Prior to European occupation the area is thought to have been occupied by the Wathawurung Aborigines. Evidence of their presence can be found at the Mount Rothwell Archaeological Area, 20 km south-west of Werribee. It is one of only four known Aboriginal stone arrangements in Victoria and one of the most spectacular in Australia, consisting of 95 basalt blocks which have been carefully arranged in an oval with a circumference of 151 metres.

The Werribee Plains were spotted from the You-Yangs by Matthew Flinders in 1802. Hume and Hovell reached the Werribee River in 1824, naming it the Arndell. The first European settlement in the district took place in the mid-1830s. Scotsman Thomas Chirnside, already a major landholder in what is now western Victoria, took up land in the Werribee district in the late 1840s. He and his brother Andrew eventually owned 93 000 acres in the area. Thomas's Point Cook homestead was built c.1850 and the brothers' Werribee Park Mansion in the mid-1870s. The latter is considered Victoria's finest colonial homestead. Both are open to the public.

In 1850 the village site, which later became Werribee, was proclaimed. It was declared a municipality in 1862. The Presbyterian Church at the corner of Duncans Rd and Synott St was financed by the Chirnsides.

In the 1890s farmers from the Ballarat area began to move into the district, establishing dairying and agriculture. The production of vegetables commenced when an irrigation scheme was established c.1910. A state research farm (still in operation) was established in 1912 and ex-servicemen were granted land in the area after World War I.

Aviation instruction began at Point Cook in 1913-14 and the RAAF's first air force base was established there in 1921. Still in operation it is allegedly the oldest continually-operating military base in the world. Werribee was declared a city in 1987.

Things to see

Historical Museum
The local historical society is located in the second shire office building (1893) at the corner of Duncans Rd and Watton St. Their museum display is open on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month from 1.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m., tel: (03) 9741 6324. The other historic survival in town is the original shire office, built of bluestone in 1868 at the corner of Synnot St and Greaves St. It was later a Masonic lodge.

B-24 Memorial Liberator Restoration
A restored B-24 Liberator is located at the corner of the Princes Highway and Farm Rd. It is open Thursday and Sunday from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Werribee Park
Werribee Park Mansion, on the basalt plains west of Melbourne, has long been regarded as Victoria's finest rural colonial homestead. Today the mansion is still the state's largest private residence. The graziers Thomas and Andrew Chirnside commissioned the building and it was completed between 1874 and 1877. Thomas had first taken up land in the Werribee area in the late 1840s. His brother later became joint owner of the 93 000-acre property which stretched from the You-Yangs to the sea at Point Cook and from Little River to Skeleton Creek (between Hoppers Crossing and Laverton). The proximity to the markets at Geelong, Melbourne and the goldfields ensured the profitability of their sheep empire which was allegedly one million strong.

The mansion, built in the Classical Revival style boasts 60 rooms, a central tower and single-storey arcade. Built of bluestone faced with local freestone, it can be considered an Australian analogue of the English country house and garden and a symbol of Australia's pastoral elite in the colonial era.

Thomas, suffering ill-health and related depression, shot himself in the estate's washhouse in 1887. Andrew died in 1890 and his wife in 1908. His son George then inherited the mansion. He broke up the estate to enable the establishment of the Werribee State Research Farm in 1912 and the RAAF base at Point Cook in 1921 then sold the mansion to the Jesuits in 1923. They used it as a seminary, making major additions to the house in the 1920s and 1930s, including the tower. The mansion and grounds were purchased by the Victorian government in 1973.

The driveway begins at the grand entry gates and gatekeeper's lodge and passes the Floriana Parterre, an ornamental arrangement of flower beds which is in full bloom from February to March. It is the one of the largest and most spectacular in the country and is the focal point of the formal gardens which cover ten hectares. Completed in 1882, they were allegedly laid out by the curator of the Melbourne Botanical Gardens and, like their English counterparts, they feature not only a parterre, but also a lake, grotto, glasshouses, meandering pathways, extended vistas and British fauna and flora, including many venerable trees.

