Saltworks Near Melbourne, AUS
Geelong Offers Black Swans and Unusual Sights for Tourists
The Australian coast isn't all beaches and water sports. The Cheetham Saltworks are an interesting part of Australia's industrial scene.
See Black Swans in the Wild
The black swan (Cygnus atratus) is not a rare or endangered species, and may be seen in the wild in many parts of Australia, especially the south and southeast. It is one of Australia's many unique birds, and has come to be a favourite emblem. The black swans pictured here were found very close to the city of Geelong, by the saltworks.
An Easy Day Trip from Melbourne to Geelong
The city of Geelong is about 73 kilometres (44 miles) west of Melbourne, easily reached by car or train. To explore the region as a tourist calls for a car. The driving here is less hectic than in urban Melbourne, particularly for North Americans, since Australians drive on the left side of the road. Driving on the "other" side of the road always seems easier when there is less traffic.
The coastal region near Geelong is best known for beaches and water sports. Further south on the Great Ocean Road are some well-loved seaside resorts. The saltworks are an interesting sight to look for, and an alternative to taking the main highway through the Geelong area.
Cheetham Salt
The built-up area around Geelong includes the nearby towns of Corio and Moolap. Cheetham Salt is associated with both.
Starting in 1888, Richard Cheetham began to harvest salt from the sea. Old photographs show men with shovels making dozens, perhaps even hundreds, of cone-shaped piles of salt, waist-high. The process today is more mechanized but the basic process still relies on two things as old as time: the ocean and the sun.
Solar Saltmaking
Cheetham Salt is Australia's largest salt maker. They trap ocean water in a series of flat-lying rectangular ponds along the coastal flats. Using a series of dykes to control the water, the ponds are dried by the sun, leaving the salt behind. The salt is mined and refined in the local Cheetham factory at Moolap.
The process is very simple and relies on the sun's energy to do most of the work. The only refining Cheetham has to do is to wash, dry, crush and sieve the salt before packaging it for sale.
Salt Products
Cheetham makes a surprising range of salts, from table-grade through to industrial process salts. All of them are the familiar sodium chloride (NaCl), made to different grain sizes, purity, and water content, as needed.
Where to See the Saltworks
Travelling east of Geelong along the Geelong - Portarlington Road (C123), take Cheetham Road to Point Henry Road, and drive the length of Point Henry. Along this road there are several clear views of the flat salt pans, the piles of salt and the refinery buildings. Black swans may be seen in the sheltered areas along the point.
