A narrow strip of Westgate Park runs between the Birrarung (Yarra River) and Lorimer Street. There are great views across to Williamstown and beneath the soaring bridge above. A punt operates for commuters. The river is saline at this point and a beach appears at low tide.
Volunteers planted into the steep rock walling along its 1km length. This is where you can see Coast Banksia plants and enormous ships sailing under the bridge.
One third of Westgate Park is in wetlands – a large salt lake, a freshwater lake with a large island, a dam, lagoons and ephemeral ponds.
The freshwater lake is quite shallow but is good habitat for the many water-dependent birds – swans, ducks, coots, cormorants, spoonbills, grebes, pelicans, egrets, swamphens, stilts etc.
The salt lake is deep and sometimes turns pink when water levels are low and temperatures are high. The lake is fringed by saltmarsh plants, most of them succulents. We ask you to not walk around the salt lake because these plants grow slowly and are particularly vulnerable to trampling. Very occasionally water levels fall to reveal the hood of a salt-encrusted car!
The eucalypts, including the grand Eucalyptus camaldulensis – Red River Gum, are woodland species planted in most sections of the park.