period of six weeks which 

drew six written responses from the Hobsons Bay 

community.

Chapter 4 

S U S TA I N A B L E TO U R I S M 

Sustainable tourism has the potential to create vibrant 

and economically healthy communities. However 

there is growing concern within some communities 

about the potential negative impacts of tourism. This 

concern has increased in line with the rapid growth 

in mass tourism globally over the past 30 or so years 

(while noting a more recent contraction in domestic 

tourism and a slow down in international visitation to 

Australia (see chapter 5). 

As a result of the 

growing awareness of the 

environmental and social 

impacts of tourism it is 

now generally accepted that 

tourism planning should take 

into account the potential 

social and environmental 

impacts as well as the 

economic benefits of tourism 

development activities. 

The emergence of the term ‘sustainable tourism’ 

is now used to describe this more broadly based 

approach to tourism development. It can be defined as 

economic development that will not impede the ability 

of future generations to meet their needs and enjoy a 

comparable or better quality of life and environment. 

The emphasis is on tourism that considers cultural 

factors, and fosters and supports conservation and 

ecologically responsible development. It means 

adopting tourism planning principles that increase 

both visitor satisfaction and improvements to the 

community. 

In regional Victoria, Beechworth is a good example of 

sustainable tourism development. By being innovative 

and embracing tourism, Beechworth has transformed 

from a contracting community based on institutional 

employment to a major tourism centre with a growing 

population and employment opportunity and diversity. 1 

From an environmental perspective, travel and tourism 

were identified in Agenda 21 2 as one of the few 

industries that have the potential to make a positive 

contribution to a healthier planet. 

The environmental benefits of tourism include: 

• The opportunity to communicate the value of 

natural and built heritage and of cultural 

inheritance to residents. 

• Enhancement of the natural and built 

environment to meet rising quality standards 

necessary to sustain modern tourism. 

• Providing the incentive for environmental 

enhancement or rehabilitation of areas such as 

town/city centres and old industrial sites, 

including the creation of employment in these 

areas. 

• Cost savings to individual tourism businesses 

through the adoption of waste and energy 

minimisation practices. 

• Protecting and creating economic value for 

resources which otherwise have no perceived 

value to residents, or represent a cost rather than 

a benefit. 

• Raising awareness of environmental issues and 

stimulating tourists to advocate for conservation 

through education and interpretation. 

Environmental appreciation can in turn enhance 

visitor enjoyment. 

The practical aspects of applying a sustainable 

development policy are reflected in Council’s City 

Plan 2005–2008. The plan uses a triple bottom line 

approach that focuses on achieving best practice by 

balancing economic, social and environmental goals 

and accomplishments so as to ensure the future 

sustainability of the municipality. 3 

The City Plan supports sustainable economic 

development and tourism opportunities. More 

specifically, Council strategies support economic 

development and tourism opportunities that: 

Table 1: Hobsons Bay key sustainable development objectives and strategies 

OBJECTIVE 

To maintain and enhance the 

natural and built environment 

for today and future 

generations. 

Protect existing 

neighbourhood 

character and ensure 

appropriate future 

development. 

STRATEGY 

• Enhance the urban environment through the greening of 

the Municipality. 

• Protect our natural environment and move towards more 

sustainable use of resources. 

• Provide a quality open space network across the 

municipality and promote our unique coastal parklands. 

• Ensure environmentally responsible & effective waste 

management and recycling practices. 

• Manage increased growth and development and ensure our 

strategies reflect heritage values and neighbourhood 

character. 

• Appropriately manage the implementation of Melbourne 

2030. 

A 2004 report by the Williamstown, Newport and Spotswood 

Residents’ Association into the community’s attitude to tourism 

(amongst other related topics) highlighted strong community 

support for sustainable tourism development in the municipality. 4 

The key findings and recommendations of the report are reflected in this Plan. 

• Capitalise on Hobsons Bay’s natural assets. 

• Create high value employment opportunities. 

• Promote and enhances community pride and 

sense of belonging. 

• Promote the artistic and cultural life of the City. 

The commitment to sustainable development is 

reflected in Council’s key development objectives and 

strategies for 2005/09, as noted in the following table. 

1 

Victoria’s Tourism Industry Strategic Plan 2002-2006. Tourism Victoria. pps 11-13. 

2 

Op cit. p 13. Agenda 21 is a program of action adopted by 182 governments at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment 

and Development (UNCED) Earth Summit. 

3 

Hobsons Bay City Plan 2005 - 2008. 

4 

From The Bridge to the Beach - Towards Sustainable Local Tourism. Williamstown, Newport & Spotswood Residents Assoc Inc. June 2004. Refer 

Attachment 2. Literature review for further details. 

10 11

Chapter 5 

S I T U AT I O N A L A N A LY S I S 

Table 2: Information requested by visitors to the Hobsons Bay Visitor Information Centre 

(Williamstown) for the year ending March 2006 

5.1 Demand 

National Visitor Survey (NVS) data compiled annually 

by Tourism Research Australia (TRA) is the principal 

data source used to assist in identifying existing and 

potential visitor markets and to support marketing 

strategies for specific tourism regions. This NVS 

data is compiled for tourism regions and sub-regions. 

Given that Hobsons Bay does 

not correspond to any tourism 

statistical region or subregion 

it has been necessary to 

analyse alternative information 

sources to build a picture of 

visitors to the municipality. 

A tourist or visitor is defined 

as any person travelling for 

business or leisure, but not 

people travelling as part of 

a permanent migration or 

regular commuting. 

In Australia, using Australian Bureau of Statistics 

(ABS) and TRA definitions, a domestic tourist is a 

person travelling at least 40km each way overnight or 

at least 25km each way on a day trip 5 . 

5.1.1 Domestic day trip visitors 

The available evidence indicates that most visitation 

to Hobsons Bay is accounted for by day trippers, with 

many of these visiting Hobsons Bay’s key attractions 

and major destinations: 

• Scienceworks research 6 indicates that most of 

the 350,000 visitors 7 annually to the museum are 

families from other parts of Melbourne who 

spend several hours there and return home, ie the 

visit to Scienceworks is generally the sole purpose 

of the trip. 

• Point Cook Coastal Park and Cheetham Wetlands 

attract about 200,000 visitors per annum. The 

parklands predominantly service residents living 

in the Hobsons Bay and Wyndham municipalities, 

but also attract visitors from across Melbourne 

and further afield. 8 

• The RAAF Museum at Point Cook 

(outside the municipality)attracts about 100,000 

visitors annually. 

• Visitors to the Nelson Place precinct in 

Williamstown are also largely day trippers, mostly 

from other parts of Melbourne. 9 Estimates of 

visitors using Gem Pier vary from around 175,000 

visitors up to 600,000 visit days. 10 A midrange 

figure is thought to be most probable based on 

discussions with local industry operators and 

visitor centre staff. 

• Altona Pier received 132,400 visit days in 

2000/01. 11 

The visitor numbers noted above would include 

visitation by local residents. 

The dominance of day trippers is reflected in the 

low level of accommodation enquiry received 

at the Hobsons Bay Visitor Information Centre 

(Williamstown), just 2% of all enquiries in the year 

ending March 2006, as shown in the following chart. 

5 

Source for definition – Tourism Victoria Fact Sheet Economic Contribution of Tourism to Victoria 2003 – 2004 – updated October 2005. 

6 

Meeting with Jenine Fleming, Marketing Manager, Scienceworks. 

7 

About 25% of visitors come as school groups. 

8 

Point Cook Coastal Park and Cheetham Wetlands Future Directions Plan. Parks Victoria. June 2005. 

The visitor data indicates that “things to do/attractions” accounts for more than one third (35%) of all enquiries 

to the Hobsons Bay Visitor Information Centre (Williamstown). Given the Centre’s location on the way from the 

ferry terminal to the main Nelson Place visitor precinct, a significant proportion of these would be day visitors 

arriving by ferry. 12 

Data collected as part of a 1996 cultural tourism research study 13 indicated the majority of visitors to Nelson 

Place where eating/drinking at café/restaurants or involved in shopping/market. 

9 

Based on discussions with Council tourism staff, traders and other stakeholders. 

10 

Lower estimate from Towards Sustainable Local Tourism Project. Appendix A. Report of Initial Community Forums: ‘Sustainable Tourism – From 

the Bridge to the Beach’. Williamstown, Newport and Spotswood Residents’ Association Inc. Higher estimate from Western Melbourne Region Tourism 

Strategy. 2002/03- 2004/05. Urban Enterprise. May 2002. 

11 

Western Melbourne Region Tourism Strategy. 2002/03- 2004/05. Urban Enterprise. May 2002. 

12 

Meeting with Sally Curtis, VIC Officer, 6 March 2006. 

12 13

Table 3: Visitor activities in Nelson Place, 1996 

5.1.2 Overnight visitors 

Hobsons Bay has 32 accommodation properties 

(providing approximately 1,000 commercial bed spaces 

– refer section 5.3.2 Accommodation). This is of a 

larger scale than other parts of Western Melbourne 

such as Wyndham and Melton. 14 The number of 

accommodation spaces suggests considerable demand 

by overnight visitors staying in the municipality. 

Information gathered during the consultation 

phase indicates that a significant proportion of 

accommodation is occupied during the week by 

business guests and at weekends by leisure guests. 

There is a lack of local area data regarding actual 

accommodation demand, rates and seasonality. 

5.1.3 International visitors 

There is also limited local area data on the international 

visitor segment. The pie chart relating to visitor origin 

(Table 4) indicates that 23% of all visitors calling 

into the Hobsons Bay Visitor Information Centre 

(Williamstown) are from overseas. At Scienceworks 

3% of visitors are international. Information from 

a sample of accommodation providers indicates 

international guests account for 10% - 15% of all 

nights. This latter percentage correlates with Tourism 

Victoria 2005 data indicating 17% of all Melbourne 

visitor nights are attributable to international visitors. 

5.1.4 Visitor origin 

Data on visitor origin suggests a dominance of 

Melbourne day trippers. This is not reflected however 

through the Visitor Information Centre data. The 

Centre naturally attracts more of those less familiar 

with the local area. The following pie chart shows 

the breakdown of visitors to the Visitor Information 

Centre according to place of residence. 

5.1.5 Visitation patterns 

including types of visitors 

The dispersal of visitors across major attractions and 

destinations in Hobsons Bay is reported in section 

5.1.1 Domestic day trip visitors. In addition to 

the concentration at these ‘hot spots’, there is also 

a very strong seasonality and day of week visitor 

concentration: 

• Peak visitation to the Scienceworks museum 

occurs over weekends and during school holidays, 

reflecting the family oriented nature of the 

attraction. Winter is the peak period for visitation 

attracting 32% of all visitors, indicating the 

importance of good indoor attractions through 

this more general trough period. 15 

• Visitation to the Nelson Place precinct in 

Williamstown is predominantly day trippers with 

visitation heavily skewed to public holidays, 

weekends and school holidays and with a strong 

summer bias. 

Visitation seasonality through the Visitor Information 

Centre is illustrated in the following table. 

Table 5: Seasonality of visitation to the 

Hobsons Bay Visitor 

Information Centre (Williamstown) for the 

year ending March 2006 

12 


13 

Cultural Tourism Visitor Survey 1996 – Summary by the Roy Morgan Research Centre, for the Cities of Melbourne, Hobsons Bay, 

Yarra and Port Phillip. N = 627. 

14 

Op cit and Shire of Melton Tourism Strategy 2003/08. Tourism Destination Management. 2003. 

Table 4: Origin of visitors to the 

Hobsons Bay Visitor Information Centre 

(Williamstown) for the year ending 

March 2006 

While holiday leisure visitors are the major type of 

visitor through the Visitor Centre accommodation 

providers indicate a strong mid week business visitor 

presence linked to local industries. The visiting friends 

and relatives (VFR) market is also estimated to be 

on a par with Melbourne-wide data indicating 43% 

of domestic overnight visitors are VFR and 27% of 

international overnight visitors are VFR. 

14 15

5.1.6 Summary visitor analysis 

The above data highlights the dominance of lower 

yielding short stay day trippers to Hobsons Bay 

combined with very strong weekend seasonality – 

further accentuated by a strong summer bias. The data 

indicates the need to smooth seasonality and increase 

visitor yield. This would provide a stronger economic 

base for the tourism businesses without reducing the 

local amenity of the area. 

5.2 Economic & employment 

impact of tourism 

According to the Tourism & Transport Forum 17 , 

there were 3,211 people employed in tourism in the 

federal electorate of Gellibrand 18 in 2002/03. This was 

5.7% of the electorate’s total employment of 55,872 at 

the time. 

The strongest sector 

for tourism related 

employment in Victoria is the 

accommodation, cafes and 

restaurants sector (a 36% reliance 

on tourism demand) followed by the transport and 

storage sector (a 15.7% reliance). 19 

Matching this employment data to Australian 

Bureau of Statistics research, 20 it is estimated that 

annual tourism related expenditure in Gellibrand is 

approximately $365 million. 

The cultural tourism survey of 1996 21 asked visitors 

what they spent on the following items – the average 

expenditure is indicated at the top of the following 

page: 

• Food and drink $18.33 

• Shopping $9.03 

• Transport $1.95 

• Souvenirs $0.20 

• Entrance fees $1.14 

• Day tours $0.39 

• Gambling $0.40 

This data indicates visitors spend more on ‘food and 

drink’ than anything else. Most visitors (61%) spend 

between $6–$20 (1996 prices) with average spending 

of $18.33. Shopping was next, however most visitors 

(69%) only spend $0–$5 with an average spending 

of $9. 

Adjusted to current dollar values the data suggests that 

the average visitor may spend $15–$27 for food or 

entertainment and $8–$15 for shopping items such as 

souvenirs and art/craft. 

Wider industry forecasts for tourism in Australia are 

for 1% annual growth in domestic tourism and 4 – 6% 

annual growth in inbound or international tourism. 22 

5.2.1 Summary economic and 

employment analysis 

The economic and employment impact of tourism in 

Hobsons Bay is clearly significant, accounting for an 

estimated 5–6% of employment. Given the dominance 

of the Melbourne and domestic markets to Hobsons 

Bay the forecast flat domestic market growth suggests 

the importance of improved tourism marketing and 

development efficiencies are going to be required just 

to maintain the economic and employment value of 

tourism to Hobsons Bay over the period of this Plan. 

18 

Gellibrand takes in Hobsons Bay as well as Tottenham, Yarraville, Footscray, Maidstone and Braybrook. 

19 

Tourism Victoria Fact Sheet entitled Economic Contribution of Tourism to Victoria 2003–2004 updated October 2005. 

20 

ABS Cat No. 5249.0. This indicates that there are approximately 8.8 jobs for every $1m spent. 

21 

This 1996 data is the only information available; it is believed to still reliably reflect current breakdown of spending. 

22 

Tourism Forecasting Council data 2005. 

16 17

5.3 Supply 

5.3.1 Key attractions 

Table 6: Hobsons Bay key attractions 

ATTRACTION TYPE 

Natural attractions 

General attractions 

Recreation 

Parks & gardens 

Events 

Conference & exhibition venues 

Art, heritage & culture 

The table on the following page summarises the main 

attractions within Hobsons Bay. 

DESCRIPTION 

Altona Coastal Park 

Altona Homestead 

Cheetham Wetlands – bird watching 

Cherry Lake Reserve – bird watching 

Jawbone Reserve – salt marsh reserve 

Newport Lakes – 117 bird species 

Newport Lakes Park 

Point Cook Coastal Park 

Point Gellibrand Coastal Heritage Park 

Truganina Coastal Parklands inc Keepers Residence 

Scienceworks 

Melbourne Seaplanes 

Cruises 

West Gate Freeway – vistas, bridge 

West Gate Freeway memorial site 

Stony Creek Backwash 

Sandy Point and The Warmies 

The Strand Foreshore Williamstown; CBD views, cannons 

Commonwealth Reserve Williamstown (Tide Gauge House) 

Altona Pier 

Gem Pier Williamstown 

Nelson Place Restaurant Precinct 

Altona Beach & pier precinct including Logan Reserve 

Coastal Trail ride/walk 

Fishing/ boating inc Altona & Warmies boat ramp 

Williamstown Beach 

Point Gellibrand Coastal Heritage Park inc Time Ball Tower 

Williamstown Botanical Garden (drinking fountain) 

Williamstown Botanical Garden (gates) 

Williamstown Botanical Gardens (flora & fauna) 

Williamstown Botanical Gardens (statue of AT Clarke) 

Williamstown Festival 

Bayside Festival 

Maritime Festival 

Pelican’s Landing – Quest Apartments 

Scienceworks 

Hobsons Bay Community Arts Centre (former substation) 

Williamstown waterfront walk 

Williamstown Historical Society Museum 

HMAS Castlemaine Maritime Museum 

Nelson Place Historic Precinct (wrought iron gates) 

War memorial, cnr Ferguson Street & Nelson Place 

Williamstown heritage walking & bus tours 

Williamstown Bathing Pavilion 

Williamstown Town Hall 

The old fort site 

Williamstown Morgue 

North Williamstown Railway Museum 

Former Port of Melbourne Authority site, Nelson Place 

Spotswood Pumping Station 

The above data highlights the 

depth of attractions across 

the Council area. Many of 

these attractions are niche 

attractions, eg bird watching, 

Railway Museum, and 

Altona House. Collectively 

however they represent a 

very competitive suite of 

attractions providing area(s) 

of significant interest for most 

market segments. 

Many of the attractions, however, are not well known 

and some others such as the museum have restricted 

or limited access. 

5.3.2 Accommodation 

Hobsons Bay has 32 accommodation properties, of 

which nine are B&B’s, nine are self contained, four are 

hotels, four are caravan parks, three are motels, two 

are serviced apartments and one is a guest house. 23 In 

total there are 440 commercial rooms including cabins 

in the City and more than 60 camping/caravan sites. 

The estimated capacity from commercial short term 

accommodation is 1,000 beds (persons) plus that from 

the 60 caravan/camping sites. A further 60 rooms will 

be added to the room stock with the planned building 

of new serviced apartments in the municipality 

managed by Punt Hill Apartments. 

The industry analysis indicates a comparatively buoyant 

accommodation market in Hobsons Bay. This is linked 

to the strong corporate mid week market associated 

with Hobsons Bay area commerce and industry, 

supported by longer stay Melbourne visitors (for 

events etc) happy to stay outside but near the CBD 

and the weekend leisure and events market including 

friends and family related events and activities. 

There appears to be capacity and related opportunity 

for development at both ends of the accommodation 

spectrum. Firstly for high end niche or boutique 

accommodation and secondly for family type 

accommodation usually associated with a caravan park 

type ‘holiday village’. 

