WHEN the Reverend George Wilkinson preached against the demon drink to the carousing locals of Williamstown, he would not have imagined that his key weapon would become a historic treasure.
The fountain at Nelson Place, outside the Hobsons Bay Visitor Information Centre, is a testament to the Anglican preacher’s 19th century campaign to convert the hard-drinking residents from wine to water.
The gothic fountain was shipped from Scotland in 1876 and has the inscription, “Keep the pavements dry”.
According to Jacqui Travaglia, a guide taking people on historic tours of Williamstown, the area was thick with men attracted to the gold diggings and sly grog dens were rife.
“He died before his dream of converting people to drinking water was realised,” she says.
The fountain is just one of the highlights of the twice-weekly tours, held on Fridays and Sundays until November from the information centre in Commonwealth Reserve. Cost: $8/$6.
For more information and bookings, phone 9932 4310.
http://hobsons-bay-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/williamstown-font-of-wisdom/
Hobsons Bay Leader Local News25 Sep 09 @ 12:50pm by Sasha Shtargot
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