Exploring Melbourne’s Westgate Park
View of the Melbourne City Skyline from Westgate Park, Port Melbourne.
I’d often looked down onto Westgate Park, while driving across the Westgate Bridge in Melbourne, wondering what it would be like down below. I decided it was time I visited the park and see for myself what photo opportunities awaited the enthusiastic photographer.
Westgate Park is a stunning reserve offering spectacular views stretching over water and parklands towards the Melbourne City skyline. The park offers a range of attractions and activities in an idyllic location that’s close to the centre of the city.
For my own exploration a sunset photo session seemed like a good idea. With that in mind I arrived early to explore the location.
Westgate Park Location
Located underneath and west of the iconic Westgate Bridge you’ll find the expansive 40 hectares (99 acres) Westgate Park covering 1.8 km from Todd Road to the Yarra River in Melbourne’s west.
At only 6 km (3.7 miles) from Melbourne’s Central Business District it’s an easy place to visit and spend a few peaceful hours exploring.
Westgate Park History
The park and the immediate area alongside the Yarra River had been inhabited by Aboriginal Australians before John Batman, often credited as founding Melbourne, arrived in 1835.
These days Westgate park is a very pleasant and serene locale in an otherwise industrial part of town.
While Parks Victoria are responsible for the park the Friends of Westgate Park have undertaken significant ongoing projects to transform the site into the wonderful place it is today.
There are two main entrances to the park:
Westgate Park
93-125 Todd Road
Port Melbourne 3207
or, alternatively
Westgate Park
4 Wharf Rd
Port Melbourne 3207
Giant sculpture standing in the landscape in Westgate Park, Port Melbourne.
Things To Do In Westgate Park
There’s lots to see and do at Westgate Park. The sculpture lawn, red gum, woodland and freshwater lake trails are highlights and the park’s picnic ground is a great place to rest and take in the serenity of the location.
The 5.1 km (3.1 mile) bike path provides an easy ride through this wide, open and quite remote parkland.
A carpark and public toilets are available and a lookout offers great wetland bird watching opportunities.
I was surprised just how large Westgate Park is and I had a great time walking around and making photos for several hours from late afternoon into the early evening.
Lyn Moore Sculpture Trail
A fabulous highlight I discovered was the range of interesting architectural elements scattered throughout the park.
These quite remarkable sculptures are the creation of artist Lyn Moore. Constructed from natural materials these lovely works of art can be found throughout the park and add extra points of interest to an already great visual experience.
It’s possible, as evident in the image at the top of this article, to photograph some of these elements with the Melbourne City skyline in the background.
Westgate Park Picnic Ground
The park is a great place for a picnic. There’s also a free electric barbecue on site and plenty of shady trees under which to enjoy the abundant birdlife.
Westgate Park Wetlands
A great place for birdwatching you’ll find stilts, ibis, spoonbills, ducks, gulls, coots, pelicans, black swans and moorhens in and around the Westgate Park Wetlands.
Fresh Water Lake
There’s plenty of fish in Fresh Water Lake. As a consequence it attracts lots of birdlife as the aptly named Ibis Island suggests.
While not as visually arresting as the nearby Salt Water Lake it’s pleasant and a great place for photography, particularly with sunset light reflecting off the water’s surface.
Views are often lovely towards the edges of the day with warm, low-angle sun sweeping across the park, caressing the trees and dancing on top of the water.
As night approaches the artificial lighting along the Westgate Bridge becomes visible and emphasizes the urban, industrial location of the park.
Salt Water Lake
The other lake in the park is known as Salt Water Lake. It’s quite famous for often turning pink in color during the dryer summer months.
This phenomena is a consequence of very high salt levels in the lake which is brought on by evaporation due to high summer temperatures, lots of sunlight and reduced rainfall.
Under these conditions algae growing in the lake’s salt crust produce a red pigment as part of their photosynthesis process.
This pigment, called beta carotene, results in the lake taking on a spectacularly colored and quite surreal deep-pink appearance.
Night view of Westgate Bridge from within Westgate Park, Port Melbourne.
Is Westgate Park Safe?
Now, a word of warning for anyone visiting Westgate Park near day’s end. It’s not advisable to be out photographing alone in such an isolated location after dark.
As photographers our camera gear makes us potential targets.
What’s more while concentrating on image making, we may temporarily lose our usual street smarts and not be aware of the variety of unfortunates, undesirables and down right nasty people who sometimes frequent such isolated places.
Melbourne is a beautiful city and, for the most part, it’s safe. Nonetheless, as is the case in most unfamiliar environments, a measure of care should be exercised.
Being out and about with another photographer may be enough to easy your mind. And of course there’s safety in numbers.
As is the case in the natural landscape, a headlamp or torch may ensure you don’t leave any expensive gear behind and also help you find your way back to the car at the end of an extended photography session.
It’s amazing how quickly darkness can set in after you’ve finished a sunset shoot, particularly when your photography continues on beyond twilight.
As well as my regular private photography courses I occasionally run a Night Photography in the City of Melbourne workshop.
It’s a great opportunity for folks to get out and about and learn a range of tips and tricks to make beautiful night photographs.
I design the workshop so that each group is large enough for folks to feel secure outdoors at night and yet small enough so that you get plenty of one-on-one assistance.
By the end of the 3-hour session you’ll be able to undertake your own night photography projects. Though you should always do so fully prepared and, wherever possible, in the company of others.
My visit to Westgate Park was a lot of fun. Numerous glimpses from above had whetted my appetite. I’m really glad I made the effort to explore the location and I was rewarded with numerous surprises and some photographs with which I’m happy.
Nonetheless, I did return to my car well after dark and, not having visited the area before, I got a bit spooked.
Whether there’s any danger there or not is hard to say. But, as a general rule, we should all avoid such isolated places at night, particularly when we’re alone and loaded up with expensive camera equipment.
But during daylight hours a reasonable amount of care should ensure you’re able to safely enjoy exploring and photographing sites like Westgate Park in Port Melbourne.
If you have any doubt, bring a friend along. There’s just so much to see and enjoy, and a little preparation and care should ensure you can do so without any problems.
