The Historic Port Welshpool

Long Jetty

Stay next to The Long Jetty

Big4 Long Jetty Caravan Park sits directly across from the Port Welshpool Long Jetty. The most naturally beautiful and relaxing spot in Port Welshpool, offering visitors a true waterfront escape. Through the gates at the edge of the park, guests can step straight out toward the water, with the jetty stretching far into the bay. Whether it’s an early morning stroll as the sun rises or a peaceful evening walk with the sea breeze rolling in, the connection between the park and the jetty creates a seamless coastal experience that few places can match.

History of The Jetty

The Long Jetty at Port Welshpool has a rich history dating back to the early 1900s, when it was built to connect the town to ships in the deeper waters of Corner Inlet. Because the shoreline was too shallow for large vessels, the jetty needed to extend far out, making it one of the longest of its kind.

In its working days, the jetty played a key role in the local economy, with goods like livestock and produce transported to and from the region. As road transport became more common, its commercial use declined, but the structure remained an important part of the town.

Today, the Long Jetty stands as a reminder of Port Welshpool’s maritime past, now enjoyed as a scenic walkway for visitors and locals alike.

Activities On The Jetty

The Long Jetty is a place to explore, unwind, and take in the coastal surroundings. With something for everyone, it brings together simple pleasures and memorable experiences all in one spot.

• Fishing straight off the jetty – a favourite for locals and visitors
• Scenic walks with water on both sides
• Easy, flat bike riding for all ages
• Sunrise and sunset views over the inlet
• Spotting birds, fish, and marine life below
• Read about The Jetty’s history

An image of the Long Jetty at sunset with glass like water

Sunrise & Sunset Views

From the first light of day to the final glow of evening, the Long Jetty delivers truly unforgettable views. Mornings bring calm waters, soft colours, and a peaceful stillness as the sun rises over the inlet – perfect for a quiet walk or a slow start to the day. As evening sets in, the sky transforms into a canvas of warm colours, with sunsets stretching across the horizon and reflecting off the water. Whether you’re an early riser or chasing the last light, it’s a place where every moment feels worth pausing for.

Port Welshpool Long Jetty

Statement of Significance

The Port Welshpool Long Jetty was constructed at a site chosen by a Royal Commissionon Outer Ports (1927). The jetty and its facilities were identified as key to developing the eastern Bass Strait fisheries and of linking to Tasmania to supply fish to the mainland. Construction began in 1936 and finished in 1938. The jetty was built using yellow stringybark sourced from near Woodside, east of Yarram.

As constructed the jetty was 850m long, with varying widths along its length, the maximum being originally 7.2m, later 9.1m. The jetty was lengthened to 908m in 1982 for the supply of the Bass Strait oil and gas industry. Originally designed to take locomotives, it was built with longitudinal decking supported on bearers with longitudinal beams supported by stringers. It was engineered to take substantial loads, sufficient for steam locomotives on a 5 foot 3 inch gauge rail line. The jetty broadened as it turned in a unique and substantial curve to the Lewis Channel. The raked pile construction provided for a robust structure in contrast to piers and jetties in sheltered bays.

The jetty was purpose-built for coastal traders, but has had a variety of uses, including as a base for mine sweepers during and immediately after WW2; as the home base for the fledgling offshore oil and gas industries in Bass Strait and as a recreational fishing platform. Its isolation from residential areas facilitated its use as a dangerous goods jetty for King Island and Tasmanian mines. The link to Tasmania was briefly restored from 1990-93 with the operation of the Seacat ferry from Port Welshpool.

How is it significant?
The Port Welshpool Long Jetty is of technological and historical significance to the State of Victoria at the State Level, and of social significance at the Regional level.

Why is it significant?
The Port Welshpool Long Jetty is technologically significant as the only known curved wooden jetty in Victoria and among the longest remaining wooden jetties in Australia. It is unusual for its raked pile construction.

The Port Welshpool Long Jetty is historically significant as a trading link between Victoria, the Bass Strait Islands and Tasmania for more than 60 years. It provided key infrastructure for the development of the Bass Strait fishing industry. Combined with the coastal shipping trade that it generated, the Long Jetty has played a key role in the historical development of South Gippsland, the Bass Strait Islands and northern Tasmania. It is historically significant as a base for minesweepers during WW2, and as a base for the fledgling oil and gas industry in Bass Strait.

The Port Welshpool Long Jetty is socially significant to the region as a key infrastructure link between the communities of Bass Strait, Tasmania and the mainland.

Classified: 05/05/2012