Jump to content

State Dockyard: Difference between revisions

Add links
Coordinates: 32°55′21.4″S 151°46′30.4″E / 32.922611°S 151.775111°E / -32.922611; 151.775111
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
mNo edit summary
mNo edit summary
Tags: Visual edit Mobile edit Mobile web edit
 
(111 intermediate revisions by 43 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|20th century ship building facility in Carrington, New South Wales, Australia}}
The '''State Dockyard''' at Dykes Point, [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]] was built by the [[Government of New South Wales|New South Wales Government]] in 1942 during [[World War II]]. The dockyard was constructed using much of the plant and buildings from the former Walsh Island Dockyard and Engineering Works which had ceased operations in 1933. The dockyard launched its first vessel in July 1943. By 1945 it had built two vessels for the [[Royal Australian Navy]] and twenty-two vessels for the United States and had repaired six hundred ships. The dockyard closed in 1987.
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox company
|name = State Dockyard
|logo =
|logo_size =
|logo_alt =
|logo_caption =
|logo_padding =
|image = HMAS Strahan IWM FL 19390.jpg
|image_alt =
|image_caption = {{HMAS|Strahan}}
|type =
|industry = Ship building
|fate = Closed
|predecessor = Government Dockyard
|founded = 1942
|founder = [[Government of New South Wales]]
|defunct = 1987
|location_city = [[Newcastle, New South Wales]]
|location_country = Australia
|owner = Government of New South Wales
}}
The '''State Dockyard''' was a ship building and maintenance facility operated by the [[Government of New South Wales]] in [[Carrington, New South Wales|Carrington]], [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]], [[New South Wales]], Australia between 1942 and 1987.

==History==
In 1942, the State Dockyard opened on the site of the Government Dockyard at Dyke Point in [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]] that had closed in 1933. Officially the New South Wales Government Engineering & Shipbuilding Undertaking, it was universally referred to as the State Dockyard. The dockyard facility was located at [[Carrington, New South Wales|Carrington]] on [[Hunter River (New South Wales)|Newcastle Harbour]], on {{convert|11|ha|acre|0|abbr=on}} of land in addition to the ship repairs site on {{convert|3|ha|acre|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name=NSWStateRecords>{{cite web|url=http://search.records.nsw.gov.au/agencies/2990|title=State Dockyard Newcastle|work=State Records|publisher=[[Government of New South Wales]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140621022613/http://search.records.nsw.gov.au/agencies/2990|archive-date=21 June 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newportcorp.com.au/page_default.aspx?pageID=48|title=Timeline|publisher=Newcastle Port Corporation|date=2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506011956/http://www.newportcorp.com.au/page_default.aspx?pageID=48|archive-date=6 May 2008}}</ref>

The dockyard launched its first vessel in July 1943. By the end of [[World War II]], it had launched two ships for the [[Royal Australian Navy]] and 22 vessels for the United States and had repaired six hundred ships.<ref name=NSWStateRecords/>

With the cessation of large scale shipbuilding, in the 1970s it diversified into other engineering disciplines. In November 1986 a team of apprentices from the Hunter Valley Training Company completed a three-year overhaul of steam locomotive [[3801]] at the dockyard.<ref>"Re-Commissioning 3801" ''[[Railway Digest]]'' January 1987 page 30</ref> The dockyard closed on 3 March 1987.<ref name=NSWStateRecords/>

A 15,000 ton floating dock was located at Carrington in 1943 to repair damaged ships during World War II. The floating dock was scrapped in 1977 and replaced with a new one built in Japan called Muloobinba, which was eventually sold overseas in 2012.