5.3.3 Transport 

Hobsons Bay is readily accessible by car, while punt 

(bikes and walkers), train, bus, ferry, charter boat and 

seaplane access is possible. As previously indicated 

the vast majority of visitors use private cars to access 

Hobsons Bay. Car congestion is a major issue for 

residents and diminishes the visitor experience. 

Public transport plays a comparatively small role in 

bringing visitors to Hobsons Bay. The previously 

mentioned cultural tourism survey, for example, 

found that 88% of visitors used their car to get to 

the area. There are also very limited non car transport 

options once visitors arrive, which means that most 

are restricted to the areas around the railway stations 

and Gem Pier. The key exceptions to this are the bike 

riders using the municipality’s bike trails. Comments to 

Visitor Information Centre staff indicate that the usual 

length of stay of visitors is around 2-3 hours. 24 

The key ongoing transport challenge identified in 

numerous strategies and reinforced through this 

analysis is the need to get more visitors (and residents 

for that matter) using public transport to get to and 

from the area. The key impediments include: 

• Limited rail frequency particularly into 

Williamstown. 

• Complexity in accessing the two Hobsons Bay 

rail lines from Flinders Street and Southern Cross 

compared to the major lines. 

• Limited and irregular frequency of ferry/boat 

transport that is also subject to weather 

conditions. 

• Issues associated with guaranteed peak period 

berthing and ticket sales at Gem Pier. 

• No all inclusive public transit pass for bus, train 

and ferry services, eg one day City/Williamstown/ 

City train and ferry pass. 

Insufficient car parking spaces at Nelson Place 

during peak weekend periods is a key transport and 

access related issue. The system of visitor parking fee 

collection is a significant consolidated revenue source 

for Council. 25 

Opportunities to increase the percentage of visitors 

using public/non car transport include promotion of 

the alternative to car options for access into Hobsons 

Bay and to develop more attractive, efficient and 

coordinated public and private transport options. 

Specialty retail – arts/crafts 

Food, wine & produce 

Craft market Williamstown – every 3rd Sunday 

Cafés & restaurants in Nelson Place, Ferguson Street, Williamstown Beach & 

Altona Beach precincts 

23 

Data provided by Council based on May 2006 audit. 

18 19

Associated with stimulating non car access measures 

to better accommodate peak period car visitors, it may 

be possible to provide further car parking without 

reducing the amenity around Hobsons Bay. One or 

more vacant industrial or business sites converted to 

short term car parking outside the immediate Nelson 

Place precinct may provide an opportunity for a park 

and walk or bus; or even a park and heritage horse and 

coach ride in peak periods. 

5.4 Marketing 

5.4.1 Market analysis 

Visitors are increasingly seeking more from their 

holiday. Key tourism trends include: 26 

• Shorter holidays or short breaks; some are talking 

of micro breaks. 

• Shorter lead times for planning holidays – web 

meets this need. 

• Time out; chill out, get back to nature: a reaction 

against the ‘urban rat race’. 

• Demand for higher service levels: tourism 

information; food; personal service etc. 

• More niche markets; special interest groups; older 

including Probus groups. 

• Niche groups getting together for functions; 

events, swap meets etc eg beer can collectors. 

• Experiential tourism; people wanting to touch, 

feel, learn and grow. 

• The brag factor: increasingly we are brand 

conscience: consumers seek holiday destinations 

and experiences which reflect the brands they 

wear/carry/drive. 

Key market issues for Hobsons Bay include the 

comparative lack of accommodation to capitalise on 

the trend to short and more convenient breaks. The 

comparatively poor web presence is an increasing 

issue as more people including those with special 

requirements using the web as a research tool and 

for last minute planning and bookings. Hobsons Bay 

does not have tourism brand awareness even in the 

Melbourne market and while Williamstown has more 

brand equity it is probably not of strong tourism status 

with the higher yielding markets. 

Comparative analysis indicates the City still lacks a 

significant tourism related event or events to build the 

destination brand and inject significant dollars into the 

local economy. Council’s significant support for events 

could have a clearly articulated direction, strategies and 

administrative structure to better meet community and 

wider economic objectives. 

The market analysis does indicate many opportunities, 

however, including tapping into a range of growing 

niche markets including: 

• Special events and special interest festivals 

• Visiting friends and relatives market 

• The Melbourne disabilities market 

(estimated at 20% of the population) 27 

• Cycling enthusiasts 

• Bird watchers 

• Dog owners 

• Recreation anglers 

• Group markets including Probus and 

school groups 

• Mid week corporate conferences/ meetings 

The opportunities are to target a range of markets 

including interstate and overseas markets via 

cooperative partners Destination Melbourne Inc. 

• Melbourne; higher yielding day trippers and 

special interests markets 

» All age segments 

» Socially Aware, Visible Achievers, Traditional 

Family Life 

» Special interest Groups – schools, Probus, 

bird watchers etc 

» Mid week corporate meetings markets 

» Visiting friends and relatives 

• Interstate – aligned with the targets of 

Destination Melbourne Inc. 

• Overseas – longer staying and independent 

travelling markets: UK, Europe, US, mature Asian 

segments. 

5.4.2 Brand considerations 

Tourism marketing of Hobsons Bay is generally 

driven by industry and agencies such as Tourism 

Victoria and Destination Melbourne Inc through use 

of Williamstown as the destination brand with the 

strongest visitor/consumer recognition and as the 

destination with the strongest product as evidenced 

by the product audit. The Tourism Victoria website, 

for example, provides detailed information on 

Williamstown under Melbourne then city fringe, but 

there are no references to either Hobsons Bay or 

Hobsons Bay City Council. 

Like many local government areasTPTP PTPT the 

challenge for Hobsons Bay is to provide some degree 

of equity and clear benefit from tourism across all 

the Council area. At the same time however there 

is the need to be effective in communicating with 

visitors so that they visit, spend money and support 

job opportunities. This implies communicating 

the destinations and products that have the most 

recognition with consumers. 

Tourism in Hobsons Bay can be portrayed as having a 

hub, nodes and a spoke. This provides an opportunity 

to meet the needs of Council in promoting all the 

Council area focusing on competitive tourism products 

and themes and still lead with the destinations and 

themes most effective in appealing to the target 

markets. This is effectively executed in the DL size 

brochure Williamstown & Hobsons Bay – Official 

Touring Map. 

5.5 Infrastructure development 

Analysis to date indicates 

Hobsons Bay is moderately 

competitive in terms of its 

tourism infrastructure linked 

to the day tripper market when 

compared to a like destination 

such as St Kilda. 

The major competitive disadvantages relate more 

to the quality, quantity, public accessibility and 

effectiveness of the infrastructure particularly in the 

areas of transport infrastructure, accommodation and 

‘living’ cultural and heritage attractions. 

Key tourism related infrastructure issues include: 

• Lack of a high quality maritime heritage attraction 

or experience that capitalises on the rich maritime 

history of the area. 

• Lack of quality history and heritage interpretive 

infrastructure to support the many sites of 

significance. 

• Lack of accommodation infrastructure to 

capitalise on the area’s competitiveness on 

the ‘city’s door step’ and as an attractive seaside 

destination. 

• Lack of intra community or local area public 

transport infrastructure to circulate residents and 

visitors in and around the tourism hub and nodes. 

• Lack of infrastructure for food/drink and 

socialising on sections of the coastal pathway. 

• Lack of peak time parking infrastructure adjacent 

to the Nelson Place precinct to accommodate 

peak time car visitors. 

5.5.1 Public infrastructure 

The development of the Maritime Heritage Precinct 

on the Parks Victoria controlled PMA site provides a 

major opportunity to build the focus on this area of 

identified competitive strength. A commercial business 

plan will be a key tool to successfully convert the sites 

potential into a financially sustainable precinct. 

While the product attractions audit identifies many 

points of cultural and historic interest across Hobsons 

Bay, sites visited indicated the opportunity for more 

consistent use of informative interpretive signage, such 

as occurs with the Bay Trail. This would, for example, 

improve the Williamstown Heritage Walks experience 

for which limited information is provided. 

Ongoing development of the cycle and walking 

paths across the City will continue to support 

environmentally friendly dispersion of visitors, as 

well as providing residents with more incentive to 

undertake physical activity. Associated infrastructure 

for those with disabilities will also support tourism 

and community objectives. Increasingly there will be 

opportunities for Council to develop or plan for small 

scale food and beverage provision along sections 

pathway sections such as the western end of Altona 

Beach. 

24 


25 

Estimated in 2005 at $500,000. 

26 

Sources include: Victoria’s Tourism Industry Strategic Plan 2002–2006. (Trends analysis, P 5–8); Tourism Research Australia, and Domestic overnight 

leisure travel trends and challenges 2005. 

27 

Source: National Survey of Disability, Aging & Carers. ABS. 2003. 

28 

For example, the City of Yarra is considering marketing tourism under the City of Yarra banner while Destination Melbourne Inc. is recommending the 

use of precincts as the banner and recognises their appeal to different target markets. Information from interview with Liz Seaman, CEO of Destination 

Melbourne Inc. 

20 21

Provision of more public transport linking the key 

tourism activity centres of Nelson Place with Altona 

Beach/Pier St may be feasible, initially at peak times. 

This could be extended as visitor demand for spending 

a longer time in the City area increases. 

While the priority of this Strategy is to move more 

visitors to public transport there is potential to 

improve car access to the visitor key hub if parking 

infrastructure adjacent to the Nelson Place precinct 

could be developed to accommodate visitors arriving 

by car. Sites such as the vacant waterside land north 

of the Nelson Place tennis courts or the Tennix site 

may be suitable for development for car parking 

without detracting from the amenity of the area. 

5.5.2 Private investment 

Private investment in tourism within Hobsons Bay has 

been limited relative to other metropolitan Melbourne 

councils. One identified inhibitor to private investment 

identified through stakeholder consultation is the 

impact of increasing land costs that make a return 

from marginally profitable and seasonal tourism 

businesses increasing unattractive relative to other land 

use such as medium density housing. 

The development of accommodation is noted as a 

potential opportunity for private sector investment 

in Section 5.3.2. Sites for boutique up-market 

accommodation may primarily come from adaptive 

re-use of existing buildings such as traditional hotels 

and buildings within the Maritime Heritage Precinct. 

A ‘holiday park’ however requires a much larger site 

and finding such a site – ideally in an attractive natural 

environment – will be more challenging. 

5.6 Product development 

Hobsons Bay is relatively well served with a variety of 

tourism products. 

The key challenge is to get 

more use and value from many 

of the existing tourism assets. 

Product issues include: 

• Limited opening times of community museums 

and attractions due to low off peak demand and 

reliance on volunteer labour. 

• While the historic and heritage themes are strong, 

there are limited products and experiences that are 

packaged in a consumer friendly way. 

• The Bay Trail provides a high quality cycling/ 

walking/promenading/running experience 

but it lacks en route bicycle hire providers at peak 

user periods. 

• There is no packaging of a varied transport pass 

ex the Melbourne CBD, eg for a rail–ferry day 

pass. 

• While Cheetham Wetlands is a World Ramsar site, 

achieving a quality experience is very problematic 

for the average visitor interested in bird watching. 

• Flagship festivals and events are lacking. 

The opportunity exists to facilitate more open 

days for the museums to increase length of stay, 

visitation during current trough periods and increased 

profitability of businesses. Bicycle businesses in the 

City could be encouraged to provide bike hire and 

transport providers encouraged to develop cooperative 

packages to stimulate demand. 

Development of special interest packages for niche 

markets such as bird watching (both for independent 

visitors and through commercial operators) are 

suited to development in and beyond Hobsons Bay. 

Western Melbourne Tourism Inc can play a lead role 

in facilitating development of across council products 

and packages to attract visitors west of the city and 

linked to the Great Ocean Road. 

There is an opportunity to package and promote the 

existing shopping opportunities attractive to visitors 

and support new shopping products attractive to 

visitors. 

A strong Melbourne niche market is the dog owners’ 

market. There is the opportunity to promote Sunday 

morning as the time to bring ‘Rover’ to one of the 

‘dogs off lead’ beach sites, enjoy a coffee at a nearby 

café and develop occasional special events at the sites 

for dog owners. 29 

Development of events linked to the key objectives 

of this Strategy is an opportunity. A community based 

event building on the maritime heritage theme timed 

for the winter months could link with themes such as 

traditional pubs and music; seafood chowder and other 

food themes. Such an event could integrate with the 

cultural and wider historic aspects of the community 

that has evolved from a coastal/maritime and related 

industries setting. 

Scienceworks is the major built visitor attraction 

for the City. Support from other tourism businesses 

and attractions to provide compatible value adding 

products for packaging for Probus, school and family 

groups should be explored periodically. 

The Council’s commitment to universal access also 

provides an important opportunity for development 

through this Strategy. Development of information 

showing facilities for people with disabilities backed 

by effective distribution will tap into a growing market 

that is suited to off peak visitation. 

5.7 Links to existing policies 

& strategies 

The Strategy sits comfortably within the Hobsons Bay 

City Plan 2005–2008. 

The triple bottom line 

approach focuses on 

achieving best practice by 

balancing economic, social 

and environmental goals 

and accomplishments. The 

purpose of this is to ensure 

the future sustainability of the 

municipality. 

Under Civic Pride, Economic Development & 

Tourism in the Plan the goal is to ‘deliver on our 

tourism potential, foster community pride, and 

stimulate employment and investment opportunities’. 

Strategies identified for 2005–2009 are: 

• Promote and support sustainable economic 

development and tourism opportunities that 

benefit the City and the local community. 

• Encourage and support initiatives that create high 

value employment opportunities. 

• Build tourism potential by capitalising on 

Hobsons Bay’s natural assets. 

• Promote and enhance community pride and sense 

of belonging. 


• Prepare and implement the Urban Design 

Frameworks for the activity centres and gateways 

within the Municipality. 

The key identified tourism related assets identified in 

the Plan include: 

• Vibrant communities with own unique character. 

• Historic seaport of Williamstown and heritage 

buildings. 

• Over 20km of beaches & foreshore areas. 

• Significant coastal wetlands, five creek systems, 

remnant native grasslands, and important flora 

and fauna habitats. 

The 2004 report From the Bridge to the Beach 

– Towards Sustainable Local Tourism 30 highlights the 

community’s need for effective tourism management 

while acknowledging the economic and tourism service 

benefits that tourism provides. It aligns with this 

strategy’s focus on protecting local natural and heritage 

assets so that they continue to meet residents’ needs 

and priorities into the future. It identifies weekend 

parking is a key issue and emphasises the need for this 

Strategy to cover environment and heritage protection, 

improvements to signage, transport options, facilities 

and community activities. It supports opportunities 

for low impact tourism development that utilises the 

existing features and assets of the area. 

It notes the most popular tourism focus from a 

community perspective would be heritage-based, 

particularly maritime heritage. The document also 

provides support for walking, coach and ferry tours 

and environment based tours that are within the 

framework of sustainable tourism. 

The Newport and Altona Traders Plans (2005) and 

Williamstown Business and Tourism Promotions 

Inc are clearly linked to this Strategy through their 

objective to stimulate business demand within their 

precincts and through the advocacy, lobbying and 

management opportunities this Strategy identifies. 

The Parks Victoria plans for the TTPoint Cook 

Coastal Park and Cheetham Wetlands indicates 

opportunities for TTcooperative promotion of 

the above assets particularly focusing on off peak 

periods. The extension of the bike trail will be a 

major opportunity to promote the Park and the 

wider Council area to the large Melbourne leisure 

cycling market including family markets. There is an 

opportunity to generate PR coverage for Hobsons Bay 

off the back of the Ramsar status of the wetlands and 

the associated migratory bird story. Parks Victoria is 

also implementing enhanced interpretive signage. 

More widely the Hobsons Bay Strategy complements 

strategies of Western Melbourne Tourism that 

highlight cooperation to grow tourism in Western 

Melbourne. Tourism Victoria’s Draft Melbourne 

Metro Strategy 2005 also highlights the role Western 

Melbourne Tourism can play in advocating for an 

29 

One such seaside site in Sydney has a bi-monthly Sunday Dog Fun Day with stall sites leased from Council providing dog products, washes, coffee etc. 

30 

Williamstown, Newport & Spotswood Residents’ Association Inc. 

22 23

increased Tourism Victoria focus on marketing and 

development of metropolitan destinations with 

competitive tourism product and a coordinated 

industry/Council partnership. 

The strategies of Tourism Victoria seek to develop 

and market Victoria’s most competitive products and 

experiences including events, natural attractions and its 

compact diversity. 

5.8 Structure, management 

& resources 

5.8.1 Management 

The management of this Strategy will require 

effective coordination across the stakeholders and 

a commitment by them to implementation of the 

Strategy as agreed. 

Resources will need to be appropriate for the 

implementation of specific strategies and the structure 

to will need to support the Strategy. 

The analysis indicates the key challenges and 

management constraints will come from the limited 

resources (both financial and human) and the lack 

of strong industry leadership in driving the strategy’s 

implementation. 

5.8.2 Resources 

Industry funding for tourism destination marketing 

is linked to the opportunity to develop an annual 

cooperative marketing prospectus that provides 

industry with direction and will build destination 

awareness and visitation in the target markets. 

Excellent resources are available in-region through 

organisations such as Victoria University and its 

tourism faculty. The opportunity exists to strengthen 

linkages with the University and develop cooperative 

research projects, for example. 

The opportunity for stronger industry leadership is 

linked to providing a City-wide tourism and business 

structure that has greater scope to develop business 

across the City and within the individual precincts (see 

following). 

The impact of the increased activity associated with 

this Strategy’s implementation, management and 

reporting has resource implications for Council 

requiring detailed consideration. 

5.8.3 Structure 

The effective management of tourism strategy for 

Hobsons Bay cannot be done by Council alone. The 

Victorian Tourism Alliance highlights the importance 

of an effective industry, Council and wider community 

partnership for effective tourism destination 

management. 31 While there is no actual tourism 

association for Hobsons Bay it is currently serviced 

by four independent traders’ associations located at 

Newport, Altona, Williamstown and Laverton. Each 

Association receives funding from Council to assist in 

their operations and implementation of their business 

plans. In 2005/06 this funding totalled $85,000. The 

focus of the associations is on local area issues and 

promotions. 

Analysis indicates that the traders’ groups rely on the 

hard work of a few people and that with very limited 

resources significant outputs from the individual 

associations are not likely. 

The strategies associated with this plan require both 

a focus on the identified tourism areas and also a 

considerable level of across Council area cooperative 

development and marketing. Under the current 

structure for management of the Strategy it will 

rely heavily on Council’s Tourism Officer within the 

Arts, Events and Tourism Unit to implement actions 

and manage Strategy coordination and monitoring. 

Industry implementation will be challenging though 

the dispersed trader associations. 

