Chinaman's Hat (Port Phillip)

The term Chinaman's Hat, the name once associated with a former military structure, Station M, was transferred to a new seal platform erected by Parks Victoria in 2002.

Postwar, a structure was built to replace a dilapidated military installation which had been erected on a dolphin, shortly before 1942, as part of the Port Phillip defence system.

[1] However, some doubts have been expressed regarding the existence of that interception system,[citation needed] although the site certainly was equipped in wartime with underwater indicator loops to detect submarines.

[5] In early 2002, Parks Victoria was granted a permit to demolish the old structure, after arguing that it posed a risk for small craft navigation and was devoid of heritage value.

[6] In the face of public protests, the authority built an expensive alternative platform, at a cost of A$210,000, which was quickly disparaged by critics at the time as a veritable "Taj Mahal for seals".