City views along the Strand at Williamstown and Newport have been disrupted by cranes towering more than 20 storeys high and brought in as part of the $1.6billion port expansion.
The robotic ship-to-shore cranes will move along about 660 metres on rails.
Four have arrived, but one is destined for Brisbane. Two more cranes, visible from Williamstown, will arrive in September.
The five Melbourne cranes will service the Victoria International Container Terminal at Webb Dock.
Strand resident Denis Weily, who has been documenting the changing view from outside his home, said his worst fears had been realised.
“And that doesn’t include the containers, which are going to go five high, so there are a lot more physical structures there than we [were shown] initially,” he said.
“There’s buildings that are for repairing the cranes and housing refrigerated containers.
“It’s totally different to what we saw [on original plans] … already there are a lot of structures there that weren’t signalled in the beginning.”
Hobsons Bay councillor Angela Altair said the scale and proximity of the cranes took everyone by surprise.
“The reality is far more imposing than the visual impressions we were shown during the public consultations,” she said.
“I agree with the community that what was a really beautiful unimpeded vista for residents and visitors is now slightly less so.”
Anchorage Restaurant general manager James Bolton said he was grateful residents had been successful in having the colour of cranes changed from bright orange to neutral grey.
“Whilst the structures are a bit of an eyesore we still boast one of the best views of Melbourne in Melbourne” he said.
Port of Melbourne chief executive Nick Easy said that in the past four years, the authority had adopted a transparent and inclusive approach to consultation over the cranes.