The opportunity exists to develop a City-wide 

structure that provides mechanisms for industry 

leadership in partnership with Council and allows 

for wider community involvement to ensure 

sustainable tourism development. This would 

concentrate resources and better support delivery of 

Council tourism and related economic development 

initiatives. Current communities of interest (Altona, 

Williamstown, Laverton and Newport) would still 

be accommodated but through mechanisms such as 

project action groups that put less of a long term drain 

on the handful of hard workers. 

5.8.4 Stakeholder involvement 

& communications 

Council is committed to effective stakeholder 

involvement and communications. This Strategy and 

associated five Year Action Plan will require effective 

strategies to build and sustain stakeholder involvement 

and to communicate Strategy implementation, outputs 

and outcomes. 

Key opportunities identified in the analysis include: 

• Increased stakeholder involvement though 

development of a City wide tourism and business 

group or association. 

• Development of an associated communication 

plan for the group or association. 

• Development of associated tourism or project 

action groups to focus on specific precinct 

specific initiatives or needs (eg review a draft 

activity centre plan or develop a shopping 

promotion). 

• Use Council’s communications to provide regular 

(at least quarterly) update on Strategy 

implementation, outputs and outcomes. 

5.9 SWOT analysis 

This analysis is based on the SWOT developed during 

the initial consultation phase – see Attachment 1. 

5.9.1 Strengths 

Hobsons Bay has three 

substantial competitive 

advantages over other 

Melbourne metropolitan 

areas. 

• Nature based and outdoor activities. The 

area has world class wetlands and an abundance of 

migratory birds, boating in protected waters, fishing, 

a well developed walking and bike trail network and 

large areas of public land linked to the coastal location. 

These distinct attributes are of increasing appeal to the 

VA, SA, and TFL segments. 

• History and heritage. For Hobsons Bay, the 

combined maritime and transport heritage is unique in 

metropolitan Melbourne. The three transport nodes 

of Williamstown (maritime; also a working harbour), 

Newport (railway heritage) and Laverton/ Point Cook 

(military aviation heritage) also provide a strong focus. 

The West has the Works has been flagged as a linking 

promotional theme. The military aviation heritage is 

already well developed at the Point Cook Museum, the 

maritime heritage is emerging through development of 

the Williamstown Maritime Precinct, and significant 

railway assets are held at the Newport yards. Appealing 

for families (TFL), SA & VA (maritime and aviation 

bias). 

• A village feel at Williamstown, Altona and 

Newport created by the area’s coastal location, 

heritage, culture and the absence of major urban 

thoroughfares. Williamstown is already a lead 

destination in Western Melbourne based around 

its appealing cultural and heritage attributes and its 

historic seaport location in a sheltered peninsula. This 

atmosphere is appealing to urban visitors, providing an 

opportunity to ‘chill out’ for short periods. 

5.9.2 Weaknesses 

• The long association with the petrochemical 

industries and the industrial landscape generally around 

Altona have negative associations amongst some 

potential visitor segments. 32 

• The tourism industry does not have a sustained 

history of cooperative endeavour. From a Hobsons 

Bay perspective the specific tourism and industry 

precincts are a challenge to integrate into a holistic 

model. 

5.9.3 Opportunities 

• The major opportunity for Hobsons Bay, and the 

focus of this study, is to craft a sustainable tourism 

strategy reflecting the aspirations of all stakeholders 

that integrates the various themes and destinations 

described above into an appealing package of activities 

for implementation that achieves visitor dispersal, 

length of stay, and increasing visitor yield. 

• As part of the above there is an opportunity to 

use as principal themes the appealing coastal location, 

the nature based assets and open spaces, the cultural 

heritage and maritime history, transport heritage and 

the village atmosphere. 

5.9.4 Threats 

• There are a number of potential threats to 

achieving sustainable tourism relating to the changing 

market place including lack of coordination and 

commitment from internal stakeholder groups, and 

resource and service related issues. 

31 

See Tourism Alliance Fact Sheets: Roles of Local, Regional Tourism Associations and of Local Councils 2004. 

32 

Based on feedback during the initial consultation phase. 

24 25

Chapter 6 

STRATEGY OVERVIEW 

6.3 Target markets 

• Melbourne; higher yielding day trippers and 




Family Life 





Destination Melbourne Inc 



segments. 

The following recommended strategic directions are 

based on the analysis and presented in summary form. 

6.1 Increasing visitor yield, 

dispersion and lessening 

seasonality 

• Focus on city accessibility and local amenity to 

potential overnight visitors. 

• Promote to markets appreciative of historic and 

cultural heritage. 

• Promote to markets appreciative of nature-based 

tourism. 

• Attributes to attract higher yielding visitors with 

less fluctuation in numbers across the week and 

the seasons. 

• Disperse visitors from the Williamstown hub 

to the key nodes of Altona Beach/Pier Street and 

Newport and via the linear coastal spoke or 

corridor (bike path, beaches and the coastal parks 

stretching from West Gate Bridge to the 

Cheetham Wetlands). 

• Develop market segments, events and product 

experiences that attract people during off peak 

(mid week and low season periods). 

6.2 Framework for sustainable 

tourism 

• Pursue tourism economic development 

opportunities that will not impede the ability of 

future generations to meet their needs and enjoy 

a comparable or better quality of life 

and environment. 

• Develop tourism that considers cultural factors 

and fosters and supports conservation and 

ecologically responsible development. 

• Adopt tourism planning principles that increase 


community. 

26 27

6.4 Marketing strategy 

including destination image 

The Strategy focuses on Hobsons Bay competitiveness 

in terms of city accessibility; historic and cultural 

heritage and its natural attributes to attract higher 

yielding visitors with less fluctuation in numbers across 

the week and the seasons. 

Specific recommended strategies are: 

• Meet Council needs in promoting the full Council 

area focusing on competitive tourism products 

and themes. 

• Lead with the destinations and themes most 

effective in appealing to the target markets. 

• Develop the brand attributes. 

• Develop a strong internet presence. 

• Improve industry cooperative marketing 

opportunities. 

• Build the marketing leverage particularly from 

Destination Melbourne Inc. 

• Grow cooperative marketing opportunities 

linked to Wyndham and Western Melbourne 

Tourism Inc. 

• Consider cooperative marketing with the City of 

Melbourne and with city ring Councils (Yarra and 

Port Phillip) for interstate and overseas markets. 

6.5 Events 

• Refine Council’s investment in events with 

consideration to develop a policy, strategy, 

funding and administrative framework that 

recognises events in terms of their community, 

regional and potential state wide significance. 

• Scope development of a community based event 

building on the maritime heritage theme. Timed 

for the winter months, it could link with themes 

such as traditional pubs and music; seafood 

chowder/ food themes, and integrate with the 

cultural and wider historic aspect of the 

community that evolved from a sea side and 

related industries setting. 

• Subject to outcomes from the events framework 

further strengthen the quality and appeal of the 

Williamstown, Bayside and Maritime festivals and 

festivals that reinforce the cycling appeal of the 

City. 

6.6 Visitor Services 

• Continue operations of the Visitor Information 

Centre and further develop Centre networks with 

Federation Square and Western Melbourne 

Centres. 

• Inform local residents of tourism activities and 

assets for their benefit and that of their visiting 

friends and relatives. 

6.7 Infrastructure development 

• Actively support the development of the 

Maritime Heritage Precinct with a sound 

commercial footing. 

• Provide more consistent use of informative 

interpretive and directional signage. 

• Provide ongoing resources for development 

of the cycle and walking paths across the City 

that support dispersion of visitors, support access 

by all visitors and that provides residents with 

more incentive to undertake physical activity. 

• Encourage sound commercial planning for 

historic and heritage assets that can drive 

increased visitation. 

• Actively promote and support visitor use of 

public and water based transport to access 

Hobsons Bay. 

• Encourage provision of more public transport 

linking the key tourism activity centres, eg Nelson 

Place with Altona Beach/Pier Street. 

• Investigate the potential to improve car access to 

Nelson Place through parking infrastructure 

adjacent to the precinct without detracting from 

the amenity of the area. 

• Encourage investment in niche accommodation. 

6.8 Product and industry 

development 

• Package, educate and promote the City’s tourism 

related experiences to the visiting friends and 

relatives market via the local community. 

• Support and facilitate increased open days for the 

museums. 

• Encourage bicycle businesses in the City to 

provide bike hire. 

• Encourage transport providers to develop 

cooperative packages to stimulate demand and 

seek funding to support such packages 

promotion. 

• Encourage develop of special interest packages 

for niche markets such as cycling, fishing and 

boating, corporate meetings and special events, 

bird watching (both for independent visitors and 

through commercial operators) and the dog 

owners’ market. 

• Strengthen the tourism relationship with Parks 

Victoria and the Department of Sustainability and 

Environment to preserve and promote natural 

assets. 

• Western Melbourne Tourism Inc continue to take 

a lead role in facilitating development of across 

council products and packages to attract visitors 

west of the city and linked to the Great Ocean 

Road. 

• Encourage industry to work with Scienceworks 

in development of day packages for markets such 

as Probus, school and family groups. 

• Development of disability access information 

showing facilities for people with disabilities 

backed by effective distribution including the web 

to tap into a growing market that is suited to 

off peak visitation. 

• Support industry development and training 

programs and facilitate industry networking and 

cooperation. 

6.9 Management, structure 

and resources 

6.9.1 Management 

• Create effective coordination across the 

stakeholders. 

• Gain commitment by the stakeholders to 

implementation, review and updating of the 

Strategy. 

• Allocate resources appropriate for the 

implementation of specific strategies. 

• Develop a structure that supports the Strategy 

through industry leadership in partnership with 

Council and the wider community. 

6.9.2 Resources 

• Develop an annual cooperative marketing 

prospectus that provides industry with direction 

and will build destination awareness and visitation 

in the target markets. 

• Generate stronger industry resource leadership 

linked to providing a City-wide tourism and 

business structure that has greater scope 

to develop business across the City and within the 

individual precincts (see following). 

• Capitalise on resources within the region through 

organisations such as Scienceworks and Victoria 

University with its excellent tourism faculty. 

• Build on the community’s support for 

sustainable tourism through ongoing engagement 

and involvement. 

6.9.3 Structure 

• Develop a City-wide structure providing 

mechanisms for industry leadership in partnership 

with Council. 

• Allow for wider community involvement to 

ensure sustainable tourism development. 

• Concentrate resources and better support delivery 

of Council tourism and related economic 

development initiatives. 

• Accommodate communities of interest (Altona, 

Williamstown, Laverton and Newport) through 

project action groups that put less of a long term 

drain on the hand full of hard workers. 

6.10 Business development: 

education and training 

• Use the development of a City wide structure as 

the vehicle to identify any business development 

needs. 

• Under Western Melbourne Tourism Inc support 

industry development programs and training. 

6.11 Stakeholder involvement: 

communication 

• Increase stakeholder involvement though 

development of a City wide tourism and business 

group or association. 

• Develop an associated communication plan for 

the group or association. 

• Development of associated tourism or project 

action groups to focus on specific precinct 

specific initiatives or needs (eg review a draft 

activity centre plan or develop a shopping 

promotion). 

• Stimulate the visiting friends and relatives market 

through the local community. 

• Use Council’s communications to provide regular 

(at least quarterly) update on Strategy 

implementation, outputs and outcomes. 

6.12 Measurement, KPI’s and strategy review 

These are included as part of the Five Year Action 

Plan (refer to separate Part B of this report) 

28 29

Chapter 7 

FIVE YEAR ACTION PLANS 

7.1 Summary of action plan 

The Action Plan flows from the Sustainable Tourism 

Strategy 2006 – 2012. The Action Plan outlines 

strategies flowing directly from the Sustainable 

Tourism Strategy Chapter 6 – Strategy Overview. 

The key strategy action 

areas are: marketing 

including brand and events; 

infrastructure, product and 

industry development; and 

management, resources and 

structure. 

7.2 Framework for 

implementation 

The Hobsons Bay City Council (Council Plan 2005 

– 2009) provides the broad framework for the 

Sustainable Tourism Strategy and Action Plan. Under 

Civic Pride, Economic Development & Tourism in 

Council’s Plan the key objective is to deliver on our 

tourism potential by promoting the City’s icons and 

open space, foster community pride, and stimulate 

employment and investment opportunities. 

Strategies identified for 2005–2009 are: 

• Promote and support sustainable economic 

development and tourism opportunities that 

benefit the City and the local community. 

• Encourage and support initiatives that create high 

value employment opportunities. 

• Build tourism potential by capitalising on 

Hobsons Bay’s natural assets. 

• Promote and enhance community pride and sense 

of belonging. 


• Prepare and implement the Urban Design 

Frameworks for the activity centres and gateways 

within the Municipality. 

7.2.1 Strategic directions 

The following strategic directions wash across the 

strategy action areas as outlined above. 

Increasing visitor yield, dispersion and lessening 

seasonality 

• Focus on city accessibility and local amenity to 

potential overnight visitors. 

• Promote to markets appreciative of historic and 

cultural heritage. 

• Promote to markets appreciative of nature 

tourism. 

• Attributes to attract higher yielding visitors with 

less fluctuation in numbers across the week and 

the seasons. 

30 31

• Disperse visitors from the Williamstown hub 

to the key nodes of Altona Beach/Pier Street and 

Newport and via the linear coastal spoke or 

corridor (bike path, beaches and the coastal parks 

stretching from West Gate Bridge to the 

Cheetham Wetlands). 

• Develop market segments, events and product 

experiences that attract people during off peak 

(mid week and low season periods). 

Framework for sustainable tourism 

• Pursue tourism economic development 

opportunities that will not impede the ability of 

future generations to meet their needs and enjoy 

a comparable or better quality of life 

and environment. 

• Develop tourism that considers cultural factors 

and fosters and supports conservation and 

ecologically responsible development. 

• Adopt tourism planning principles that increase 


community. 

Target markets 

• Melbourne – higher yielding day trippers and 




Family Life 








segments. 

7.3 Marketing action plan 

Acronyms 

AET Council’s Art, Events & Tourism Unit 

CWA Capital Works & Assets Unit 

DMI Destination Melbourne Inc 

DSE Department of Sustainability & Environment 

EM Events Management (Unit) 

HBCC Hobson Bay City Council 

HP Human Performance Unit 

PE Planning & Environment Department 

PV Parks Victoria 

PGR Parks, Gardens & Recreation Unit 

TV Tourism Victoria 

UPT Urban Planing & Development Unit 

WMT Western Melbourne Tourism 

Budget is for the 2006/07 year and reflects Council’s 

commitment only. A $ amount in bold represents an 

investment additional to that in the 2006/07 budget 

as of 1 July 2006. A bracketed amount is an estimated 

amount for a nominated year beyond 2006/07. TBA 

is To Be Advised investment cost for a period after 

2006/07. 

H O BSON S B AY FI VE YEA R SU ST AIN AB LE TO U R I S M S TRA TEG Y 

MARKETING 

STRATEGY ACTIONS TARGET 

MARKETS 

STATUS 

PRIORITY 

& 

TIMING 

BUDGET 

POTENTIAL 

FUNDS 

SOURCE 

EXTERNAL MARKETING 

Key objectives: Increase awareness of the destination; enhance destination image and increase visitation, dispersion and yield 

with an emphasis on shoulder and trough periods 

7.3.1 Promote 

destinations & 

themes most 

effective in 

attracting 

target markets. 

7.3.2 Develop 

the brand 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Advertising – bi-annual 

cooperative promotional 

features for Hobsons Bay in 

North East & Eastern 

Melbourne Leader/Fairfax 

Group 

» Evaluate other cooperative 

options including Channel 

31 for 2007/08 co-op 

program & beyond 

Print – maps. (Cross reference 

with 7.4.2 & sites of 

interpretive signage) 

» Reprint & update the 

Williamstown & Hobsons 

Bay official touring map 

» Reprint & update 3 

Heritage Walks DL map 

brochures 

» Include accessibility 

information on maps 

Print – brochures 

» Develop a co-op museums 

flyer with associated map 

or inc. as section in Visitors 

Guide – see following 

» Develop an area visitor’s 

guide based on a 60:40 split 

between Industry & 

Council. Incorporate 

content from above 

maps/brochures as 

practical 

» Launch Autumn 2007 

» See also cooperative 

brochures with Destination 

Melbourne Inc 7.3.3 

Continue to use PR for cost 

effective promotion of the 

destination including 

television holiday shows, 

lifestyle shows etc 

» Use the location register 

for filming opportunities as 

a means of increasing 

destination exposure & link 

with possible Western 

Melbourne Tourism film 

location guide 

Continue to seek out & 

support tourism & media 

industry familiarisations 

Continue to leverage off 

external industry partners 

(Destination Melbourne etc) 

NE & E Melb 

Suburbs 

All markets 

All markets 

All markets 

All markets 

New 

In progress 

New 

New 

In progress 

High 

Commence 

Spring 2007 

& on going 

6 monthly 

High 

2006/07 

High 

2006/07 

High 

commence 

2006/07 

High 

Ongoing 

All markets In progress High 

Ongoing 

($10,000 pa 

commencing 

2007/08) 

$3,000 

$5,000 

Inc in below 

item 

$20,000 

N/A & 

industry inkind 

N/A 

HBCC, 

cooperative 

support from 

industry. Target 

to match 

Council funds 

HBCC, 

cooperative 

opportunity 

HBCC 

HBCC, plus 

cooperative 

opportunity 

Industry inkind 

WHO 

AET, 

industry 

AET, 

industry 

AET, 

museums 

assoc 

AET, 

industry 

AET, 

WMT, 

DM, TV, 

industry 

HBCC, 

industry, 

WMT, 

FINAL DRAFT AUGUST 2006 Page 35 

32 33



MARKETING 


MARKETS 

7.3.3 Develop 

a strong 

internet 

presence. 

7.3.5 Improve 

industry 

cooperative 

marketing 


 

 

& visitor awareness of 

Williamstown to stimulate 

sustainable tourism demand 

for the Hobsons Bay City 

Council area 

» Reinforce brand attributes 

of coastal & maritime with 

contemporary images of 

people, activities, nature & 

infrastructure (rather than 

statues & cannons, for 

example) 

» Communication 

destination messages of 

Hobsons Bay; 

Williamstown – 

Melbourne’s historic 

waterfront village, the 

beachside village of Altona, 

the emerging art scene of 

Newport & the diversity 

of Laverton 

» Review the film/image 

library across Council. 

Improve its coordination. 