At the end of the drive is the mansion with its lavish and remarkable Victorian interiors. Exceptional efforts have been made to restore the house to the splendour of its heyday in the 1870s and 1880s. The furniture, fine art and paintings also reflect the period of the Chirnside's residence. Most of the Chirnsides' furniture was made in Edinburgh and shipped in 58 crates. A third of these items remain. While in London in 1881 Thomas Chirnside acquired a collection of 73 paintings by contemporary artists and 'old masters', 20 of which remain.

The drawing room features an exceptional cut-glass chandelier, ebony-and-gilt cabinets, an ottoman and chenille carpeting. There is a magnificent staircase with rococo statue-lamps, a billiard room with a panelled ceiling and carvings, a marble-paved conservatory featuring a fine plastered ceiling and etched-glass windows, a main hall with mosaic floor, Corinthian columns and gold-leaf, a library, bedrooms, dining room and morning room.

The kitchen and servants' wing are designed to provide insight into the working lives of the numerous domestic staff required to maintain this grand lifestyle.

In the fashion of the day the estate was essentially a self-sufficient village. There is a farm section at a small distance from the mansion which retains a number of bluestone buildings - the stables, blacksmith's shop, men's hut, implement shed, ration house and employee's cottage. Farmhands are in attendance.

Other features of the 140-ha estate are the bluestone river ford that linked the two parts of the estate, an ornamental lake with an island that features one of Australia's few surviving grottoes, glasshouses, the original Melbourne to Geelong road, and an earlier bluestone homestead (1857) which is surrounded by a ha-ha, a sunken bluestone wall which stopped animals from accessing the garden while preserving views of the garden.

There is a cafe which is open daily, together with a gift shop. Picnics but no barbecues are allowed within the grounds but there is a picnic area with free gas barbecues in the regional parkoutside the main entrance.

The shrubland, woodland and stands of river red gums are home to birdlife such as great egrets, willy wagtails, the Australian white ibis, swamp harriers, magpie larks, migratory waders, cormorants and ibis. There are also platypuses and water rats along the river, eastern long-necked tortoises, the forest eptesicus bat and plenty of frogs.

Werribee Park is located on K Road, 4 km south of the centre of Werribee. It is signposted from the Princes Freeway (take the Werribee South exit) or, if you are coming from Werribee itself, follow Duncans Rd out of town and turn right onto K Road. Public Transport is available via shuttle from Flinders St Station in Melbourne, tel: (03) 9748 5094.

From November to April the mansion is open to the public from 10.00 a.m. to 4.45 p.m. daily. From May to Octoberentry ceases at 3.45 p.m.

There are pamphlets with detailed information on the culture of the mansion in the Chirnside's time, its interiors and the other features of the estate. Tours of the precinct are self-guided by means of audio head sets which are provided at no extra cost. The full tour takes about one hour but it allows for much individual variation.

Guided mansion, garden and tower tours start from the mansion, for an extra fee. The tours run according to request and are subject to the availability of guides. Bookings are essential.

Furthermore, a vehicle departs every 30 minutes for an audio tour of the property (this is known as the Park Explorer Tour). Pick-up points are the front door of the mansion and the gate lodge. This service also incurs an extra charge.

Visitors can choose to stay at the Mansion Hotel, which offers five-star accommodation and a quality restaurant.There is also a health club and day spa offering therapeutic treatments, tel: (03) 9731 4000. Shadowfax Winery isopen for tastings on the weekends. There are facilities for disabled visitors, wedding and corporate function venues, educational programs and a corporate cricket pitch for hire.

Special events are held throughout the year at the mansion, notably the Spring Harvest Festival which includes period costumes and crafts exhibitions, musical events, polo matches and working farm demonstrations. For further information on any matter ring (03) 9741 2444.

