Vin Maskell

Williamstown 1976, and USS Long Beach warship

Photo courtesy of Tony Beyer and the Facebook page The History of The Old Lost Western Suburbs of Melbourne

The mystery photographer* may have had eyes only for the USS Long Beach, a controversial nuclear-powered warship that visited Melbourne in early November 1976, but you can guess where our eyes were heading. Two old Williamstown scoreboards. One behind the goals (goalposts removed due to cricket season) that survived til 2012  and one on the seaside wing.

Photo courtesy of Geoff van Wyngaaden

 

*We wonder if local resident and former scoreboard attendant Geoff van Wyngaaden took the photo of the USS Long Beach from his front yard.

Williamstown’s VFL team is in the Grand Final this Sunday, against Richmond at Princes Park. Williamstown CYMS’ reserves and senior teams are in C Grade amateurs Grand Finals this Saturday at Trevor Barker Oval. Go the Seagulls!

 

As for USS Long Beach, the Sydney Tribune reported on 3 November 1976 :

USS Long Beach, the American nuclear-powered warship arrived in Port Phillip Bay late Saturday morning, anchoring four kilometres offshore. It is expected to come into dock after a few days at anchor. Last Friday tug Seamen in the Port of Melbourne resolved that tug crews due to start on Saturday declare the area around the Long Beach out of bounds to all tugs. They took this decision as a lead up action prior to a meeting of maritime anions early this week. Port workers are expected to stop work when the Long Beach berths.

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