Strengthen the images to 

highlight brand attributes 

in all communications & 

promotions 

Scope with industry the 

options for an effective 

internet presence for the 

destination. Conduct a 

workshop including industry, 

Tourism Victoria & 

Destination Melbourne web 

staff & private web provider 

» Investigate options for 

sharing back end data 

across visit victoria site & a 

‘portal’ for Hobsons Bay 

» Encourage Tourism 

Victoria investment in site 

development as a 

demonstration project to 

improve industry 

productivity 

» Include an industry site for 

communication & 

cooperative marketing 

programs etc 

» Launch revamped or new 

site 

Develop an annual 


prospectus for industry & 

community groups involved 

with events, museums etc 

» Include visitor guide, web, 


& Western Melbourne 

STATUS 

New 

PRIORITY 

& 

TIMING 

Medium 

2008/09 

All markets New High 

Commence 

2006 with 

completion 

& launch 

late 2007 

Hobsons Bay 

industry 

New 

High 

Develop 

2006/07 for 

2007/08 

role out 

BUDGET 

POTENTIAL 

FUNDS 

SOURCE 

($10,000) HBCC, 

industry in kind 

$25,000 - 

$45,000 

establishment 

& then $7,000 

pa 

Industry co-op, 

State govt 

grant, HBCC 

WHO 

DM, TV 

AET 

$5,000 HBCC AET, 

industry 

MARKETING 


MARKETS 

7.3.6 Build 

marketing 

leverage 

particularly 

through 

Destination 

Melbourne 

Inc. 

7.3.7 Grow 

cooperative 

marketing 

opportunities 

linked to 

Wyndham & 

Western 

Melbourne 

Tourism Inc. 

7.3.8 Consider 

cooperative 

marketing 

with the City 

of Melbourne 

& other inner 

city councils 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tourism opportunities 

» Launch prospectus with 

significant industry 

function 

Develop a cooperative 

brochure for the ‘not for 

profit’ attractions sector eg 

Railway & Historic Museums 

» Include a detailed location 

map 

Increase the Hobsons Bay 

presence within Destination 

Melbourne Inc. promotions to 

stimulate interstate & overseas 

visitation in particular 

» Facilitate industry 

participation in ‘New 

Melbourne’ campaign in 

Sept 07 

» Commit to full partnership 

program participation 

commencing 2007/08 

Link with Western Melbourne 

Tourism Inc to participate in 

themed print features in 

Melbourne press (eg Herald 

Sun) 

Work with Western 

Melbourne Tourism Inc to 

evaluate the value of the Bay 

West Trail. If positive develop 

a capital works, maintenance 

& promotions plan including 

update of the map & more 

cross promotion with 

Hobsons Bay & Wyndham 

brochures & web sites. 

Include development of Bay 

West interpretative signage 

within 7.4.2 

Investigate cooperative 

marketing with the City of 

Melbourne & with city ring 

Councils (Yarra & Port 

Phillip) for interstate & 

overseas markets 

All visitors 

Interstate, 

O/S & Melb 

Melb, regional 

Vic 

Melb, 

interstate & 

O/S self drive 

Interstate & 

Overseas 

STATUS 

New 

In progress 

New 

New 

New 

PRIORITY 

& 

TIMING 

BUDGET 

POTENTIAL 

FUNDS 

SOURCE 

WHO 

Medium 

2007/08 TBA HBCC AET, 

Museum 

groups 

etc 

High 

Ongoing 

Medium 

2006/07 

Medium 

2008/09 

Low 

2007/08 

$13,750 

($13,750) 

$3,000 

TBA 

HBCC plus 

industry 

support 

1/2 share with 

Wyndham 

Council 

Industry co-op, 

HBCC 

WMT 

HBCC 

AET, 

Wyndham, 

industry 

WMT 

AET 

TBA Industry AET 

EVENTS 

Key objective: Create a year round suite of high quality events aligned to the destination brand attributes that are strongly 

supported by the local community and visitors 

7.3.9 Enhance 

the benefits 

from 

significant 

events 

 

Develop a policy, strategy, 

funding & administrative 

framework that recognises 

events in terms of their 

community, regional & 

potential state wide 

significance 

» Include evaluation & 

performance criteria for 

N/A New High 

2006/07 

TBA 

$92,000 in PE 

budget inc. 

$20,000 in 

AET 

HBCC, State 

grants 

Recommended 

use of external 

resource/consu 

ltant & staff 

resources for 

framework 

PE 

Page 36 

Page 37 

34 35



MARKETING 


MARKETS 

7.3.9.1 

Evaluate 

development 

of a winter 

maritime 

heritage event. 

7.3.9.2 Build 

the reputation 

& visitor 

appeal of the 

Williamstown, 

Bayside & 

Maritime 

Festivals 

7.3.9.3 Build 

reputation for 

cycling & 

cycling events 

7.3.9.4 

Support 

events that 

align with the 

brand strategy 

inc that of 

Melbourne’s 

West 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

funding major events. 

» Clarify Council’s 

administrative 

arrangements (sporting, 

cultural, recreation & 

tourism) with Events 

Management having 

responsibility for strategy 

development & 

implementation 

Scope development of a 

community based event 

building on the maritime 

heritage theme timed for the 

winter months that 

complements the 

Williamstown Festival & the 

Maritime Festivals (see 

following) 

Consider links with themes 

such as traditional pubs & 

music; seafood chowder/ 

food themes 

Integrate with cultural & 

wider historic aspects of the 

community’s heritage. 

Continue to support the 

Williamstown, Bayside & 

Maritime Festivals subject to 

7.3.7 

Strengthen their capacity to 

attract visitation & position 

the area as a must visit 

destination. 

Promote via tourism PR, 

editorial & advertising Festival 

activities that celebrate & 

promote the unique identity 

of Williamstown, inc. its 

seaport setting, maritime 

heritage & activities & the 

area's vibrant community & 

cultural life. 

Continue Councils 

commitment to investment in 

the Sun Tour subject to 7.3.7. 

Link investment with 

Hobsons Bay’s wider 

promotion of healthy lifestyle 

& cycling opportunities 

including the ‘Around the Bay 

in a Day’ event 

Support & promote the ‘Taste 

of the West’ 

Support & promote the Kite 

Surfing event etc 

Targeting all 

Melb, 

interstate & 

O/S already in 

Melb 

Targeting all 

Melb, 

interstate & 

O/S already in 

Melb 

Community 

General Melb 

awareness 

building 

Local & Melb 

cycle segments 

Melbourne, 

Community 

STATUS 

New 

In progress 

In progress 

In progress 

PRIORITY 

& 

TIMING 

Medium 

Mar – June 

2007 for 

winter 2008 

launch 

High 

On going 

Medium 

Ongoing 

High 

Ongoing 

BUDGET 

In kind 

Est.$70,000 

from 

within $92,000 

events budget 

See 7.3.3 

Note $20,000 – 

inc. within 

$92,000 events 

budget 7.3.3 

(Above inc. 

Kite surfing) 

POTENTIAL 

FUNDS 

SOURCE 

development 

Cooperative 

project with 

Victoria Uni & 

Williamstown 

Maritime Assoc 

Inc. 

HBCC, 

Industry & 

community, 

Corporate 

sponsorships, 

State & Federal 

grants 

HBCC 

HBCC, 

sponsorship 

opportunities 

WHO 

AET, Vic 

Uni. 

Maritime 

Assoc 

In assoc 

with 

festival 

committe 

es 

EM 

EM 

VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE 

Key objective: Deliver high standard visitor services that lead to increases in length of stay, visitor expenditure and dispersion 

across the municipality 

7.3.9.5 

Provide a high 

standard 

Visitor 

Information 

Centre service 

 

Continue management of the 

Visitor information Centre 

within the parameters of the 

VIC Business Plan 

» Update the plan annually 

» Strengthen VIC networks 

with the two other Western 

Melbourne VIC’s & 

Federation Square 

including familiarisations 

for Federation Square staff 

» Investigate satellite non 

accredited information 

outlets including Altona 

and Newport 

All visitors 

Community 

In progress 

New 

High 

Ongoing 

Medium 

2007 

$107,000 

INTERNAL MARKETING 

Key objectives: Maintain and further develop community support and active participation in tourism 

7.3.9.6 

Stimulate the 

visiting friends 

& relatives 

market 

 

Local 

residents 

New High 

priority 

2007/08 

onwards 

7.3.9.7 

Provide 

updates on 

Strategy 

 

Increase local residents’ 

awareness of, & pride in, HB 

tourism assets so visiting 

friends & relatives are more 

likely to spend time & money 

in the local area 

» Create an annual tourism 

open day for residents with 

industry opening its doors 

to residents – in off peak 

period 

» Promote through Council 

communications, a poster 

& through local schools 

Use Council’s 

communications to provide 

regular (at least quarterly) 

update on Strategy 

implementation, outputs & 

outcomes 

7.4 Infrastructure action plan 

INFRASTRUCTURE 

Local industry 

& residents 


MARKETS 

New 

STATUS 

High Sept 

06 & 1/4ly 

PRIORITY 

& TIMING 

N/A 

HBCC 

Outlet funded 

($10,000) HBCC, 

Industry in kind 

AET, 

volunteers 

AET 

AET 

N/A N/A AET 

BUDGET 

POTENTIAL 

FUNDS 

SOURCE 


Key objectives: Create high quality tourism infrastructure that builds on the completive tourism strengths of the destination and supports 

sustainable tourism 

7.4.1 Support 

development 

of the 

Maritime 

Heritage 

Precinct 

Actively support development 

of the Maritime Heritage 

Precinct as the major 

opportunity to build on the 

areas competitive positioning as 

Melbourne’s maritime heritage 

activity centre 

Encourage investment in 

commercial business planning 

for the project to maximise the 

sites economic sustainability 

All In progress High 

On going 

(DSE) 

Various public & 

private sources 

inc. commercial 

leases 

WHO 

Maritime 

Assoc, 

DSE, 

HBCC inc 

AET 

Page 38 

FINAL DRAFT AUGUST 2006 Page 39 

36 37






MARKETS 

7.4.2 Provide 

informative 

interpretive & 

directional 

signage to 

maximise 

visitor 

satisfaction & 

dispersion 

across the City 

7.4.3 Support 

infrastructure 

development 

associated 

with the 

coastal 

pathway 

7.4.4 

Encourage 

greater use of 

public & 

water based 

transport by 

visitors 

Continue to facilitate use of the 

facility by the tourism industry 

for events, meetings & 

promotions 

Develop a suite of PR material 

in association with the 

Williamstown Maritime 

Association Inc targeting 

Melbourne print media 

including metro papers & for 

use through DMI & Tourism 

Victoria media units 

Develop a heritage interpretive 

& directional signage plan 

Apply to signage at historic, 

heritage & scenic sites & at key 

access nodes such as the 3 

Williamstown Railway Stations 

& Gem Pier. 

Include specific detailed local 

area maps at the 3 

Williamstown Railway Stations 

& Gem Pier. 

Consider in context with the 

suite of historic walks, the bike 

trails & the Bay West Trail 

Cross reference future maps & 

promotional materials of 

trails/walks with location of 

interpretive signage 

Seek to maximise integration 

(format, design, standard) of 

signage with Parks Victoria, 

DSE & other land managers 

providing directional & 

interpretive signage 

Actively support the pathways 

extension through to Werribee 

Actively support the Hobsons 

Bay Integrated Bicycle Plan 

implementation & provision of 

the Westgate punt 

Actively support allocation of 

resources for the pathways 

ongoing maintenance, 

development & promotion 

Encourage regulated provision 

of peak time mobile food/drink 

provision in remoter sections of 

the pathway such as the western 

end of Altona Beach linked to 

development of ‘super stops’ 

(see Draft Accessible Tourism 

Strategy ) 

Support & promote to visitors 

through the promotions mix 

the options for non car based 

transport access to Hobsons 

Bay 

» Actively support Council’s 

implementation of the 

STATUS 

PRIORITY 

& TIMING 

All markets New High 

2008/09 

Community & 

Melbourne 

walk & cycle 

markets 

In progress 

High 

Ongoing 

All markets In progress High 

Ongoing 

BUDGET 

POTENTIAL 

FUNDS 

SOURCE 

($35,000) HBCC. Possible 

support from 

other land 

managers & via 

State govt. grants 

N/A 

N/A 

HBCC, Parks 

Vic, DSE, 

Cooperative 

opportunity with 

food beverage 

providers linked 

to maps, 

brochures & 

advertising 

WHO 

UPD, AET 

AET, PGR 

TBA 

CWA, AET 


MARKETS 

7.4.5 

Encourage 

provision of 

public 

transport 

linking key 

tourism 

activity 

centres 

7.4.6 Assess 

options for 

improved 

visitor access 

to the Nelson 

Place retail 

precinct 

7.4.7 Support 

investment in 

visitor 

accommodation 

Travel Smart Program 

along the Williamstown 

line rail service; the 

Williamstown Transport 

Study, the Williamstown 

Transport Study & the 

Hobsons Bay Integrated 

Bicycle Plan 

Liaise with the Met to develop 

promotional packages ex CBD 

Promote the boat/rail circular 

journey to Williamstown ex 

CBD through PR, advertising 

editorial & brochures/maps 

Promote bicycle access via the 

Westgate punt ex CDB through 

PR, advertising editorial & 

brochures/maps 

Encourage demand for existing 

public transport linking the key 

tourism activity centres, eg 

Nelson Place with Altona 

Beach/Pier St & the 

development of further services 

Investigate options to improve 

access to Nelson Place by car 

without increasing car parking 

in the immediate area 

» Evaluate a 3 year 

commitment to use the 

Tennix site for car parking 

with a Park & Ride option 

during summer months 

» Evaluate use of the vacant 

waterside site north of the 

tennis courts as a car park 

& walk site 

Continue support for 

accommodation provision 

within the current planning 

framework 

» Specifically encourage 

development of 1) 

branded boutique high end 

accommodation to further 

position the area as a ‘must 

stay’ destination; 2) 

development of a ‘holiday 

village’ for family & small 

groups 

» For 2) include evaluation 

of degraded but well 

located Pines Scout Camp 

managed by Council with 

DSE controls 

STATUS 

In progress 

New 

New 

PRIORITY 

& TIMING 

All markets In progress Medium 

Ongoing 

All self drive 

markets 

All overnight 

markets 

Short term 

trial 

previously 

In progress 

New 

High 

Commencing 

summer 

2006/07 

Medium 

Ongoing 

BUDGET 

N/A 

Evaluation 

N/A 

Est. $6,000 

Park & Ride 

option 

N/A 

POTENTIAL 

FUNDS 

SOURCE 

Met, State govt 

programs 

Boat transport 

providers 

Private sector 

providers 

HBCC, off set 

income from 

parking meter 

revenues 

Private sector, 

DSE 

WHO 

Met, AET 

AET, 

industry 

AET, 

PGR, 

Bicycle Vic 

AET, CWA 

CWA, AET 

PE, AET, 

private 

sector 

Page 40 

Page 41 

38 39



7.5 Product & industry development action plan 

PRODUCT & INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT 


MARKETS 

STATUS 

PRIORITY 

& TIMING 

BUDGET 

POTENTIAL 

FUNDS 

SOURCE 

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT 

Key objectives: Create tourism products and experiences that reinforce the quality, accessibility and interactive nature of the municipality’s 

history, heritage, nature, arts, culture and lifestyle. 

7.5.1 Develop 

the visiting 

friends & 

relatives 

market. 

7.5.2 Facilitate 

increased open 

days for the 

museums. 

7.5.3 

Encourage 

transport 

providers to 

develop 

cooperative 

packages 

7.5.4 

Encourage 

develop of 

special interest 

markets 

See 7.3.9.6 

Continue to encourage 

increased opening hours 

linked to higher visitation 

periods 

» Support strategies based 

on commercial business 

planning to develop the 

appeal of & demand for 

museum visitation 

including investment in 

the Newport Railway 

Workshops & 

consideration of moving 

the Railway Museum into 

the Workshops 

» Continue to facilitate 

cooperation across 

community based 

museums & attractions 

» Actively support opening 

up of the Time Ball 

Tower as a regular 

attraction 

Encourage transport 

providers to develop 

cooperative packages such as 

a rail/ferry pass to stimulate 

demand 

Seek funding to support such 

packages promotion 

Encourage develop of special 

interest packages for niche 

markets 

» Encourage bicycle 

businesses in the City to 

provide bike hire linked 

to promotion of the 

coastal pathway. 

» Encourage demand for 

food & beverage along 

the coastal pathway. 

When updating People, 

Piers & Pelicans Coastal 

Trail map including 

commercial food/drink 

precincts & VIC details 

All markets 

All markets 

excluding 

business 

Niche 

markets 

In progress 

Limited 

activity 

New 

New 

New 

High 

ongoing 

Medium 

200708 

Medium 

2007 

Medium 

ongoing 

N/A 

TBA 

TBA 

N/A 

Inc in PR & 

advertising 

HBCC, 

Sponsorships, 

admissions 

DSE, State govt 

heritage grants 

Government 

grants 

Industry 

Industry co-op 

Page 42 

WHO 

AET, 

Museum 

Assoc 

DSE, PE, 

PGR 

AET, 

industry 

AET, 

PGR, 

industry 

PGR 

PV 



MARKETS 

7.5.6 Work 

with Parks 

Victoria & 

DSE to 

protect & 

promote 

natural assets 

7.5.7 Work 

with Western 

Melbourne 

Tourism Inc 

in product & 

wider tourism 

development. 

7.5.8 Work 

with 

Scienceworks 

 

» Investigate industry 

support for a ‘coastal 

pathway grazing’ event 

linking food/beverage 

providers to 

walkers/cyclists 

» Promote the ‘dogs off 

leads’ areas linked with 

Altona & Williamstown 

eateries as a day outing 

for dog owners 

» Bird watching (both for 

independent visitors & 

through commercial 

operators in association 

with Parks Victoria) 

» Cooperative marketing of 

corporate meetings, 

business & special events 

(subject to industry 

demand) 

» Input into the 

development of the 

management plan for the 

Altona Boat Ramp & Safe 

Harbour with a view to 

development of 

economic benefits the 

visiting fisher market 

» Further support & 

develop sea food product 

experiences such as fresh 

fish sales & sea food 

dining 

» Support art & cultural 

groups in development 

and promotion of 

facilities, events and 

attractions that can attract 

visitors 

Strengthen the connection 

with Parks Victoria & DSE to 

more effectively develop 

cooperative promotions & 

programs to preserve key 

natural assets such as 

Cheetham Wetlands& 

Jawbone Marine Sanctuary 

Continue to work with 

Western Melbourne Tourism 

Inc in facilitating development 

of across council products & 

packages to attract visitors 

into the West of Melbourne 

Encourage industry to work 

with Scienceworks to develop 

day packages for markets 

Community, 

Nature based 

markets 

STATUS 

New 

New 

In progress 

New 

New 

In progress 

In progress 

In progress 

PRIORITY 

& TIMING 

Medium 

2008/09 

Medium 

2008/09 

High 

Ongoing 

Medium 

2008/09 

High 

2006/07 

High 

Ongoing 

High 

Ongoing 

Medium 

Ongoing 

All markets In progress Medium 

ongoing 

Melb group 

tours markets 

– Seniors, 

New 

Low 

2006/07 

BUDGET 

($5,000) 

N/A 

N/A 

($10,000) 

N/A 

N/A 

N/A 

POTENTIAL 

FUNDS 

SOURCE 

Parks Victoria 




Limited co-op 

Page 43 

WHO 

AET, PGR 

NP, PGR, 

AET, 

industry 

AET, 

industry 

PGR, AET 

AET, 

industry 

AET, 

Industry 

AET, arts 

& cultural 

groups 

N/A N/A AET, PV, 

DSE 

$13,000 Project 

dependant 

WMT 

AET 

N/A Industry AET, 

industry 

40 41





MARKETS 

to extend 

activities of 

group markets 

7.5.9 Develop 

disability 

access 

information 

 

 

such as Probus, school & 

family groups. 

