Victorian Maritime Centre

13/06/2026

Part of the Crew, Part of the Ship

Vale Geoff Dougall

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our dear friend, Geoff Dougall, earlier this morning. Geoff was a much-loved part of the Williamstown and maritime community, and his loss will be deeply felt by so many.

Geoff played an important role in the early days of Seaworks, serving as Site Manager from 2010 to 2013, helping shape the place and spirit of what it has become today. He was also deeply passionate about the Seaworks Maritime Museum, where he volunteered. Geoff cared deeply about the museum, its stories, and its place in preserving Williamstown’s maritime heritage, and he was fiercely protective of it.

He was also the inaugural founder of the Williamstown Maritime Association and the driving force behind the Pirate’s Tavern Williamstown, a reflection of his passion for history, and bringing people together.

His life was one of extraordinary service. Geoff was a past Secretary of the Royal Victorian Motor Yacht Club, a member of the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, and was honoured by Rotary for his charity work. He was also a Life Governor of Williamstown Hospital and a former Williamstown Councillor.

Geoff’s passions and talents were many. He spent 26 years as the owner and director of a printing company, was an author and publisher of maritime history, and dedicated himself to preserving our shared heritage through his extensive private collection.

Above all, Geoff will be remembered as a generous, passionate, and deeply committed member of our community, someone who gave so much of himself to the people and places he cared about.

Our thoughts are with Geoff’s family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him. He will be greatly missed, and warmly remembered.

We will miss you, mate.

07/06/2026

Would any experienced model boat builder like to finish this model of the Lady Nelson for a future display in our museum, we are located in Crib Point, Mornington Peninsula, there are heaps of photo copies of the plans, if you can help please contact us 😀 ⛵️⚓️

24/05/2026

VICTORIAN MARITIME CENTRE.
OPEN DAY 30TH MAY.

We as a group of volunteers would like to invite you to our open day on the 30th May to celebrate the annual Volunteers Week.

Our Centre is run buy a small group made up mainly by Senior Citizens and realize how valuable groups like ours are.

The Museum has a large display of Royal Navy, Merchant Navy, models, memorabilia and Videos.

If you are a volunteer with any group/organisation or a Veteran please come and have a chat with like-minded people.

We will be supplying Tea/Coffee and light refreshments.

If you have a group of people coming please let us know by the 23rd May.

We are open at 10.00am until 3.00pm.

Contact Jacki PH: 0403 947 019

08/05/2026

01/05/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/18eEBwhRNg/

30/04/2026

We also have a WRANS display at Victorian Maritime Centre, ⚓️🛟🚢

30/04/2026

We went to the Beyond the Bays Tourism Autumn event at Moonlite sanctuary, which included a guided tour 🐸🦎

28/04/2026

Great news for our Friends of the Cerberus Inc.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EXRKbZpaK/

Full steam ahead for Cerberus preservation... published by The Age Newspaper 25 April 2026.
(https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1264640519160689&set=a.411631727794910)

Bayside City Council is calling for experts to help preserve HMVS Cerberus, a historic maritime treasure lying partially submerged as a rusting hulk off Black Rock Jetty in Half Moon Bay.
Cerberus was once one of the world's most advanced war-ships: a twin-turreted iron-clad monster that patrolled Port Phillip Bay more than 150 years ago to guard the colony's gold against possible Russian attack.
The council has issued a request for proposals (RFP) from qualified consultants to create a monitoring and conservation program for the wreck, which has steadily deteriorated since 1926 when it was scuttled as a breakwater.
"HMVS Cerberus is of national and international significance as the world's only surviving beastwork monitor, and sole substantially intact remnant of Australia's pre-Federation colonial navies," the RFP documents say.
It marked "a major turning point in naval technology as the first British warship designed solely for steam power with iron armour and rotating gun turrets".
The former Victorian Navy flag-ship was named after the fear-some multiheaded dog in Greek mythology that guarded the entrance to the Underworld.
The wreck is now owned by Bayside Council but managed by Heritage Victoria. A snorkeller died there in 2010, despite a 0.5-hectare protection zone around the Cerberus that banned entry without a permit from Heritage Victoria.
The council's call follows years of campaigning to save the vessel by the Friends of the Cerberus group, which transferred a $500,000 federal grant it had received so Bayside Council could finance preservation works.
The council has not contributed any capital investment, but is acting as project manager.
"The project's scope is to evaluate the existing condition of the wreck, develop a program for safety and conservation monitoring and works, and provide guidance on future management of this significant heritage site," the RFP says.
The successful contractors will need to assess and document the condition of the wreck above and below the waterline, using an underwater drone to determine the condition and integrity of the supporting structure.
A final report will provide guidance for the future of the vessel, with a focus on public safety and identifying the next steps for preservation and structural reinforcement.
A battle erupted in 2018 when the council proposed pouring 4000 tonnes of concrete into the hull to preserve the slowly crumbling former warship. Friends of the Cerberus successfully protested saying the move would only hasten the wreck's destruction.
A report by this masthead on April 10, 1871, said the arrival of the Cerberus in Hobson's Bay would "be a relief to the timid souls" scared by reports of a possible Russian attack.
"The colony will possess a harbour defense powerful enough to repel the attack of a squadron of ordinary men-of-war," it said.
HMVS Cerberus was scuttled in Half Moon Bay, off Black Rock, in 1926.

26/04/2026

Yesterday we marched at Crib Point for Anzac Day and we laid wreaths on behalf of Western Port Oberon Association and the Princess Royal Anne as she is our Patron, Lest we Forget ⚓️⚓️