Port Melbourne is an upper class suburb of Melbourne, Victoria that is bordered by the shore of Hobsons Bay and the lower reaches of the Yarra River. Port Melbourne covers a large area which includes the distinct localities of Fishermans Bend, Garden City, Montague and Beacon Cove.

As the relative importance of the port has declined, and as manufacturing industry has moved out of the inner city area, Port Melbourne has increasingly become a residential suburb. The area where Port Melbourne originally developed, around Station Pier and the currently derelict Princes Pier, has been redeveloped with a mixture of apartment complexes and medium-density housing, the best known of which is the Beacon Cove development.

Houses in Port Melbourne range from single-fronted Victorian timber worker's cottages to new apartments and housing developments. Port Melbourne has undergone a major demographic shift in the past twenty years, from one of the cheapest and poorest suburbs in the city to one of the most expensive and wealthiest. Many large apartment developments in Port Melbourne occupy large blocks of land, taking over large factories and warehouses.

Port Melbourne has been the entrance point for thousands of sea vessels with millions of passengers since the 1830’s. These days Station Pier, the major dock in Port Melbourne, is the docking point for the ferries that travel to Tasmania as well as for many other cruise lines that sail to Australia between the months of November and March every year. All this makes Port Melbourne a thriving suburb of Melbourne, complete with a life of its own.

One of the most charming streets in Port Melbourne is Bay Street. Along this road you’ll find both locals and visitors to the suburb enjoying one of several old fashioned pubs, hotels, and other historic buildings. Shops and boutiques abound, as well as many fine places to eat. This area of Port Melbourne is also home to several recording and film studios, production houses, and publishing houses.

Port Melbourne is home to the Port Melbourne Football Club, the “Borough”, which plays in the Victorian Football League. Yet another popular sports team is the Port Melbourne Colts, which participate in the Western Suburbs League. Sport activities in Port Melbourne, as in most of the Melbourne suburbs, is very important to the local residents.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Port Melbourne".