Subject to cooperative 

industry support develop a 

coach & group tours manual 

& associated targeted 

distribution 

Continue to develop 

information for people with 

disabilities showing locations 

of facilities backed by 

effective distribution across 

the tourism promotional mix 

including web to tap into a 

growing market that is suited 

to off peak visitation (see also 

Accessible Tourism Strategy 

with Sustainable Tourism 

Strategy) 

schools etc 

Melb, 

interstate & 

O/S disability 

markets 

STATUS 

PRIORITY 

& TIMING 

BUDGET 

POTENTIAL 

FUNDS 

SOURCE 

New 2008/09 ($10,000) Industry, HBCC 

In progress 

High 

On going 

HBCC, State 

grants 

WHO 

AET, 

industry 

AET, 

industry 

INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT 

Key objective: create a strong and cooperative tourism industry that works productively with the community, Council and the 

wider tourism industry and associated agencies 

7.5.9.1 

Support 

industry 

development 

programs & 

training. 

7.5.9.2 

Facilitate 

industry 

networking & 

cooperation 

Through Western Melbourne 

Tourism Inc support tourism 

industry development 

programs & training. 

Through Western Melbourne 

Tourism Inc support its 

representations to the 

Metropolitan Tourism Forum 

for Melbourne inc. advocacy 

& lobbying on behalf of 

industry & local government 

Actively promote to industry 

awareness of good access 

practices at business locations 

& the benefits it provides for 

all parties 

Continue to host a 


members’ meeting 

Host 6 monthly Hobsons 

Bay tourism networking 

functions 

Host 6 monthly forums for 

specific special interest 

groups for fostering 

cooperative effort; raising of 

issues & opportunities 

» Conduct for 

accommodation, 

museums/ attractions, 

events, community & 

trader associations 

Use the industry website as a key 

tool to support cooperative 

endeavour 

Industry In progress High 

Ongoing 

Wider 

Melbourne & 

local industry 

Local industry 

& community 

In progress 

New 

New 

New 

High 

Annual 

High 

6 monthly 

High 

6 monthly 

High 

2007/08 

N/A WMT, industry WMT. 

AET, 

industry 

$2,000 HBCC, Industry 

sponsorship & 

industry in kind 

AET 

7.6 Management, resources & structure action plan 

MANAGEMENT, RESOURCES & STRUCTURE 


MARKETS 

STATUS 

PRIORITY 

& TIMING 

BUDGET 

POTENTIAL 

FUNDS 

SOURCE 

MANAGEMENT 

Key objective: The ongoing roll out and review of the Plan is well managed with the active participation of industry, the 

community and across Council. 

7.6.1 Create 

effective & 

ongoing 

commitment 

to the Strategy 

& its 

implementatio 

n across all 

stakeholders 

7.6.2 Review 

and further 

develop the 

Strategy 

7.6.3 Develop 

a structure 

that underpins 

Strategy 

development 

& effective 

implementatio 

n 

Resources 

7.6.4 Use 

tourism 

generated 

Council 

revenues to 

manage, 

develop & 

market 

Provide regular communication 

to all key stakeholder groups 

through use of Council’s 

communication tools and 

resources and specific 

mechanisms such as forums, 

seminars, group & individual 

meetings & industry website. 

Specific groups to engage in two 

way communication are: 

» Industry & specific sectors 

(see 7.5.8) 

» Community 

» Council 

Provide effective representation 

from the above three groups in 

strategy implementation & 

ongoing development 

Maintain strong alliances with 

Western Melbourne Tourism & 

Destination Melbourne as a 

priority 

Provide a high level of 

accountability for the Strategies 

outputs and outcomes to the 

above three key stakeholder 

groups 

» Provide a 6 monthly 

Sustainable Tourism Strategy 

Outcomes Report 

Use development of the 

Sustainable Tourism Strategy 

Outcomes Report to focus attention 

on reviewing and further 

development of the Strategy 

Conduct a major Strategy review 

2.5 years into implementation 

Further evolve the supportive 

structures for tourism through 

enhancing the capacity for 

industry leadership in partnership 

with Council & the wider 

community – see 7.6.9 

Use tourism generated income 

from parking meters to support 

implementation of sustainable 

tourism strategies 

See 7.6.9 

In 

progress 

New 

New 

New 

High 

ongoing 

High 

Commence 

end 2007 

end 2008 

High 

2006/07 

$80,000 inc. 

salaries, 

admin 

support & 

commun 

ication 

As above 

($10,000) 

See Council 

parking 

meter 

revenues 

HBCC 

HBCC 

Car parking 

visitors 

WHO 

PE, AET 

AET 

PE, AET 

CWA, AET 

Page 44 

Page 45 

42 43






MARKETS 

STATUS 

PRIORITY 

& TIMING 

BUDGET 

POTENTIAL 

FUNDS 

SOURCE 

WHO 


MARKETS 

STATUS 

PRIORITY 

& TIMING 

BUDGET 

POTENTIAL 

FUNDS 

SOURCE 

WHO 

tourism 

aligned with 

the objectives 

of this 

Strategy 

7.6.5 Increase 

industry 

human & 

financial 

investment in 

destination 

leadership, 

marketing & 

development 

7.6.6 

Capitalise on 

resources 

within the 

region through 

organisations 

such as 

Victoria 

University 

7.6.7 Build on 

community 

resource 

support for 

sustainable 

tourism . 

Develop & launch an annual 


prospectus that provides industry 

with an investment tool to invest 

in destination marketing 

Generate stronger industry 

participation & leadership linked 

to providing a City-wide tourism 

& business structure that 

increases business 

communication across the City & 

within individual precincts see 

7.6.9 

Strengthen linkages within the 

region with businesses and 

institutions such Victoria 

University & its excellent tourism 

faculty 

» Develop cooperative 

research & product 

develop projects aligned 

with gaps identified in this 

Strategy 

Continue to work closely with 

Scienceworks 

Provide ongoing support and 

recognition for volunteers with 

the VIC, museums and events 

across the City 

» Provide specific training to 

enhance skills and 

stimulate involvement 

» Use the communication 

and structure actions 

within this Strategy to 

inform & build 

engagement with the wider 

community 

Engage the wider community 

through the communication & 

structural mechanisms outlined in 

this Plan 

Industry New High 

Commence 

2006/07 for 

2007/08 

launch 

Community 

In 

progress 

In 

progress 

High 

Ongoing 

High 

Ongoing 

$3,000 

(subsequ 

ent years as 

online 

document) 

N/A 

($3,000) 

HBCC 

External 

organisations 

HBCC, industry 

in kind 

AET, 

industry 

AET, Vic 

Uni 

Science 

works 

N/A Community AET, 

commmu 

nity 

out of the 

Tourism 

Strategy and 

its ongoing 

development 

7.6.9.1 

Strengthen 

geographic, 

business & 

other tourism 

communities 

of interest 

ongoing development. 

» Representation to include: 

2 Councillors, 1 Rep from 

each Traders’ Association, 

1 community Rep, 

1Scienceworks Rep, 1 Rep 

accommodation sector, 1 

Western Melb Tourism 

Rep, 1 Tourism Victoria 

Rep & 1 Parks Vic/DSE 

Rep 

» Consider appointment of 

an industry Chair to foster 

industry leadership 

» Develop Tourism Action 

Groups under the 

Committee as well as the 

Traders Groups to 

implement specific actions 

& projects & to broaden 

participation. 

Support development of 

communities of geographic 

interest (Altona, Williamstown, 

Laverton & Newport) through 

the four Traders groups & 

through involvement in Strategy 

implementation & development 

through representation on the 

Council tourism committee 

Support communities of business 

& other interest in tourism 

through the Council tourism 

committee, through the 

communication and engagement 

strategies within this document 

Industry, 

community 

& Council 

In 

progress 

High 

On going 

$65,000 for 

local traders 

assoc 

HBCC, limited 

scope for 

corporate 

sponsorship. 

Income from 

membership, 

fees, services, 

events etc 

AET, 

industry 

7.6.8 

Revaluate the 

human 

resources 

required to 

drive the 

Strategy 

Analyse & adjust as necessary the 

position description for the 

tourism function within Arts, 

Events & Tourism 

» Also consider the Strategy’s 

impact on administrative 

resources within the Unit 

New 

High 

2006 

Est. $10,000 

pa 

commencin 

g 

2007/08 

HBCC 

HP 

STRUCTURE 

7.6.9 Evolve a 

City-wide 

committee 

structure to 

oversight role 

Use the Council tourism 

committee for development of 

this Strategy as the basis for the 

structure to oversight the 

Strategy’s implementation & 

Industry, 

community 

& Council 

In 

progress 

High 2006 N/A HBCC PE 

Page 46 

Page 47 

44 45

FINAL DRAFT 1 AUGUST Page 49 

Appendices 


APPENDICES 


OPPORTUNITIES 

THREATS 

Attachment 1. SWOT matrix 

STRENGTHS 

Significant transport heritage – maritime in 

Williamstown, military aviation in Point Cook, 

railway in Newport 

Community support for sustainable tourism 

Shire tourism commitment 

Strong bike path network 

Metropolitan rail network; stations conveniently 

located near major attractions: Scienceworks, 

Nelson Bay precinct & Altona Beach 

Coastal location & panoramic waterfront vistas 

from Williamstown & Altona 

Significant wetlands & open spaces 

Fishing 

Bike/walk trail network 

Village feel- local authenticity 

‘Enchanting & diverse’- enchanting because of 

the village feel & diverse there are a lot of 

hidden treasures 

Bay West Trail Scenic Drive 

WEAKNESSES 

Strong association with petrochemical industries, 

inc visibility from Geelong Road 

Lack of overnight visitors/accommodation – 

dependence on lower yielding day trip visitors 

Lack of accommodation – boutique & budget 

Affordable water access and viable system 

No brand identity – no theme to region – area 

has no defined ‘personality’ 

Lack of connectivity of region – difficult to get 

from area to area 

Paucity of destination marketing 

Market is first thing visitors see if they arrive by 

ferry – it is an embarrassment 

Not delivering on historical/maritime links – 

spasmodic opening times & inconsistency of our 

‘tourism’ offer 

Signage around area is not linked or coordinated 

Some signposting in Nelson Place not reflecting 

heritage values 

Parking 

Not a professional tourism focus – small village 

mentality 

Increasing lack of casual moorings. 

Standard of some of the food & beverage 

offerings/service 

The major shipbuilding yard & radio training 

installation present an unattractive view adjacent 

to the Williamstown Maritime Precinct. 

Use the natural attributes of open spaces & the 

history & heritage to craft an integrated strategy, 

recognising the sustainability issues & role of 

community 

Altona Bay precinct for tourism dispersion 

Destination marketing through alliances, eg 

Destination Melbourne & neighbouring councils 

Funding via special levies, eg parking fees 

Better coordination & predictably of transport 

services 

Accommodation – boutique & budget 

Conference market 

Integrate HB experience with the selling of 

Melbourne experience & increasing CBD 

operator understanding of HB product 

Parking at Knights Slipway (approx 150 spaces) 

Fast ferry option from Port Melbourne linked to 

light rail 

Activities 

Interesting & relevant tours (walking/bus/ferry) 

to capitalise on Williamstown maritime precinct 

Bike hire packages, inc with boat/train options 

& on Melbourne side 

Group tours into museums by qualified guides 

outside normal opening hours 

Online 

Develop themes around ‘enchanting & diverse’, 

inc sub-regions: Williamstown – maritime 

heritage, live theatre & the bay trails; Newport – 

railway heritage, art galleries, wetlands; Altona – 

museums, seaside art; Laverton – aviation 

heritage 

Provide high end products at Pelican Landing 

for promoting the region. 

Parking revenue as ‘tourism tax’ 

EPA testing site for tourism potential 

Triathlon, swimming, nippers & sailing & bike 

riding/racing events 

Promote off peak cycle use of Coastal Trail 

Boat trailer parking fee levels for visitors to 

enable further investment in facilities 

Off leash dog areas with added value chargeable 

opportunities, eg grooming, washing, coffee 

carts. 

Council ‘access for all’ strategy 

Too much tourism in popular spots – traffic & 

overcrowding; resident backlash, eg feeling 

uncomfortable in their ‘own backyard’. 

Continued growth in peak times could threaten 

sustainability 

Growing competitive pressures from other 

Melbourne precincts diminish commercial 

viability of tourism & related hospitality 

businesses 

Increasing land values contribute to making 

tourism & hospitality businesses less attractive 

Major industrial emergencies 

Loss of heritage assets 

Reduction in public transport services & 

diminishing coordination of services 

Diminishing volunteer base servicing for eg the 

VIC and museums 

Community role in tourism not fostered 

Tourism industry apathy towards cooperative 

endeavour 

Diminishing resources to support & implement 

an integrated & tourism plan for sustainable 

tourism 

FIRST DRAFT Page 48 

46 47



Attachment 2. Literature review 

A1. State strategies 

Victoria’s Tourism Industry Strategic Plan 2002–2006. Tourism Victoria. 

SYNOPSIS &/OR KEY FINDINGS 

The Plan is now subject to updating but 

provides key strategic tourism parameters 

of relevance for the Hobsons Bay Tourism 

Plan 

The Plan also highlights the social & 

environment contribution of tourism. The 

Plan outlines Tourism Victoria’s strategies 

to target the higher end market segments 

attracted by Melbourne’s sophisticated 

lifestyle & Victoria’s compact diversity. 

The Plan indicates the trend to shorter 

breaks will continue & marketing of 

Melbourne will increasingly to on a 

Melbourne & surrounds approach. 

Destination Melbourne Inc. represents the 

interests of Melbourne’s tourism industry. 

Destinations including villages will become 

the marketing focus rather than regions. 

Key Victorian product strengths identified 

are: 

Food & wine 

Nature based 

Alpine/Ski 

Arts, theater & cultural heritage 

Backpackers 

Shopping 

Touring 

Accommodation 

Golf 

Events 

COMMENT 

The Plan highlights the challenges Melbourne suburban 

tourism destinations have within the State tourism planning 

framework. The Plan focuses on Melbourne as the key 

driver of (tourism) business but, unlike the regional areas, 

does not provide an associated development framework in 

which Councils such as Hobsons Bay can comfortably sit 

(Note: following the draft Melbourne Metro Strategy 2006 

which goes towards addressing these issues). 

The Plan highlights the opportunities for tourism in 

Hobsons Bay to leverage off major Melbourne events; the 

interstate short breaks markets & sustainable growth from 

the inbound market 

The roles of Destination Melbourne Inc (leisure markets) & 

the Melbourne Convention & Visitors Bureau (conference 

market) are identified as key structures. 

Tourism Victoria Draft Melbourne Metro Strategy 2005. 


metropolitan municipalities are able to apply for funding 

through the program. Once this has been determined, it 

should be communicated to local government & other 

relevant stakeholders. 

Recommendation 9.1: Metropolitan Tourism Forum (2005) 

– 

Destination Melbourne Limited to facilitate a forum for 

metropolitan Melbourne tourism stakeholders in late 2005 

(resourcing/responsibilities to be determined), with 

assistance from Tourism Victoria. Discussions could be 

focused on several of the issues detailed in this discussion 

paper, as well as some case studies of tourism best practise 

in the metropolitan region. It is important to ensure that 

discussions are two-way between metropolitan council 

representatives & DML / Tourism Victoria. 

Possible forum agenda: 

1. Destination Melbourne Limited & Tourism Victoria: roles / 


2. Council feedback: future direction for the metropolitan 

industry. 

3. Metropolitan Melbourne Tourism Action Plan. 

4. Other issues for consideration: 

- Tourism Alliance Victoria (tourism development 

support through workshops, planning etc) 

- Visitor Servicing: Melbourne VIC (display 

policies, display / training opportunities) 

- Partnerships / Alliances (possible case studies: 

WMT, NACC, Valley of the Arts) 

- Tourism levy (possible case studies: Port 

Phillip, Stonington, Ballarat) 

Recommendation 9.2: Ongoing Communication - Tourism 

Victoria & Destination Melbourne Limited to assess the 

need for ongoing forums / workshops for metropolitan 

stakeholders in order to facilitate communication & 

collaboration, & determine the role of each organisation in 

these activities. (See recommendation 4.2). 

COMMENT 

through the CVEP funding program. 

Lobby for regular forums between metro 

councils investing in tourism & 

Destination Melbourne Limited & 

Tourism Victoria. 

Tourism Victoria Draft Melbourne Metro Strategy 2005. 


Destination Melbourne Limited, with Tourism Victoria, to 

consider developing new packages or allowing more 

flexibility in current packages (e.g. partnership approach) to 

cater for various metropolitan stakeholders. 

Melbourne VIC & other metropolitan VIC’s should 

consider formalising a VIC staff training program. 

Tourism Victoria to include metropolitan stakeholders in the 

development of the Experience Organiser program, 

depending on the outcome of the pilot study. 

Tourism Alliance Victoria & Tourism Victoria to clarify the 

guidelines for CVEP funding & determine which 

COMMENT 

Lobby Destination Melbourne Limited, 

with Tourism Victoria, to develop new 

packages & allow more flexibility in 

current packages (e.g. partnership 

approach) to cater for Hobsons Bay & 

other metropolitan stakeholders. 

Lobby for Melbourne VIC & other 

metropolitan VIC’s to arrange a 

formalised VIC staff training program. 

Lobby Tourism Alliance Victoria & 

Tourism Victoria to support funding 

Victorian Coastal Strategy 2002. 


Altona Boat Ramp designated one of three Regional Boat 

Ramps in Port Phillip Bay (Patterson River & Rye the others). 

Description/Definition Types of Facility Criteria for a Regional 

Boating Facility. 