State Rose Garden
The State Rose Garden is located adjacent the grounds and incurs no entry fee. It features 4500 plants from 100 species in the shape of a giant Tudor rose and is at its best from November to April. As a continuation of the themes established in the adjacent estate the gardeners are in period costume. A tour of the garden can be booked any time, but spring is best, tel: 131 963. A summer party is held in March. For general information ring (03) 9742 6717.

The National Equestrian Centre
Also on K Road, just before you reach the mansion, is the National Equestrian Centre on 73 acres with a 4700-square-metre indoor arena, tel: (03) 9741 7672.

Werribee Open-Range Zoo
The zoo is on over 200 ha of land adjacent Werribee Park mansion. Access is via a signposted side road which heads off K Road, just before you reach the Equestrian Centre. It is open daily from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., although no-one is admitted after 3.30 p.m. Hours are extended during daylight savings.

Remember, this is an open-range zoo so visitors are taken on a fifty-minute guided tour on board a specially-provided bus. The tours operate between 10.30 a.m. and 3.40 p.m. There are also two walking trails. The zoo features rhinos, hippos, giraffes, zebras, deers and antelopes from Africa and Asia, American bison, camels, monkeys, cheetahs, meerkats, serval cats, kangaroos, wallabies and emus.  "Lions on the Edge" a new lion experience has opened recently. Those who wish to see both the zoo and Werribee Mansion (see previous entry) can purchase a joint ticket which is available from either and which is valid for three months from date of purchase.

Point Cook RAAF Museum
The RAAF base at Point Cook was Australia's first such institution, being established in 1921. It is claimed to be the oldest continually-operating military base in the world. The attached aviation museum is regarded as the finest such institution in Australia. It is said to house the largest collection of military aircraft in the Southern Hemisphere, with items dating back to 1916. Some of the vintage craft are still in operating condition and are sometimes flown for visitors to the museum. The museum also has 'interactive airfield events' on a daily basis. For information on forthcoming events ring the info-line on (1902) 240 553.

Extensive displays of memorabilia relate to the history of the RAAF, of Point Cook, and the role of women in Australia's 20th-century military conflicts. There are numerous special exhibits, including one on World War I flying ace, Baron von Richtofen.

The museum is located at the end of Point Cook Rd. The simplest way is to take the Point Cook Rd exit off the Princes Freeway at the western edge of Laverton and follow the signs. Alternatively, follow Duncans Rd out of Werribee, cross over the freeway, turn left into Aviation Rd and, at its end, turn right into Point Cook Rd. Public transport is available daily from Flinders St station on board the Werribee Park shuttle which takes in Werribee mansion, the RAAF Museum, the Point Cook homestead and the coastal park. Bookings are essential, tel: (03) 9748 5094.

The museum is open from 10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. from Tuesday to Friday and from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. on weekends and public holidays. Guided tours are available on weekdays. Bookings for the tours are available during business hours, tel: (03) 9256 1300. Recorded information is available by ringing (1902) 240 553. The museum shop can be contacted on (03) 9256 1040.

Point Cook Coastal Park
200 metres before you reach the base, as you head south along Point Cook Rd, there is a turnoff to the left into Point Cook Coastal Park, a well-maintained and landscaped wetlands park which represents one of the last relatively unspoiled reef ecosystems in Port Phillip Bay. It possesses a substantial lookout tower, picnic shelters, free gas barbecues, two childrens' playgrounds, change rooms, clean toilets, and paved walks to the unspoilt shore which boasts a swimming beach, walking trails and a plenitude of birdlife which can be observed from Spectacle Lakes birdhide or from the Cheetham Wetlands Tower. The latter provides views over a series of ponds populated in summer by birds migrating from the northern hemisphere for the winter, including the eastern golden plover from Siberia and Alaska. These ponds were used between the 1920s and the early 1990s by a company which used them to extract salt by evaporation.

