2025 – a year in Port places
January
Bushfires in the Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park that had burned since 17 December 2024 were contained by 6 January.
A mild controversy arose over the use, and abuse, of beach cabanas and whether they contavened Australian beach culture, or whether they are a very practical response to shade.
People flocked to the boldly re-imagined St Kilda Pier which opened in December 2024.
21 January: the second inauguration of President Donald Trump
President Trump’s inauguration marked the start of a volatile year in global affairs.
Sailing on the Bay on Wednesday afternoons proceeds.
February
24 February: third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
March
The shipping industry moves slowly towards decarbonisation. The CMA CGM was the first LNG powered vessel to call at the Port of Melbourne. LNG is promoted as a transitional fuel.
April
2 April: ‘Liberation Day”
President Trump declared a national emergency regarding the national trade deficit and announced “reciprocal tariffs” on all countries not subject to other sanctions. The implementation of sanctions was erratic and unpredictable.
Melbourne’s World Trade Centre, built at a time when world trade was seen as a pathway to peace, was re-furbished and re-painted.
A mural celebrating Port Melbourne’s role in the history of migration was painted by Dan Wenn (AKA Danny Awes). One of the subjects was 100 year old Abram (Abe) Goldberg who was photographed at the mural not long before he passed away on 21 September. Abram Goldberg is remembered here by Josh Burns.
Many people voted early in the Federal election.
May
3 May: Federal Election
People waited patiently to cast their vote on election day. After the election many commentators observed that while compulsory voting is an essential element of Australian democracy, it is not, in itself, sufficient for the health of our democracy.
Josh Burns was returned as the representative for Macnamara with 61.8% of the two party preferred vote, playing his role in Labor’s landslide victory on 3 May. In the House of Representatives, Labor won 94 seats, the Coalition 43, Greens 1 and 10 independents were elected.
Josh Burns (Lab) photo Josh Burns
High tide at Port Melbourne beach on 28 May.
The tall ship Cuauhtémoc that was so warmly welcomed to Station Pier in October 2024 crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge on 17 May when departing New York. Two sailors were killed and nineteen were injured. The ship was extensively damaged but has since been repaired.
June
More people than ever attended the winter solstice swim since the tradition was initiated in 2016.
July
The pre-fabricated modules of the Lagoon Reserve pavilion were trucked in and craned into place on site.
Utterly indifferent to passing traffic, yellow tailed black cockatoos arrived in Pickles St in late August and stayed to early September feasting on the pine cones.
The Alfred and The Local pubs in Bay St closed in 2025 but The Exchange, formerly Chequers, holds on.
September
The former Port Control Tower in Docklands was restored this year. The Marina Tower in New Quay, Docklands catches the winter sunset.
Tugs guide the massive container ships into and out of the port.
7 October: third anniversary of Hamas attack on Israel
Israeli forces have killed more than 70,000 Palestinians, including more than 20,000 children in the war in Gaza since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. (source Save the Children Fund)
Protests were held in the City every Sunday throughout the year.
November
13 November: Victoria’s Statewide Treaty became law
The changing skyline of Montague, Fishermans Bend, from the Remembrance Garden in Port Melbourne. R Iconic’s distinctive roof profile is in the foreground, with The Local behind.
Derrimut gym founder Nic Solomos put the company into administration in November. Administrators HM Advisory advised that he had a tax debt of more than $12 million. Derrimut’s popular 24/7 gym opened in Port Melbourne in November 2024.
December
The fences came down to reveal the Gasworks Park upgrade that had been underway throughout the year. The upgrade included several sculptures commissioned from Gasworks resident artists. This bird bath, created by Kris Coad (who usually works in ceramics) was one of them.
The Webb (Eel) Bridge, pictured below, is a former freight rail bridge,
On 23 December, the Port released the Port Development Strategy 2055. The strategy says that the Port will continue to work with the Victorian Government to plan a rail link between Webb Dock and the wider Port precinct. The Port also seeks to preserve the existing rail freight reservation through Westgate Park and along Lorimer St.
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