It will either provide a range of services & facilities at one 

location (eg at a harbour or marina), or be one regional facility 

such as a regional boat ramp that due to its size provides for a 

large catchment. Regional Boat Ramps, Marinas, Maintenance 

& 

Services Facilities, Harbours. 

A high level of significance that provides a boating 

COMMENT 

Despite being only 1 of 3 regional boating 

facilities in Port Phillip there is virtually no 

‘value added’ services creating economic & 

employment benefits. 

Investigate options for maintenance, storage 

& servicing facilities. 



48 49



Victorian Coastal Strategy 2002. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


destination 

A high level of investment as a key boating activity centre 

An exceptional level of service provision that caters for a 

wide range of boating activity & skill levels 

Provision of a safe harbour 

Serves a wide catchment area, with an even spatial 

distribution, at major population centres 

All tide access is provided. 

Public access to the facility & coastal environment is 

provided. 

Is a key boating destination within the network. 

Draft Boating Coastal Action Plan (CAP). January 2006. 


The primary outcome from implementation of the Boating 

CAP will be a network of boating facilities in 2030 that reflects 

the needs of the community, both now & in the future. 

Strategic Priorities for the Boating CAP: 

Improving the level of service & efficiency of existing 

facilities; 

Achieving the future role of a facility in the boating hierarchy; 

Adding value to the boating network through the provision 

of new facilities; & 

Decommissioning redundant or poorly sited facilities. 

Eight Region wide themes: 

Network of Boating facilities 

Sustainable Development 

Boating Safety & Standards 

Balancing Demand for Coastal Space 

Accessibility & Equity 

Management of Boating Facilities 

Maintenance 

Investment Priority 

Victorian boat ownership profile: 

Victoria has approximately 155,000 boat registrations (2005), 

with a ratio of 1:32 per capita. 

More than half of the registered boats in Victoria are based in 

the central coastal region. 

Marine Safety Victoria statistics from 1998 to 2005 show a 

steady increase in boat registrations of around 3% per 

annum. 

Over the last 10 years (1994 to 2005) there has been a 20.8% 

increase in boat registrations. 

There are 93 registered Yacht Clubs. 

COMMENT 

COMMENT 

The Boating Plan indicates a steady rise in 

boating activity & facilities demand of 

around 3% pa putting more demand on 

Hobsons Bay boating facilities. 

The sustainable development & investment 

priorities of the draft plan provide rational 

for enquiry into opportunities for Hobsons 

Bay to better ‘value add’ from recreational 

boating in the City 

Opportunity with Council’s development of 

the management plan for the Altona Boat 

Ramp and Safe Harbour to factor in options 

for increasing the economic benefits to be 

derived from the visiting fisher market. Also 

consider opportunities for a seafood café, 

restaurant or seafood market 

Draft Boating Coastal Action Plan (CAP). January 2006. 


An estimated 98% of recreational boats are trailerable, 

placing considerable pressure on boat ramps. Of those boats 

that are required to be registered, open type boats are 

presently the most popular & common. 

The vast majority (over 87%) of registered boats in 2001 are 

less than 5.5 metres, with over 44% being less than 4.0 

metres. 

The size of boats is generally getting larger. 

Direct expenditure on boating for 1998 was approximately 

$880 million, equating to approximately $6,800 per boat. 

P 83. Description & analysis of North Port Phillip Boating 

Area 

In the Altona area, the existing boat launching facility is one of 

the best in the State & fulfils an important regional function. 

Previous studies at Altona Pier have evaluated potential for 

ferry access, but this was discounted as there was insufficient 

demand & the pier itself is exposed & unsuitable for ferry 

berthing. The Altona boat ramp has ongoing dredging issues, 

while reconfiguration of the foreshore car parking area may 

provide some benefits & reduce current conflicts between 

boating & other activities. 

There are a variety of small marinas & boating facilities at 

Williamstown, mostly privately run & in various states of 

repair. Williamstown historically has been a boating suburb & 

will continue to support a variety of yacht clubs & marinas 

located amongst industry & other recreational uses. 

The layout of existing facilities at Williamstown is not efficient 

& many berths are in poor condition, particularly when 

compared with the berths at Docklands, which are new & 

make efficient use of the water areas. Recent planning work has 

aimed to address this issue. 

ACTIONS 

Prepare brief for liaison group within the State Marine 

Precinct at Yarra/Williamstown & facilitate first meeting – 

ACTION BY: Central Coastal Board – priority medium. 

Investigate the potential to increase the efficiency of the 

Altona Boat Ramp area, including minimising the cost of 

dredging the access channel & improved car parking layout at 

the foreshore area – ACTION BY: Hobsons Bay Council – 

priority high. 

COMMENT 

Victoria’s Arts, Theatre & Cultural Heritage Tourism Plan 2002–2006. Tourism Victoria. 


This Plan puts emphasis on the growth of mutually beneficial 

partnerships between arts, cultural heritage & tourism 

COMMENT 

The Plan provides important but general 

guidance in the development & marketing 



50 51



Victoria’s Arts, Theatre & Cultural Heritage Tourism Plan 2002–2006. Tourism Victoria. 


industries. 

Key objectives of specific interest for the development of the 

Hobsons Bay Plan inc. 

Objective 3: 

Product Development 

Assist arts & cultural heritage industries develop 

product that is appropriate & competitive within 

national & international markets. 

Assist arts & cultural heritage organisations & operators 

develop tourism friendly product for appropriate domestic 

& international markets. 

Encourage tour operators & product to further combine 

Victoria’s arts & cultural heritage product with 

complementary strengths eg: combining food & wine based 

experiences with visits to galleries. 

Objective 5: Marketing 

Identify suitable marketing opportunities to raise 

awareness & tourism visitation to arts & cultural 

heritage product nationally & internationally. 

Further develop & expand the arts & cultural heritage 

component of the Tourism Victoria website. 

Continue to produce & review target markets & distribution 

for the ‘Official Victoria & Melbourne Cultural Guide’. 

Ensure the inclusion of arts & cultural heritage tourism 

product in familiarisations itineraries & PR material. 

Conduct arts & cultural heritage familiarisations for 

intrastate, interstate & international media. 

A2. Regional strategies 

COMMENT 

of Hobsons Bay arts & cultural heritage 

‘product’ for the tourism market. 

Tourism Victoria does recognise the value 

& importance of this product & can 

provide limited support in the 

development of product for the market 

place 

The plan encourages the packaging of 

product such as galleries & dining 

experiences 

The Plan highlights the importance of 

using the official Tourism Victoria web 

site & the Melbourne Cultural Guide for 

promotion & the possibility of leveraging 

off tourism Victoria PR & familiarisations 

Western Region Economic Development Organisation. Western Melbourne Region Tourism Strategy. Urban 

Enterprises Pty Ltd. May 2002. 


Tourism vision for Western Melbourne: 

Building on existing product strengths 

Development of a strong tourism organisation 

Establishment of strong & broadly based relationships, 

within the industry via cooperative marketing, coordination 

of product development & familiarisations 

Facilitate effective local tourism organisations 

Increasingly industry driven industry 

Widespread community support & understanding of tourism 

Infrastructure along Maribyrnong River, Werribee South & 

Williamstown foreshore 

Improvements to infrastructure supporting major attractions 

& event venues to increase capacity 

Increase in capital investment in tourism product & 

infrastructure with a target of $250 million in expenditure 

COMMENT 

Strategy provided an excellent overview 

of western Melbourne’s tourism assets & 

identified a range of good strategy & 

structural objectives for tourism 

Limited capacity to take specific data 

from the Strategy to apply in this Plan 

particularly given the lapse in time; 

subsequent development of regional 

tourism in the West & local tourism 

planning 

Western Region Economic Development Organisation. Western Melbourne Region Tourism Strategy. Urban 

Enterprises Pty Ltd. May 2002. 


over the next 10 years 

Victorian market recognition of region’s natural attractions 

& beauty & as a desirable place to visit 

Increase off peak visitation 

Target of 50% increase in overnight visitors over 10 years 

Balanced tourism development recognising environmental & 

heritage values 

Link to strategic alliances & partnerships strategy 

City of Melbourne Tourism Plan 2006–2010. (In development stage) 


Background to the Plan. The City of Melbourne is home to 

people from more than 100 countries, & hosts an impressive 

calendar of international events. 

The municipality has more than 60,000 residents, more than 

12,500 businesses & more than 327,000 workers. The 

municipality covers 36.5km2 & includes the central business 

district, 11 suburbs & precincts, three major watercourses, 

315km of roads & 507ha of parkland. 

The City of Melbourne has a key role in the development of 

tourism policy, strategy & services that make Melbourne an 

exciting & vibrant destination for visitors from greater 

Melbourne, regional Victoria, interstate & overseas. 

In June 2004, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was 

signed between five key tourism agencies in Melbourne – City 

of Melbourne, Destination Melbourne, Melbourne Convention 

& Visitors Bureau (MCVB), Tourism Victoria & the Victorian 

Major Events Company (VMEC). This MOU is the basis for 

the Melbourne Tourism Action Plan (MTAP). 

The aim of the MTAP is to reach agreement on the roles of the 

various agencies in developing tourism in Melbourne & 

provides a framework for communication & coordination. 

Tourism Melbourne 

Tourism Melbourne, located within the Melbourne Marketing 

& Tourism Branch of the City of Melbourne, aims to provide 

policy advice, develop strategies for tourism in the city & is the 

key provider of tourism information in Melbourne. Tourism 

Melbourne delivers a variety of services aimed at providing 

visitors with personalised information to ensure an enjoyable & 

fulfilling experience. 

Tourism Melbourne is dedicated to enhancing Melbourne's 

local & international reputation as a friendly, welcoming & 

COMMENT 

COMMENT 

Important for Hobsons Bay Plan to 

integrate with (& articulate) the 

opportunities as per the City of 

Melbourne Plan. 

Near parallel timing of development of 

the two plans is potentially advantageous 

for Hobsons Bay. 

Important Tourism Melbourne 

marketing is coordinated through 

DMI with Hobsons Bay having input 

into DGI strategy. Essential there is 

efficiency in promoting Melbourne 

experiences & areas outside the City of 

Melbourne. inc. Hobsons Bay eg Official 

Melbourne Visitor Guide (summer) does 

little to educate the reader as to Hobsons 

Bay – Williamstown nor access to it 

Opportunity to strengthen linkages of 

Williamstown VIC with City of 

Melbourne VIC network – staff families, 

data exchange; cross promotions, data 

bases, coop buying etc. 

Opportunity to work with City of 

Melbourne in development of product 

& experiences; eg water based with 

coordinated support of existing operators; 

packaging & new product opportunities 

Opportunity for cooperative development 

of research methodologies & projects to 

strengthen Hobsons Bay consumer 

profile data including visitor needs 

analysis. 



52 53



City of Melbourne Tourism Plan 2006–2010. (In development stage) 


culturally diverse city with a vibrant tourism industry. As the 

gateway to regional Victoria, Tourism Melbourne helps to 

promote all points of metropolitan Melbourne & regional 

Victoria. 

A range of visitor & information services are provided. These 

include: 

The Melbourne Visitor Centre 

City Ambassador Program 

Cruise ship meet & greet program 

Town Hall tours 

As the demand for services increases & the tourism market 

becomes more global & complex, a comprehensive strategy is 

needed to address current issues & ensure that visitors in the 

future have an exciting, engaging & seamless visit to 

Melbourne. 

The City of Melbourne Tourism Plan will also address issues of 

funding for tourism activities & services, research, marketing, 

industry leadership & product development. 

The Plan will provide a framework & specific actions to 

address the challenges & issues identified. 

Timelines 

External consultations will take place in early 2006. It is 

anticipated that a draft of the City of Melbourne Tourism Plan 

will be available in April & the final Plan will be completed by 

June 2006. A draft of the Plan will not be released until the 

internal & external consultation process is complete. 

COMMENT 

Tourism Plan for Melbourne’s Waterfront. 2003. 

TThttp://www.tourismvictoria.com.au/images/assets/All_PDFs/waterfront_full_report.pdf. 


The Tourism Plan for Melbourne’s Waterfront provides strategic 

direction for the development & marketing of Melbourne’s 

Waterfront leading up to, & immediately beyond, the 

Commonwealth Games. 

A vision statement for Melbourne’s Waterfront is described as: 

“Melbourne’s Waterfront will be Melbourne’s focal meeting place & prime 

leisure precinct, 

offering internationally renowned high quality experiences in a vibrant & 

appealing environment”. 

The key recommendations of the Plan include: 

Establishing two co-ordination groups to be responsible for the 

marketing & operational management of the Waterfront. 

Developing a phased marketing campaign for Melbourne’s 

COMMENT 

The Plan highlights the increasing 

competition in Melbourne for the 

provision of water side leisure & 

tourism experiences & the related 

increased pressure on Hobsons Bay 

businesses & experiences gaining 

custom from these markets 

The plans reference to the 

introduction of joint-ticketing 

arrangements between different 

modes of transport operators & 

development of an integrated water 

transport network which links 

Tourism Plan for Melbourne’s Waterfront. 2003. 

TThttp://www.tourismvictoria.com.au/images/assets/All_PDFs/waterfront_full_report.pdf. 


Waterfront. 

Improving the existing product & visitor experience throughout 

& along the Waterfront. 

Resourcing & funding for implementation of the plan. 

Reviewing & monitoring the plan to assess achievement & to 

identify issues. 

Of specific note is objective 9 (page 18) 

‘To establish a world-class integrated transport system of existing 

modes (water taxis, trains & trams), which services the needs of 

residents, business people, employees & visitors to Melbourne’s 

Waterfront area’. 

Strategy 9a: ‘Interconnect the existing modes of land & waterbased 

transport to enhance services & connections, which 

facilitates greater visitor dispersal’ 

ACTIONS 

Introduction of joint-ticketing arrangements between different 

modes of transport operators as recommended in the Yarra River 

Precinct Marketing & Improvement Plan. (Of particular relevance to 

this action is the Parks Victoria Two Rivers associated Project 

Brief – Berthing & Licensing Regime.) 

Develop an integrated water transport network for visitors that 

links Melbourne’s central waterfront area, Maribyrnong River, 

Williamstown, St. Kilda & Port Phillip Bay as indicated in the 

Places for Everyone report. 

A3. Local strategies 

Hobsons Bay Municipal Strategic Statement 


The MSS promotes growth & economic development, 

encouraging diversity in housing stock, increases the 

availability of affordable housing, increases the choice for 

the aged, rejuvenation of activity centres, enhance built 

form & the public realm through improved urban design 

protection & enhance open space within the municipality. 

Amendment C56 proposes to replace the existing 

Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS) with a new MSS at 

Clause 21, which updates the Profile of the City & the 

Region to reflect recent socio-demographic & land use 

changes. This will take place during the first half of 2006. 

The revised structure of the MSS is based around the 

broad decisions that Council needs to make in considering 

an application: 

• Is the land use appropriate? 

• Is the built form appropriate? 

• Are the impacts on the natural environment 

COMMENT 

Melbourne’s central waterfront area, 

Maribyrnong River, Williamstown, St. 

Kilda & Port Phillip Bay needs strong 

support from Hobsons Bay & from 

within the Hobsons Bay Tourism Plan 

COMMENT 

Takes a holistic approach & provides a key 

reference point for development of the 

Tourism Plan 



54 55



Hobsons Bay Municipal Strategic Statement 


acceptable? 

• Have traffic & transport issues been properly 

addressed? 

• Have impacts on infrastructure been considered? 

The revised document will ensure that Council’s current 

objectives, strategies & policies are adequately contained 

in the MSS & Local Policies, & that they are expressed in 

plain English. The amendment also re-numbers the local 

planning policies in Clause 22 & makes minor changes to 

wording of these policies & introduces a new local 

planning policy for Outdoor Advertising Signage at Clause 

22.06. 

The amendment is not expected to have any significant 

detrimental effect on the environmental, social & 

economic issues within the municipality. 

Hobsons Bay City Plan 2005–2008. 


2005 – 2009 Strategic Objectives 

A triple bottom Line approach focuses on achieving best 

practice by balancing economic, social & environmental goals 

& accomplishments. The purpose of this is to ensure the 

future sustainability of the municipality. 

Key Strategic Objective: Civic Pride, Economic 

Development & Tourism 

Our Goal: To deliver on our tourism potential, foster community pride, 

& stimulate employment & investment opportunities. 

Strategies identified for 2005~2009: 

Promote & support sustainable economic development & 

tourism opportunities that benefit the City & the local 

community. 

Encourage & support initiatives that create high value 

employment opportunities. 

Build tourism potential by capitalising on Hobsons Bay’s 

natural assets 

Promote & enhance community pride & sense of 

belonging. 

Promote the artistic & cultural life of the City. 

Prepare & implement the Urban Design Frameworks for 

the activity centres & gateways within the Municipality. 

Strategic Indicators 

Unemployment levels reduced within the Municipality. 

Improve the community satisfaction rating for Economic 

Development from 62 to 64. 

Improve the community satisfaction rating for Appearance 

of Public Areas from 66 to 68. 

Key Strategic Objective: Environment 

COMMENT 

COMMENT 

Highlights Tourism Plans need to support 

jobs growth objective for Hobsons Bay 

Triple bottom line considerations are 

essential in strategy development 

Plan needs to promote & reinforce the 

value of the natural & heritage assets as 

well as the artistic & cultural strengths of 

the community 

Plan must be aligned to community values 

Plan must align with the urban design 

frameworks being developed 

Key identified tourism related assets inc. 

Vibrant communities with own unique 

character. 

Historic seaport of Williamstown & 

heritage buildings. 

Over 20 km of beaches & foreshore areas. 

Significant coastal wetlands, five creek 

systems, remnant native grasslands & 

important flora & fauna habitats. 

Hobsons Bay City Plan 2005–2008. 


Our Goal: To maintain & enhance the natural & built environment for 

today & future generations. 


Enhance the urban environment through the greening of 

the Municipality. 

Protect our natural environment & move towards more 

sustainable use of resources. 

Provide a quality open space network across the 

municipality & promote our unique coastal parklands. 

Ensure environmentally responsible & effective waste 

management & recycling practices. 

Strategic indicators (of specific relevance) 

Increase the number of street trees planted by 20%. 

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20%. 

Plant approximately 1,200 trees in Hobsons Bay in 2005/06 

including approximately 600 in Seabrook & Altona 

Meadows. 

Key Strategic Objective: Planning & Development 

Our Goal: Protect existing neighbourhood character & ensure 

appropriate future development. 


Manage increased growth & development & ensure our 

strategies reflect heritage values & neighbourhood 

character. 

Appropriately manage the implementation of Melbourne 

2030. 

