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Polly Woodside - Melbourne's Tall Ship Story
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Polly Woodside - Melbourne's Tall Ship Story

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Polly Woodside - Melbourne's Tall Ship Story
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About
Step aboard and join the crew on the Polly Woodside and experience life on board a real tall ship in the 1800s. Discover a new world of maritime adventure through an interactive gallery, immersive theatre and special events.
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4.0
190 reviews
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Average
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Poor
3
Terrible
3
Jeffry b
Essendon, Australia13,838 contributions
Melbourne's tall ship
Oct. 2023 • Friends
The Polly Woodside is Melbourne's tall ship. She was built in Belfast, in the dying days of sail. The Polly Woodside is a workhorse, not a racehorse. She served for many years, and now she is retired, maintained by small army of National Trust volunteers. Anyone who is interested in seafaring will love the Polly Woodside.
Written 7 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
B T
London, UK1,194 contributions
Not worth the entrance fee
Nov. 2022
It was ok, it is $16 for an adult ticket, which is a lot considering what you get. There is not much of a museum, just one room with not much in it, a boring video and not enough seats. The ship itself is good, but you walk on the deck and there are a few cabins inside at the back, but most of the ship is empty for the cargo. It is ok, but is certainly not worth the entrance fee.
Written 6 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeffry b
Essendon, Australia13,838 contributions
Hardy sailing ship was built to work
Jul. 2021
When the Polly Woodside was launched in 1885, she was the last of a dying breed. This hardy steel-hulled sailing ship was made for hauling cargo, with a hard-working crew to man her. The men who crewed these tall ships worked hard for their money. The Polly Woodside is moored on South Wharf, you can get a good view from outside.
Written 20 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AndyJohn74
Sans Souci, Australia3,188 contributions
Maritime history.
Feb. 2021 • Solo
Melbourne’s own tall ship, this is a piece of maritime history. This ship is in its own dock and is accessible to the public when open. Interactive displays and staff in character uniforms. Hopefully things will return to normality soon.
Written 19 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeffry b
Essendon, Australia13,838 contributions
Melbourne's own tall ship
Dec. 2020
The Polly Woodside was launched in Belfast in1885. She was built by William J Woodside. The Polly Woodside is a three-masted iron-hulled barque. As she criss-crossed the oceans, the era of sail was coming to an end. We are lucky to have her; she is a work-horse, not a thoroughbred.
Written 17 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jeffryb
Keysborough, Australia371 contributions
Last of the tall ships
Oct. 2020
The Polly Woodside was built in Belfast. She was not a thoroughbred, she was a workhorse. She is the last of the tall ships. She is usually open for boarding on holidays. If she is not open, you can get a good view from South Wharf. She's still a good looking ship, despite her age.
Written 8 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liz H
Lichfield, UK845 contributions
Piece of maritime history
Jan. 2020 • Couples
If you are a British National Trust member, show your card, as there is a reciprocal agreement and you will get free entry.
A nice small museum with a good short film about the boat, worth a watch.
You can then go aboard the boat and see all areas, most of which have been restored.
Easy to walk to along the river from Flinders St station and the South Bank.
Written 4 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shihoko P
Melbourne, Australia535 contributions
Great venue to experience a piece of history
Jan. 2020
I've walked past the Polly Woodside plenty of times, but this was my first visit inside (with thanks to a National Trust membership). The museum is interactive and well presented (if you have children, there is a stamp rally inside that you can ask for a 'passport' at the desk). It's informative and educational, something for adults and kids. Exploring inside the ship, you get a great feel of how sailors withstood the conditions and how they lived. She's a beautiful treasure, and worth a visit for any type of tourist. It's only open weekends and school holidays, so plan accordingly.
Written 29 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravellingChonyT
Melbourne, Australia98 contributions
Not just for the kids and the ship enthusiasts!
Dec. 2019
We loved our visit to Polly! Excellent background and context provided through the interactive museum before you head outside leaves you ready to board the ship herself and immerse yourself in all of the history. We were fortunate enough to visit on an extremely hot day which was keeping most other visitors away so we had a great time rambling all around Polly and exploring every nook and cranny. A definite must when visiting Melbourne!
Written 5 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeffry b
Essendon, Australia13,838 contributions
Last of a dying breed
Dec. 2019
The lines of the Polly Woodside were probably not considered pretty in the last days of sail, but now we must admire Melbourne's own tall ship, one of the last of a dying breed.. The Polly Woodside was launched in Belfast in 1885. Shei s a three-masted barque with an iron hull. The Polly Woodside was a workhorse, not a thoroughbred, but you can't help but admire the men who sailed in her. You can board this vessel during opening hours or just take a look from alongside South Wharf, where the Polly Woodside is moored. She is not hard to find.
Written 22 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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