Princes Pier in Port Melbourne – a 100-year-old landmark of immigration history

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Princes Pier is a nearly 580 meters long historic pier on Port Phillip, in Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Originally named New Railway Pier, it was renamed Princes Pier in 1921 following the arrival in 1920 of H.R.H. Edward VIII, Prince of Wales, on the ship HNS Renown.

Princes Pier is a short walk from the Beacon Cove Tram Stop (Tram 109). It's part pier and part open-air museum, with many information boards to inform visitors of its 100-year history. This includes the arrival of new immigrants from the earliest days of Melbourne.

Opened in 1915, the pier was able to accommodate the most robust of steamers and mail ships. Over the decades, the pier played a critical role in commerce, wartime embarkation, and migration. With the advent of modern commercial air travel, arrivals at Princes Pier gradually declined during the 1970s. The once marvelous example of shipping and commerce closed in 1989. The pier remained out of use until its recent refurbishment, including the terminal building. The redeveloped Princes Pier was launched as a public space in December 2011.