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 Judi has been part of Port Melbourne for three generations. Rowan has lived in Port since the early 80's. They met at the Fisherman's Bend ARL Research Lab now called the Defence Science and Technology Organisation.
Michelle Photo by Helena  Since moving into 482 Willy Rd Port Melbourne, the noise on Williamstown Rd has been deafening and always busy with some Council equipment or earth moving apparatus. My sense of hearing soon became accustomed to these noises and what struck me most were the wind chimes hanging from a tree in the garden; very relaxing, especially at night time. The wind in the trees rustles the leaves and along with the wind chimes, gives the place an atmosphere that can be tranquil amongst the traffic noise.
My sense of smell has been awakened by the many barbeques that have been had here with succulent meats and gourmet breakfasts. Never before have I developed such an appreciation for good food. The garden provides herbs and fruits to garnish the good food. There is always a sense that something untoward is going to happen, being on high alert for some trouble that may occur keeps you on your toes. There is never a dull moment living here. The new shed that has been built has provided shelter from the storm of all these elements, including the weather, and has given the residents a sense of pride and achievement. Many stories and tales are told underneath the shed and many more will fill the atmosphere with all the sights and senses you could ever imagine. Brett  Paying respect to all who served. The cold wet day seems fitting as it represents such a minor element of the challenges service people and horses experienced. by Carla   I have lived in Garden City for 28 yrs and love gymnastics. I started gymnastics as a child and now I'm the coach at the Fisherman's Bend Gymnastics Club. Over the last 14 yrs the club has grown from 56 members to 330. My favourite places in Port are Princess Pier and summers at the beach.
Maya (Photo by Helena)  A few of us go down to Murphy Reserve a couple of times a year. It’s only a hop, skip and jump from where we live and we like to catch some footy games and hang out with other locals.
When we walk through the gate the first thing we smell is the barbie smell, chips, onions, sausages, it always makes me hungry, especially if the day is cool. The grass smells clean and fresh. We see the faces of the people who live around Port, and we chat to them. We hear the sound of little kids running around in their footy jerseys and their parents yelling at them. We hear the whistle blow and the siren call and the crowd cheer. Often I have a hot pie in one hand and a cold can in the other. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon in Port. Pete  I followed Phil down to Port Melbourne
Just visiting, having a drink and a barbie. Phil livened the place up. 482 now has a garden and a pergola, The boys have won a few awards for the work they have done. When it rains the strawberries taste better. Frank  The ANZAC Centenary Walk in Heath St was on a freezing cold, wet Sunday morning. Heath St is not pretty, but it has residents who are keen to be neighbourly and who wish to add to the street where they live. Chris Griffiths and Barb Mullen researched and wrote short biographies on the men of Heath St who went to WW1 and designed the walk to share their findings. In Heath St there were about 90 houses, 34 Heath St men went to war: 3 were killed in action; 3 were severely mentally impaired; 1 had his leg amputated above the knee; 26 were discharged medically unfit for duty; and 1 seemed to be unimpaired. The walk was attended by about 40 people, local children placed poppies at the fence of the homes of the soldiers. The event was recorded for posterity by Channel 9 News. Afterward the walk, the neighbours shared a lunch in the shelter of a large undercover garage in Heath St.
Barbara  It’s amazing how much rubbish collects in and under the piers along our beach front but what’s more amazing are the great group of people that come down to the beach once a month to conduct a clean. I’ve met lots of local residents and lots of people who want to make our lovely neck of the woods even lovelier. Last Saturday (11 April) over 20 people met at Prices Pier and in one hour alone collected approximately 150kgs of plastic, styrofoam and other assorted rubbish from First Point Beach and from under the Princes Pier itself. After collecting the rubbish we retired to the veranda of the cafe at the Station Pier tram stop for a coffee and a chat. A lovely morning and a great feel good factor. If you’re keen to meet some lovely people and help keep Port clean sign up for the Beach Patrol mailing list by emailing 3207@beachpatrol.com.au.
David  My father Richard Sharpe was in charge of the naval victualing yard which was placed between Station Street and the railway line from 1949-1960
Peter  Walking our dog , Pickle with my grown up children who went through school in the local area, I now have connections and friendships with dog owners in out local park and at the beach.
Stacey  I'm an original gasworks Park walk group member, it started seven years ago and is still gonig. I walk most weeks
Geoff  Molly adores the Dog’s Beach. Del checks the tidal times and they go there when the tide is low as then it’s much easier to walk on the beach. All the other dog are sociable so there’s never any fuss. Sometimes there are so may dogs racing around and splashing that’s it’s quite mad.”
Susie  I love attending Bob King’s Bridge Club at the Port Melbourne Neighbourhood Centre. It’s a very entertaining afternoon with enjoyable company. I learnt how to play Bridge in one of Bob’s classes and have developed from there. I’ve made several close friendships and would encourage anyone who likes playing cards to join. A good time is had by all.
Susie  Days are short
The rain is closing in To the river we travel Under the bridge we park Such strength Majestic and tall Standing tall as it moves traffic over our Yarra The wind blows The rain easing So much movement So many sounds The free way whirring Theres a pulse to be heard Power line s power up A lone seagull hovering The rain has eased Now walking All re charged Home we go. Diana  We are sisters and have lived in Port Melbourne for years near the beach. Our brother is a fisherman. Valda and Jennifer  Two of Port’s favourite locals from the Greek community share their experiences of life and love. Andy and Chris have built their lives in Port, raising families and committed to building connections through the Greek Club. The club meets every Tuesday from 9am-1.30pm at the Liardet Community Centre, supported by a subsidy from the City of Port Phillip. The committee is made up of four men and a woman. Chris has been the president for 25 years and Andy has been on the committee for 14 years.
Andy: “The Club is good for everyone. They come out, the men play cards and backgammon (and) the women play bingo and talk about how they look after their grandchildren. “Every week different ladies prepare the coffee, salads, vino. Every week (it is) something different, grilled fish and chips with salad is the favourite.” Chris: “I love this club. We help elderly people. I love this job. (We) do everything... to keep everyone happy. I love the people. We are all together, one family.” How did you come to live in Port Melbourne? Andy: “When I come to Australia, I went to Dandenong. I met my wife Angela in Port Melbourne and then I moved here.” Chris: “I came to Port in 1962 with my wife and two children. We lived at my sisters for 9 months and then we buy a little house. I first worked at a mineral factory in Ingles Street and then for 20 something years in the export department at Kraft. My wife worked at Swallows biscuit factory for 17 years. Love and dreams: Chris: “Polly and I have been 52 years together and we are still in love. .”We have 22 in my family now, with one great-grand-boy, our little Tommy. Our dream comes true because of beautiful Australia Sally Photo by Helena  When we think about Port Melbourne we think about footy. The Borough Football Club.
Brendan: I grew up in Port. We have two teams the seniors and the seconds. Dom: I’ve been at the club for three years; I’m a director on the Board.  I live in Port Phillip Bay. Please donate one hour a month with beach patrol 3207 to help keep my home clean.
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