An information centre operates at the beach picnic area and a touch tank permits visitors to get a closer look at the local marine life. The shade shelters can be reserved for a fee but the barbecues cannot be reserved. Disabled facilities include special parking spaces, toilets and a wheelchair-accessible path to the picnic grounds, the edge of the beach and the Spectacle Lakes birdhide.

The wetlands, saltmarsh and beach sand flats are visited by a wide range of birds, including the endangered orange-bellied parrot and the rare Altona skipper butterfly can be found on the shores of RAAF Lake. The Marine Reserve, declared in 1982, protects all native flora and fauna in the park (including shellfish and snakes). It forbids fishing on the reef within 200 metres of the high-tide shoreline mark, along with spearfishing, open fires, cats, dogs and horses.

The park's vegetation was altered by European settlement and now consists of remnant basalt plains grassland, with areas of coastal salt marsh, grassy wetland, sedgeland and aquatic species. Replanting of original tree species is underway.

The park is open daily from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. on weekdays in winter (opening at 8.30 a.m. on weekends), with hours extended to 8.00 p.m. in summer, tel: (03) 9395 1132.

Point Cook Homestead
Once you are in the park grounds, there is a signposted turnoff on the left then a right turn onto Point Cook Homestead Rd (gravel) which leads to Point Cook Homestead and stables, on the edge of Port Phillip Bay. This large, single-storey bluestone house was built in stages from around 1850 to 1857 for Thomas Chirnside who used it as the family residence until the completion of Werribee Mansion (see earlier entry); the whole of the area once being part of the Chirnside estate.

The homestead is essentially Classical in style but each wing dates from a different period and hence there is some variety of design. The substantial, single-storey stables were constructed in a vernacular fashion, prior to 1861, of random-coursed bluestone.

The homestead is open to the public for a fee from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. on weekdays and until 5.00 p.m. on weekends. There are educational tours and catering, picnic, barbecue and kiosk facilities, tel: (03) 9395 1293.

Riverbend Historic Park
Just to the north-west of Werribee is Riverbend Historic Park, an ideal picnic spot on the Werribee River where, in 1889, the Chaffey brothers undertook early experiments with the irrigation of farmland (see entry on Mildura).

Serendip Sanctuary
Serendip Sanctuary offers an excellent experience of a wetlands environment rich in fauna with plenty of fun activities and educational guidance and an opportunity to observe native fauna at close quarters without making them aware of the human presence.

It features over 150 species common to the western plains of Victoria. Activities for children include a ponding site where they can catch invertebrates and a search through some bushland for six hidden wooden animals (designed to teach them that there are animals present in the bush if they are willing to look carefully enough). At the visitors' centre there are lizards on display, an 'underwater world', an activities room with a CD-ROM on the local wildlife and a theatrette featuring the mating dances of brolgas and other interesting footage.

From the centre nature trails lead past wildlife (such as free-ranging kangaroos, wallabies, emus and pademelons) in natural habitats and on to birdhides permitting close and unobtrusive observation among the marshes, lakes and billabongs. Here video cameras broadcast the view more widely. There is a ranger who conducts curriculum-based environmental education activities and a 'farm dam' which demonstrates the compatibility of farming and wildlife as well as providing a refuge and a linking corridor for migratory species. The sanctuary's captive breeding program creates an opportunity of viewing rare and threatened species such as brolgas, Australian bustards and magpie geese.

To get there follow the freeway towards Melbourne. Take the turnoff to Lara (into Forest Rd) about 12 km from Geelong's city centre (signposted for You Yangs Regional Park) then, after a further 6 km, turn right into Windermere Rd. The entrance is to your left, at 100 Windermere Rd, Lara.

Opening hours are 10. 00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. daily and entrance to casual visitors who are happy to wander about on their own is free. For those wishing to visit as a group and receive a guided tour, the cost is $4.50 per person. Those who want both the guided tour and a drive around the ring road, the cost is $5.60 per person. There are picnic areas with free electric barbecues and disabled access is provided. For further information ring (03) 5282 1584.

For tourist information see Werribee website.