Strategic indicators (of specific relevance) 

Improve the community satisfaction rating for Town 

Planning Policy & Approvals from 58 to 59. 

Hobsons Bay Activity Centres Strategy. March 2006. 


The Strategy concludes that the following Hobsons Bay activity 

centre classifications by Melbourne 2030 are appropriate while 

noting the 2030 definitions have deficiencies in application at 

the Council level. 

Major Centres 

Altona Gate (including the “Millers Road 16 shops”), Pier 

Street Altona Beach & Williamstown Central. 

Neighbourhood Centres 

Aviation Road Laverton, Central Square Altona Meadows, 

Barrack Square Altona North, Harrington Square Altona, 

Newport Junction Spotswood, The Circle Altona & 

Williamstown Range 

COMMENT 

COMMENT 

Highlights opportunities for increased 

demand for strip centres 

Specific centres identified providing 

hospitality/retail opportunity are 

Central Williamstown (Douglas Pde & 

Ferguson St). 

Newport. 

Pier St Altona. 

These three centres provide a core nodes for 

the Tourism Plans retail related hospitality 

focus 

The Strategy indicates that visitors are an 

important ‘value add’ for the retail sector: 

Hobsons Bay workers & visitors each 



56 57



Hobsons Bay Activity Centres Strategy. March 2006. 


The following centres are essential local nodes limited to small 

groups of shops: 

Challis Street Newport, Somers Parade Altona. Vernon 

Street South Kingsville. 

Laverton Village is considered virtually nonfunctional & best 

addressed as part of a broader urban & community renewal 

program. 

Qualifications - the Strategy suggests the above classifications 

should not be regarded as a classification template but provides 

very general guidance when assessing particular development 

proposals. 

The following priority order for structure planning is provided: 

First Priority – 2006 

Williamstown Central, Millers Road Altona North Activity 

spine. 

These are the highest priority because Williamstown is under intense 

development pressure with much heritage at stake; while the Millers Road 

precinct will grow & urgently needs overall planning as a precinct. 

Second Priority – 2006 

Aviation Road Laverton 

This centre is not under development pressure but exhibits some of the 

worst planning problems of any centre in Hobsons Bay & deserves 

attention. 

Third Priority – 2006-2008 

Central Square, Harrington Square, Spotswood, The Circle 

These centres are not under development pressure but deserve attention over 

time. 

Centres for monitoring & review 

Newport Junction & Vernon Street 

These centres are adjacent to large redevelopment sites that may influence 

their future; & a watching brief should be maintained. 

Structure planning not required: 

Challis Street Newport, Pier Street Altona Beach – detailed 

structure plan already complete. 

Somers Parade Altona & Williamstown Range. 

Hobsons Bay Economic & Tourism Development Plan. 1996. 


The aim of the 1996 Plan was to develop an economic development 

plan which provides Council & community with strategies & actions 

which assist in strengthening & broadening the economic base of the City 

of Hobsons Bay so that the following key benefits of economic activity are 

COMMENT 

account for approximately 10% of total retail 

expenditure in Hobsons Bay. 

The Strategy indicates that 60% of visitors to 

Nelson Place are from outside Hobsons Bay. 

This statistic reinforces its position as the 

key retail/hospitality hub in Hobsons Bay. 

The Strategy recommends a range of public 

transport improvements for Hobsons Bay of 

relevance to the Tourism Plan. 

New railway station at Williamstown 

West. 

Extend zone 1 fare at least to Aircraft 

Station. 

Review bus services. 

Improve water transport between 

Williamstown, Altona, Port Melbourne, St 

Kilda & Docklands for both commuters 

& tourism. 

Investigate feasibility of light rail. 

The water transport improvements refer to 

recommendations in the Western Bay 

Waterfront Tourism Strategy identifying Pier St 

Altona as a major tourism destination & 

waterfront node with potential for ferry 

services to Melbourne. 

Issues with existing services into 

Williamstown are indicated as: 

Lack of docking at Port Melbourne. 

Parking at Williamstown. 

Type of water craft used in relation to 

water conditions. 

Fare levels. 

COMMENT 

Plan established Council’s role in 

facilitating tourism development, visitor 

services & planning for tourism. 

Plan lacked implementation, coordination 

Hobsons Bay Economic & Tourism Development Plan. 1996. 


provided to the local communities – new employment, increased viability of 

existing industrial & commercial enterprises & increased rate income 

The tourism challenge was outlined as: 

Utilise the attractive power of Williamstown to generate or 

focus new tourism industries in other locations in the City 

Effectively manage the potential of Williamstown by 

addressing its problematic constraints 

The Plan outlined the positioning/themes as: 

History/maritime. 

Beautiful scenery/vistas. 

Product diversity/plenty of things to see & do (culture, 

education, nature, bay). 

Lifestyle (dining, shopping, passive recreation). 

“All year round”, easily accessible & strategic bay 

destination 

Opportunities were identified as: 

Leading year round bay side destination. 

Clear market poisoning. 

Improve yield & smooth seasonality. 

Packaging & linkages inc. signage, trails, land/water based 

transport. 

Marketing & distribution. 

Cohesive tourism industry. 

Key tourism strategies were identified for product 

development (13 strategies), marketing (11) & management 

(13). 

Hobsons Bay Open Space Plan (date?) 


Vision includes: 

Recognised for its distinctive habitats of conservation 

significance. 

A distinctive open space network… providing personal, 

social, economic & environmental benefits to the City & its 

visitors. 

COMMENT 

& resources data. 

Hobsons Bay Tourism Industry Assoc. 

had a lead role in the Plan & not having 

this resource has clearly limited the Plans 

implementation. The future Tourism Plan 

will need to make a realistic assessment of 

organisational & related resources that can 

deliver or implement strategy. 

Many of the challenges of 1996 are still in 

place – need for strong & cohesive 

industry, increased marketing & market 

research; dispersion from Nelson Bay 

precinct, use of non car transport, 

seasonality & leverage from alliances 

including Melbourne tourism groups. 

COMMENT 

Kororoit Creek Trail will have tourism 

value once competed in its entirety. 

Council’s push to accelerate the Federation 

Trail from Werribee to Westgate Bridge is 

important to open up the West to the 

broader Melbourne recreational cycling 

market. 

Point Gellibrand Coastal Heritage Park 

(Parks Victoria management) has the 

opportunity to be an important tourism 

asset. 

From The Bridge to the Beach – Towards Sustainable Local Tourism. Williamstown, Newport & Spotswood 

Residents’ Association Inc. June 2004.T T 


COMMENT 



58 59






Study Objective 

This Study sought to establish the local community’s 

impressions of tourism, contact with visitors, perceived 

impacts of tourism activity, and understanding of 

sustainability in the context of tourism & preferred future 

directions & forms of tourism development. In addition, 

the Study was to develop a profile of the local community, 

its values in relation to the local area & its demographic 

variables. 

Community perceptions & attitudes to local tourism 

There is a widespread perception across the community 

that the number of visitors has increased greatly in 

recent years. 

The majority of survey respondents have very little 

direct contact with visitors. When they do, it tends to 

occur in popular locations. 

Regarding the impacts of tourism, analysis of survey 

responses showed: 

The majority (57%) felt tourism had made no difference 

to their enjoyment of the area, whilst 26% felt it had 

reduced their enjoyment. 

Respondents agreed strongly (71%) that tourism has 

boosted the local economy, & that they enjoy the 

restaurants & shops (78%) & the vibrant atmosphere 

(64%). 

67% felt that the character of the area (such as historic 

buildings, workers’ cottages & factories) was being lost 

to property developments. 

Parking was identified as a big problem, especially at 

weekends (79% of respondents). Traffic congestion was 

seen to be confined to specific places by 63% of 

respondents. 

58% said they tolerate the inconvenience, while 45% 

tend to stay away from the tourist areas. 35% said locals 

have had to ‘shift camp’ to less popular spots. 

60% of respondents saw noise & litter as becoming 

worse. 

All sources of input reflected a general appreciation of the 

development that tourism has brought to the area, 

especially in terms of jobs & the variety of restaurants, 

shops & activities. 

Concerns were expressed that there is a lack of balance 

in the protection of local natural & heritage assets, in 

meeting residents’ needs & priorities, & in the growth of 

tourism. Many believed that further growth in (or even 

COMMENT 

Extensive community consultative study 

covering Williamstown, Spotswood & 

Newport communities 

Highlights need for effective management of 

tourism while acknowledging the economic & 

tourism service benefits that tourism provides 

The protection of local natural & heritage 

assets so that that continue to meet residents’ 

needs & priorities into the future will be 

essential in the Tourism Plan 

Weekend parking is a key issue across the 

community & industry needing resolution or 

at least more effective management 

Tourism related planning from the studies 

perspective needs to cover environment & 

heritage protection; improvements to signage, 

transport options, facilities & community 

activities 

Opportunities in the plan for low impact 

tourism development that utilised the existing 

features & assets of the area should be 

generally accepted by the community 

The most popular tourism focus from a 

community perspective would be heritagebased, 

particularly maritime heritage. Support 

for walking, coach & ferry tours & 

environment-based tours should also be 

within the framework of acceptability from a 

community perspective as judged by the data 

presented in the study 

The study concerns, priorities & desirable 

future directions for sustainable local tourism 

can be effectively incorporated into the 

tourism plan 

The study provides a community base on 

which to frame the Tourism Plan that this is 

reflected in the brief for the Plan 




current) visitor levels are having a net detrimental effect 

on natural & built environments. 

Comments in the forums & dialogue groups identified a 

lack of ‘proper planning’ to manage the growth & 

control the impacts of tourism from the Bridge to the 

Beach. Such planning should cover environment & 

heritage protection, & improvements to signage, 

transport options, facilities & community activities. 

Future directions for tourism development 

Overwhelmingly people identified future protection of 

the natural environment & heritage character of the area 

as the highest priorities for sustainable tourism to be 

achieved. Relieving traffic & parking & expanding 

transport options also received strong support. 

The need to create a balance between local community 

needs & the demands of the tourism industry was clearly 

articulated. 

Very strong community support was evident for low 

impact tourism development that utilised the existing 

features & assets of the area. Desirable types of tourism 

were identified as heritage-based (50% of respondents), 

particularly maritime heritage (56%). 

Strong support was evident for walking, coach & ferry 

tours & for environment-based tours (30-40%). 

Few respondents (10-12%) saw major new 

developments such as Disney-style theme parks or large 

scale conference centres or resorts as desirable. 

Key findings & recommendations 

General support in the local community for the benefits 

that local tourism brings. 

Strong concern in the community that an imbalance has 

developed regarding the impacts of tourism growth, the 

protection of local natural & heritage assets & the needs 

of residents. 

Strong concern that local natural & heritage assets be 

protected & maintained. 

Concern that major impacts on residents, particularly 

with respect to traffic & parking, be addressed with a 

view to minimisation. 

Strong support for the need to expand public & 

alternative transport options & signage for visitors 

(in/out & around the area). 

Strong support for well-planned, sustainable 

development of local tourism. 

A strong preference for the development of low impact 

tourism, focused on local natural environments, cultural 

& heritage themes, such as the maritime precinct & 

COMMENT 



60 61






museums. Large-scale major developments, such as new 

theme parks, have little support. 

Support for improved community activities, facilities & 

maintenance at popular locations such as beaches, 

BBQs, parks & Nelson Place 

Support for rubbish clean up & litter enforcement. 

Support the establishment of a Community Heritage 

Advisory Service in the Bridge to Beach area. The 

purpose of the Heritage Centre is to engage & support 

local community members & organisations with 

historical & technical information, so they can become 

active participants in environmental & heritage 

conservation in their own homes & in their community 

& commercial activities. 

Local sustainable tourism initiatives 

The study recommended that the concerns, priorities & 

desirable future directions for sustainable local tourism, 

as articulated in the findings of this Study, be 

incorporated into the development of a local sustainable 

tourism plan for the Bridge to the Beach area, within the 

municipal-wide sustainable tourism strategy. 

That the expertise & experience WNSRA has developed 

through this study be directly utilised in the 

development of the Bridge to the Beach sustainable 

tourism plan in the municipal-wide sustainable tourism 

strategy. 

Council partnerships with the community 

That HBCC recognise the important role of local 

tourism studies as an integral & complementary 

component of any municipal-wide strategy. 

That HBCC consider supporting & facilitating 

community groups in other parts of the municipality to 

undertake local studies using WNSRA’s model of 

community consultation involving multi access modes 

including dialogue groups. 

TTWilliamstown Business & Tourism Promotions Inc Business Plan 2003. T T 


In January 2003, representatives of Williamstown 

Business & Tourism Promotions Inc. (WBTP) 

identified a need to establish strategic directions that 

would enable it to effectively serve its existing 

membership base. The following vision was developed: 

Vision 

Williamstown offers local residents & visitors a variety 

COMMENT 

COMMENT 

The Plan appears to have considerable merit 

but was not successful in garnering Council 

support 

The identification of Council supported 

revenue streams were fundamental to the Plan. 

Use of the commercial rate to specifically 

support a tourism business plan is fairly 

TTWilliamstown Business & Tourism Promotions Inc Business Plan 2003. T T 


of high quality experiences based on its natural 

environment, cultural history & lifestyle. Such 

experiences are environmentally sustainable & 

contribute to economically viable retail, industry & 

professional activities. Tourism is embraced by the local 

community through recognition of its substantial 

benefits to the economy & lifestyle of the area in which 

they choose to live. 

Key objectives 

Establish & expand a membership base representative 

of tourism, retail, industrial & professional interests 

(TRIP). 

Promote a shared vision for all stakeholders. 

Expand the tourism potential of Williamstown 

particularly & the municipality of Hobsons Bay in 

general. 

Develop & implement a marketing strategy for 

Williamstown & the municipality of Hobsons Bay. 

Lobby Local, State & Commonwealth Government 

Departments on matters affecting local tourism, retail, 

industrial & professional communities. 

Allocate resources in a manner that supports ongoing 

operation & further development. 

A specific objective of the Plan was to identify ways by 

which WBTP would set future directions to counter real & 

perceived threats to the profitability of local business. 

WBTP would lever sufficient market coverage, financial 

resources & membership to position the area as the 

location of choice for local residents to shop, dine, relax & 

for visitors to enjoy as a unique historic waterfront area of 

Melbourne. 

To further the association’s work in line with the business 

plan, a number of key elements were identified: 

Negotiate an allocation of funds from Council in line 

with the business plan, based on revenue derived from 

parking meters that are a direct result business 

performance in & around Nelson Place. 

A restructure of the current rating process against all 

commercial properties in the municipality aimed at 

marketing & promotion. 

These initiatives were seen as providing the resources to 

position the association to compete with its major 

competitors. It was seen to also lead to increased revenue 

to Council through the collection of parking fees, allowing 

WBTP to compete on a level playing field against those 

who have similar schemes, or avenues of funding in place. 

A budget of $165,000 was proposed for 2003/04 with a 

$120,000. 

COMMENT 

common. The proposal to use monies derived 

from Nelson Place parking meters is unusual 

but has merit given effectively a tax or fee 

specific to visitors. 

The Plan possibly lacked a City-wide tourism 

& business base that that may have made it 

more attractive to Council – noting however 

the Council wide intent of key objectives three 

& four. 



62 63



TTWilliamstown Business & Tourism Promotions Inc Business Plan Tourism Marketing Plan 2003. TT 

Action Priority / 

When 

Destination Melbourne Marketing 

Program 

Develop Williamstown map 

Investigate WBTP presence at 

Federation Square Information Centre 

for annual promotional opportunities 

Develop web presence for 

Williamstown 

Membership to CVTC 

Hosting journalist through Tourism 

Victoria Program 

Accommodation Guide 

Attractions’ Guide 

Trade & Travel Expos 

Sponsorship Williamstown Festival 

Melbourne’s Food & Wine Festival 

Victoria’s Longest Lunch 

TTAltona Traders Business Plan 2005. T T 

High 

July 2003 

High 

September 

2003 

Medium 

On going 

High 

ASAP 

High 

ASAP 

Medium 

January 2004 

Medium 

December 

2003 

Medium 

January 2004 

Medium 

As needed 

Medium 

March 2004 

Medium 

April 2004 


In October 2004, representatives of Altona Traders’ Association. 

(ATA) were asked to establish clear strategic direction that would 

enable it to more effectively serve its existing membership base & 

to grow it further, this not only grew out of the recently 

completed Urban Design Framework for the area, but also as a 

recognition that some formal operating document needed to be 

developed 

Cost 

By Whom 

$10,000 Executive & HBCC 

$2,000 Executive, HBCC, Liaison 

Officer 

$2,000 Executive & Destination 

Melbourne 

Refer to 

Governance 

Executive 

$1,000 Liaison Officer 

$2,000 Liaison Officer Western 

Melbourne Tourism 

$2,000 Accommodation sector Liaison 

Officer 

$2,000 VIC Liaison Officer 

$5,000 Destination Melbourne, 

Executive HBCC Western 

Melbourne Tourism Operators 

$2,500 Executive 

$5,000 Executive / Liaison Officer 

Melbourne Food & Wine 

Executive Committee 

COMMENT 

The Plan has a sound vision & 

objectives. The limited capacity to 

carry out actions to achieve these 

objectives is the key constraint 

Tourism is identified as an opportunity 

Resources limited to a membership 

base are always going to make 

TTAltona Traders Business Plan 2005. T T 


Commencing with an overview of ATA’s vision & exploring the 

context of the organisation in terms of its existing & potential 

membership, product(s) & services. It also outlines management, 

organisational & financial actions that will enable the plan to be 

implemented & monitored. Critical risks are also identified. 

The primary aim of the group was the development of the Plan, 

the group consistently worked with a parallel aim, namely how the 

work of the organisation – through its membership – could 

identify opportunities for increased employment in Altona 

Vision 

Pier Street is the heart of the Altona community. It will by its vibrancy, 

beachside location, open spaces, its compactness & its character provide a 

diverse range of goods, services & facilities. 

Key objectives 

Establish & expand a membership base. 


Expand the tourism potential of Altona. 

Develop & implement a marketing strategy for Altona. 


Departments on matters affecting local tourism, retail, 

industrial & professional communities. 

Allocate resources in a manner that supports ongoing operation 

& further development. 

TTNewport Traders Association Business Plan 2005.T T 


The Plan identified that: 

Newport will be the number one arts precinct in Hobsons Bay. Attracting 

artists, groups & the local wider community. 

The Plan states that this will be achieved by: 

Becoming more focused on improving visitor numbers. 

Have businesses that improve to meet community demand. 

Be a safe, clean, vibrant environment promoting involvement 

of residents in a sense of community. 

The Plan outlines a framework & building blocks essential for 

developing & maintaining a sustainable future. 

The major deliverables of the plan include: 

How the association executive & membership works 

Methods of funding the association’s operation. 

Closer working relationships with Council & other trader 

groups. 

A commitment to renewal of the Newport area. 

Formal agreements with partners. 

COMMENT 

significant levels of implementation 

near impossible 

Member burn out is often a problem 

with such low resource associations 

COMMENT 

As per the other two ‘precinct plans’ 

the key impediment to implementation 

appears to be a resources issue. In this 

& the Altona Plan there is no clear 

action plan which is another weakness. 



64 65



TTNewport Traders Association Business Plan 2005.T T 


A workable, funded & dynamic plan. 

Its key objectives are to: 

Expand membership. 


Expand the tourism potential of Newport. 

Develop & implement a marketing strategy for Newport. 


Departments on matters affecting local traders. 

Allocate resources in a manner that supports ongoing operation 

& further development. 

Have more festivals & events in the centre. 

Melbourne’s West Branding Project 2004–2005.T T 


The project was initiated as a recommendation within the 

Western Melbourne Tourism Strategy. The specific strategy 

was to develop a brand that would brand Melbourne’s Western 

region as one tourism destination. 

The brief was to develop a brand identity that would unite the 

six municipalities & bring them closer to Melbourne’s CBD in 

the mind of visitors. 

To develop website – HH TUTUwww.melbourneswest.com.auUU TTH H 

To develop a system of road signs featuring Melbourne’s West 

brand. 

COMMENT 

COMMENT 

The brand logo is being used however 

it is difficult to measure if it is achieving 

the aim of bringing the region closer to 

Melbourne CBD in the eye of the 

visitor. 

The web site is inactive & was last 

updated in Jan 2005. A decision needs 

to be made regarding its future if this 

has not been done already. 

TTHobsons Bay Visitor Information Centre (Williamstown). Business Plan 2006. Insight Communications. 

January 2006. TT 

TTHobsons Bay Visitor Information Centre (Williamstown). Business Plan 2006. Insight Communications. 

January 2006. TT 


Support from the community & other VIC’s for the 

operation of the Hobsons Bay VIC (Williamstown). 

Weaknesses 

Signage from the ferries, & directional signage for 

passengers & drivers to the site 

Limited space. 

Clarify the brochure display policy. 

Opportunities 

Branding & promotion of Williamstown & Hobsons 

Bay, to be supported by the VIC 

Communications with the tourism industry, community 

groups & local community on the operations, services 

& value of the VIC 

Monitor tourism trends to Hobsons Bay 

Assist to quantify the value of tourism to Hobsons Bay 

Develop revenue-generating visitor services 

Provide training opportunities for students 

Handle ticket sales & inquiries for local events 

Develop itineraries for visitors that are timed to their 

specifications 

Install facilities that enhance the provision of visitor 

information, eg touch screens. 

Provide information on local services & activities to 

residents & local businesses, as well as tourists 

Threats 

Lack of tourism industry & community support for the 

VIC 

Withdrawal of Council funds from the VIC. 

COMMENT 

tourism planning 

Types of research can include: visitor profiles 

inc. origin, first/repeat visit: socio 

demographic profile, length of stay, activities 

sought – activities undertaken, expenditure, 

satisfaction identified service/product gaps 


The Plan provides the vision, detailed analysis & the three 

year implementation plan for the VIC. The Plan works on 

a budget of $99,136 for the period 2005/06. 

It forecasts a steady growth on demand for services & 

flags the need to increase operational space – to be fully 

investigated in 2008. 

The Plan provides a summary SWOT analysis: 

Strengths 

Attractive building in a high profile location with toilet 

facilities. 

Increased support for the VIC from the four trader 

associations & tourism industry. 

Enthusiasm & passion of staff & volunteers 

Constructive, regular communication between the 

tourism industry & the VIC. 

COMMENT 

The Business Plan provides an important 

framework for VIC operations within the 

wider context of the Tourism Plan & other 

related Council Plans 

The Plan gives certainly to this key part of 

tourism infrastructure 

Visitor demand for the VIC is comparatively 

strong indicating the strength of the buildings 

location & the ‘pulling power’ of Williamstown 

Strategies to further increase VIC demand & 

therefore increase economic benefits from VIC 

visitation are important for this wider Tourism 

Plan 

The VIC provides the key visitor interface for 

Hobsons Bay enabling detailed capture of VIC 

research data feeding back into VIC & wider 

TTPoint Cook Coastal Park & Cheetham Wetlands Future Directions Plan. Parks Victoria. June 2005.T T 


Point Cook Coastal Park & Cheetham Wetlands contain significant natural & 

cultural values & provide a range of passive recreational opportunities for the 

western region of Melbourne. The parklands will continue to provide important 

open space opportunities for a growing population, as well as protecting 

internationally significant wetlands & migratory birds. 

This Plan provides strategic management directions & a decision 

making framework for Point Cook Coastal Park & Cheetham 

Wetlands for the next 10 to 15 years. Focus over the next five years 

will be on providing linkages within the parklands, managing the 

potential impact of urban development adjoining the parklands, 

promoting community involvement & developing cooperative 

management approaches with land managers & stakeholder groups. 

Point Cook Coastal Park (443 ha) & Cheetham Wetlands (420 ha) 

COMMENT 

A key asset of Hobsons Bay that 

aligns with the strengths of natural 

environment; healthy living & 

coastal appeal. 

Key product assets include: 

The coastal trail & its expansion to 

Werribee 

The Cheetham Wetlands, which 

was designated Ramsar status 

The Point Cook homestead 

precinct 

The Point Cooke Marine Sanctuary 



66 67





comprise a total area of 863 ha. In addition, the Point Cooke Marine 

Sanctuary, which adjoins Point Cook Coastal Park, is 290 ha. 

Point Cook Coastal Park is relatively well established & was created 

in 1978 to preserve the historic homestead & the nearby Basalt Plains 

Grasslands, freshwater lakes & coastal dune ecosystems. The Park 

was officially opened to the public in 1982. 

The parklands predominantly service residents living in the 

municipalities of Hobsons Bay & Wyndham, but also attracts visitors 

from across Melbourne & further afield. 

The parklands attract approximately 200,000 visitors per annum, but 

this figure is expected to rise as the population increases. Whilst the 

City of Hobsons Bay is expected to experience little to moderate 

population growth over the next 10-15 years, the City of Wyndham 

& the Point Cook area will experience significant population & 

residential growth. 

The Park & Wetlands include: 

The internationally significant Cheetham Wetlands, which was 

designated Ramsar status in recognition of its high value as habitat 

for water birds. 

Shore birds of international importance, including the Double 

banded Plover, Curlew, Red necked Stint, Sharp tailed Sandpiper 

& Pied Oystercatcher. 

Diverse vegetation types 

Sites of archaeological & cultural heritage significance to 

Indigenous communities. 

The Point Cook homestead precinct, including the historic 

homestead & landscape setting, which are of state significance. 

The Point Cooke Marine Sanctuary encompasses a number of 

habitats including sandy beaches, sub tidal soft sediment, intertidal 

& sub tidal reefs. 

A number of settings ranging from the Beach Picnic Area on the 

shores of Port Phillip Bay to the ephemeral (freshwater) wetlands 

of Spectacle Lake & Lignum Lake, & the RAAF Lake. 

Some of the key initiatives for the parklands, which will be the key 

focus over the next five years include: 

Construct Stage 2 of the Bay Trail & undertake planning for Stage 

3 of the trail adjacent to Cheetham Wetlands. 

Expand the internal trail network within Point Cook Coastal Park 

at Spectacle Lake, the RAAF Lake & the Duck Pond. 

Work with Hobsons Bay City Council to encourage coordinated 

management of open space & promote joint signage & educational 

programs. 

Develop Point Cook Coastal Park as a destination for school 

groups for marine education & interpretation. 

Parkland’s Visitors strategies inc. 

Utilise Parks Victoria’s Levels of Service framework to develop 

priorities for the parklands relating to: 

COMMENT 

Opportunities include 

Cooperative promotion of the 

above assets with Parks Victoria 

particularly focusing on off peak 

periods. 

The extension of the bike trail will 

be a major opportunity to promote 

the Park & the wider Council area 

to the large Melbourne leisure 

cycling market including family 

markets. 

Generate PR for Hobsons Bay off 

the back of the Ramsar status of the 

wetlands & the associated migratory 

birds story 

Continue to enhance interpretive 

signage in association with Parks 

Victoria. 



- Standards for facilities & services. 

- Range of recreational opportunities. 

- Coordination of visitor information. 

- Economically sustainable facilities & 

services. 

Review the information interpretation & education strategy for the 

parklands to promote the health & well-being benefits of parks & 

open space. 

Encourage activities through leases & licenses that are inclusive of 

parkland visitors & compatible with management zones. 

Ensure any future commercial arrangements within the Parklands 

are consistent with each management zone, complement the park 

values & diversifies visitor opportunities. 

Monitor visitor numbers to ensure the appropriate provision of 

low impact visitor facilities. 

Use orientation, information & interpretative information to 

inform visitors, adjoining & owners, new residents & the 

community on natural, marine & cultural heritage values. This 

should include flora & fauna, catchment hydrology, indigenous & 

non-indigenous cultural heritage & environmental management. 

Maintain the key visitor areas for passive recreational use & 

socialising & the minor visitor areas for low impact, nature based 

opportunities such as walking & bird watching. 

Monitor & ensure appropriate provision for possible increased 

demand for future recreation & leisure activities. 

Maintain existing dog, cat, horse & trail bike prohibition for the 

majority of the parklands to protect the values & work with 

Hobsons Bay & Wyndham City Councils to investigate 

coordinated signage & educational programs. 

Investigate potential areas within Conservation & Recreation, & 

Recreation zones, such as the paddock on Homestead Road, to be 

made available for dog access. 

Work with the Point Cook Cheetham Wetlands Advisory 

Committee & other stakeholders to determine appropriate dog 

access that does not compromise the natural values of the 

parklands. 

Review the current hire scheme for visitor sites at the Beach Picnic 

Area for large groups. 

Promote use of Point Cook Coastal Park by large groups through 

the week when there is substantial visitor capacity, as opposed to 

weekends when saturation levels are reached during the peak 

periods. 

Continue to provide ranger assistance to ensure disabled access to 

the homestead precinct, Beach Picnic Area & the Tower is 

maintained. 

TTTruganina Coastal Parklands Integrated Masterplan 2005. TT 

SYNOPSIS &/OR KEY 

FINDINGS 

Truganina Coastal Parklands is a 

COMMENT 

COMMENT 

Key tourism opportunities are the extension of the Bay Trail & 



68 69


TTTruganina Coastal Parklands Integrated Masterplan 2005. TT 


FINDINGS 

cluster of parks & the largest parkland 

area on Port Phillip Bay after Point 

Nepean National Park. 

The Masterplan outlines 

recommended actions & expenditure 

of $900,000 over 5 years to further 

develop & enhance the Parklands. 

COMMENT 

its promotion & use by an expanding cyclist market; bird 

watching sites, the view from Truganina Park, the garden at the 

explosives site & potential canoeing/kayaking. 

Development of a café of architectural note at Doug Grant 

Reserve would provide an opportunity to link with Altona 

Beach & its development as a more significant community & 

visitor precinct. 

TTWilliamstown Foreshore Strategic Plan 2000. Prepared for Parks Victoria & Hobsons Bay City Council. TT 


FINDINGS 

Provides a planning framework for 

six precincts of coastline between 

Stony Creek Backwash & Point 

Gellibrand 

COMMENT 

Anne Street to Ferguson Street recognised as the heart of 

Williamstown & the key tourism precinct. Plan includes creating a 

maritime/heritage museum venue at the former PMA site by 

adaptive reuse of the existing buildings. 

TTWilliamstown Maritime Precinct Zone Plan 2005. Parks Victoria & Williamstown Maritime Association 

Inc.T T 

To source 


COMMENT 

TTThe Williamstown Maritime Precinct Vision Statement 2005. Williamstown Maritime Association Inc.T T 


To be completed 

 

 

COMMENT 

Attachment 3. Draft 

Accessible Tourism Strategy 

Working Draft Accessible 

Tourism Strategy 

A key part of the MetroAccess initiative in Hobsons 

Bay is the promotion of accessible tourism. Through 

demonstrating the benefits for business, access for 

local residents with disabilities will be improved. By 

meeting the needs of a growing niche travel market, 

people with disabilities and their families, Hobsons Bay 

traders can benefit economically. This will then flow 

onto recognition of local people with disabilities as an 

important market segment. 

The development of the Hobsons Bay Sustainable 

Tourism Strategy 2006-2012 provides an opportunity 

to link accessible tourism with other tourism initiatives. 

The aim is to build upon the research undertaken as 

part of the Sustainable Tourism Strategy development 

and the information and input gathered by the 

consultants. Information contained in Chapter 

5, especially supply and demand, visitor analysis, 

economic and employment impacts, infrastructure and 

marketing, will inform specific strategies and actions 

pertaining to growth of the accessible tourism market. 

Shadowing the structure of ‘Chapter 6. Strategy 

Overview’ of Council’s Sustainable Tourism Strategy, 

the following strategic directions for growing and 

developing accessible tourism in Hobsons Bay are 

proposed: 

6.1 Increasing visitor yield, 

dispersion and lessening 

seasonality 

• provide information about accessible destinations 

for people with disabilities, for example best 

accessible spots along the Coastal Trail 

• work with tourism providers to develop packages 

and products suitable for people with disabilities 

during off peak periods, especially mid-week 

6.2 Framework for sustainable 

tourism 

• develop partnerships with other municipalities 

with an interest in or already developing accessible 

tourism – Melbourne, Port Phillip, Frankston, 

Mornington Peninsula and Geelong Otway – to 

attract visitors with disabilities to Victoria 

and give them accessible pathways from the 

Melbourne CBD east and west along Port Phillip 

Bay. By taking a mutually beneficial approach 

rather than competing for the same visitors, 

a number of complementary itineries can be 

developed. 

• MetroAccess worker can provide support to 

Council’s Tourism Officer in this aspect of 

Council’s overall tourism strategy and also 

participate on a City-wide tourism and business 

group. 

6.3 Target markets 

• Victorian, Interstate and International tourists 

with disabilities are part of the strategy’s target 

markets. 

6.4 Marketing strategy 

including destination image 

• a strong internet presence in both the tourism 

and access categories is essential as many travelers 

with disabilities and their traveling companions 

use the internet to plan their journeys. 

• ensure that accessible tourism internet sites have 

links to Hobsons Bay. 

• work with other Council teams, in particular 

Environmental Planning, to ensure a spread 

of destinations across all parts of the municipality 

that are accessible to people with disabilities. 

• develop co-operative marketing opportunities 

with other Councils developing accessible 

tourism. 

6.5 Events 

• develop guidelines/checklist to make Council 

events accessible to all members of the 

community, including people with disabilities. 

• work with other workers at Council who have a 

focus on inclusion and disability to 

ensure that people with disabilities can participate 

fully in community events – as visitors, workers 

and performers. 


70 71

References 

Acknowledgements 

Council Plan 2005–2009. Hobsons Bay City Council. 

Cultural Tourism Visitor Survey 1996 – Summary. Prepared by The Roy Morgan Research Centre for the Cities 

of Melbourne, Hobsons Bay, Yarra and Port Phillip. 

From the Bridge to the Beach. Towards Sustainable Tourism. Community perceptions and attitudes to local 

tourism in Williamstown, Newport and Spotswood. Williamstown, Newport and Spotswood Residents’ 

Association Inc, Hobsons Bay City Council and Tourism Victoria. 

Hobsons Bay Arts Facilities Draft Final Report. Prepared by Positive Solutions for Hobsons Bay City Council. 

March 2006. 

Hobsons Bay Sport and Recreation Strategy Plan 2003–2007. Prepared by Stratcorp Consulting for Hobsons Bay 

City Council. July 2003. 

Hobsons Bay Visitor Information Centre (Williamstown). Business Plan 2006. Prepared by Insight 

Communications for Hobsons Bay City Council. 

Indicators of Sustainable Management of Tourism 2005. Tourism Health Check 2002- 2005 Comparison Report. 

Tourism Alliance Victoria. 2005. 

Kororoit Creek Regional Strategy 2005–2030. Consultation Draft for Comment. Land Design Partnership Pty 

Ltd & others. February 2006. 

Metropolitan Melbourne Tourism Analysis. Discussion Paper. Tourism Victoria. November 2005. 

The Pier Street Precinct Urban Design Framework. Prepared by Planning by Design for Hobsons Bay City 

Council. 2003 

Shire of Melton Tourism strategy 2006–2008. Tourism Destination Management Pty Ltd & Quercus Marketing. 

September 2003. 

Tourism Victoria’s Arts, Theatre and Cultural Heritage Tourism Plan Summary 2006–2006. Tourism Victoria. 

Two Rivers Project. Water & Land Access Plan. Background Issues Paper. Prepared by Beca Pty Ltd for Parks 

Victoria. November 2005. 

Victoria’s Tourism Industry Strategic Plan 2002-2006. Tourism Victoria. 2002. 

Victorian Trails Strategy 2005 – 2010. Victorian Trails Co-ordinating Committee. 2005. 

Vision Statement 2005. Williamstown Maritime Association Inc. 

Water and Land Access Plan Consultation summary Report. Round 1 – October. Prepared by Beca Pty Ltd for 

Parks Victoria. November 2005. 

Western Melbourne Region Tourism Strategy. Urban Enterprise. May 2002. 

Williamstown Foreshore Strategic Plan. Prepared by Connell Wagner for Parks Victoria and Hobsons Bay City 

Council. Circa 1998. 

Hobsons Bay Sustainable Tourism Strategy Steering Committee 

Councillor Carl Marsich Co Chair (Mayor) 

Councillor Peter Hemphill Co Chair (Williamstown North Ward) 

Ms Sharon Walsh 

Altona Village Trader Association 

Ms Sandra Cook 

Williamstown Newport Spotswood Residents Association 

Ms Sarah Seddon 

Williamstown Business and Tourism Promotions 

Mr Angus Scott Walker Newport Traders Association 

Mr Damien Ryan 

Western Melbourne Tourism 

Mr Stuart Toplis 

Tourism Victoria 

Ms Jenine Fleming 

Scienceworks 

Mr Craig Bennett 

Community representative 

Ms Sally Curtis 

(Former) Visitor Information Centre Officer Williamstown 

Ms Katarina Persic 

(Former) Manager Arts, Events Tourism (HBCC) 

Ms Janet Dawes Manager Arts, Events and Tourism (HBCC) 

Mr Daryl Warren Project Officer (HBCC) 

Mr Colin Bransgrove Tourism Destination Management (consultant) 

Mr Kevin Bascombe Queros Marketing (consultant) 

72 73

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