==Ships built==
[[File:Princess of Tasmania.jpg|thumb|{{MS|Princess of Tasmania}} under construction in 1958]]
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* {{HMAS|Strahan}} (1943)<ref>{{cite book|last1=Gillett|first1=Ross|title=Australian & New Zealand Warships 1914-1945|date=1983|publisher=Doubleday Australia|location=Lane Cove|isbn=0 86824 095 8|page=168}}</ref>
* {{HMAS|Condamine|K698|6}} (1944)<ref>{{cite book|last1=Gillett|first1=Ross|title=Australia's Navy Past, Present & Future|date=1986|publisher=Child & Henry|location=Brookvale|isbn=0 86777 178 X|page=52}}</ref>
* SS ''Dorrigo'' (1946)
* SS ''Dubbo'' (1947)
* SS ''Delungra'' (1947)
* SS ''Denman'' (1949)
* MV ''Dongarra/Kabbarli'' (1950)
* SS ''Townsville'' (1952)
* MV ''Woomera'' (1952)
* MV ''Wangarra'' (1953)
* MV ''Warringa/Windarra'' (1953)
* MV ''[[MV Kooleen|Kooleen]]'' (1956)<ref>[http://www.ferriesofsydney.com/kooleen.html MV Kooleen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160227125314/http://ferriesofsydney.com/kooleen.html |date=27 February 2016 }} Ferries of Sydney</ref>
* MV ''Koojarra'' (1956)
* MV ''Iranda'' (1957)
* {{MS|Princess of Tasmania}} (1959)<ref>{{cite book|last1=Plowman|first1=Peter|title=Ferry to Tasmania: A Short History|date=2004|publisher=Rosenberg Publishing|location=Dural|isbn=1 877058 27 0|pages=100–101}}</ref>
* MV ''Bass Trader'' (1961)
* {{MV|Cape Don}} (1962) Lighthouse supply vessel
* Dredge ''John Main'' (1962) For NSW Public Works.
* {{MV|Cape Moreton}} (1963) Lighthouse supply vessel
* MV ''Moresby'' (1963) For Burns Philp to and from New Guinea
* {{HMAS|Moresby|1963}}<ref>{{cite book|last1=Gillett|first1=Ross|title=Warships of Australia|date=1977|publisher=Rigby|location=Sydney|isbn=0 7270 0472 7|page=268}}</ref>
* {{MV|Cape Pillar}} (1964) Lighthouse supply vessel
* MV ''Kooringa'' (1964)
* MT ''BP Endeavour'' (1967)
* MT ''BP Enterprise'' (1968)
* [[HMAS Jervis Bay (GT 203)|MV ''Australian Trader'']] (1969)<ref>{{cite book|last1=Sharpe|first1=Richard|title=Jane's Fighting Ships|date=1991|publisher=Jane's Information Group|location=Coulsdon|isbn=0 7106 0960 4|page=[https://archive.org/details/janesfightingshi00rich/page/31 31]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/janesfightingshi00rich/page/31}}</ref>
* MV ''Darwin Trader'' (1970)
* Dredge ''Geopodes'' (1971) For a Dutch Dredging company.
* Dredge ''WD Resolution'' (1971) For Westminster Dredging company.
* MV ''Lysaght Endeavour'' (1973)
* MV ''Lysaght Enterprise'' (1973)
* MT ''Express'' (1974) For Howard Smith
* MT ''John Hunter'' (1975) For Caltex
* MV ''Bass Trader 11'' (1976)
* MV ''Flinders Range'' (1976)
* MV ''Selwyn Range'' (1977)
* {{MV|Freshwater}} (1982 Yard no. 105)
* {{MV|Queenscliff|1983}} (1983 Yard no. 106 and the final vessel built)
* [[Lady-class ferry|Lady-class ferries]]
** {{MV|Lady Cutler}} (1968)<ref name=GAndrews>{{cite book|last1=Andrews|first1=Graeme|title=The Ferries of Sydney|date=1975|publisher=AH & AW Reed|location=Terry Hills|isbn=0 589 07172 6|pages=58–59}}</ref>
** MV ''Lady Woodward'' (1970)<ref name=GAndrews/>
** MV ''Lady McKell'' (1970)<ref name=GAndrews/>
** MV ''Lady Street'' (1979)<ref>"Lady Street names her namesake" ''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]'' 9 May 1979</ref>
** MV ''Lady Herron'' (1979)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ferriesofsydney.com/Lady%20Herron.html|title=Lady Herron|publisher=Ferriesofsydney.com|access-date=8 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414182211/http://www.ferriesofsydney.com/Lady%20Herron.html|archive-date=14 April 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}


==After closure==
==After closure==
[[File:Sydney Ferry Freshwater.jpg|thumb|[[Sydney Ferries]]' {{MV|Freshwater}} at [[Balmain, New South Wales|Balmain]] depot in July 2013]]
As of 2009, the dockyard is proposed to be reutilised by Azzura Marine into a superyacht and large custom vessel construction facility.
In 2007 the outline of the painted "STATE DOCKYARD" sign on the southern roof of the former dockyard building could still be seen when viewed from above.


==Surviving ships==
In 2010, the southern roof of the former dockyard buildings still shows the faded, painted title "STATE DOCKYARD" when viewed from above. {{coord|-32.92261|151.77512|display=inline,title|dim:175_region:AU-NSW_type:landmark}}
As of December 2023, the surviving State Dockyard built ships still in service are the Manly ferries {{MV|Freshwater}} and {{MV|Queenscliff|1983}}, which are operated by the [[Sydney Ferries]] franchisee [[Transdev Sydney Ferries]]. Former Sydney Harbour ferries ''Lady Cutler'' and ''Lady McKell'' operate as cruise boats on [[Port Phillip]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ladycutler.com.au|title=Melbourne Showboat and Boat Cruise for Parties and Wedding|publisher=Lady Cutler|access-date=7 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416105419/http://www.ladycutler.com.au/|archive-date=16 April 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.victoriastar.com.au/history|title=History|work=victoriastar.com.au|access-date=7 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160229025146/http://www.victoriastar.com.au/history/|archive-date=29 February 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>


Surviving non-operating or stored ships built by State Dockyard, are ''Cape Don'', a [[lighthouse tender]] built in 1962 for the Commonwealth Lighthouse Service which is now a museum ship at [[Balls Head Bay]], [[Waverton, New South Wales|Waverton]] and the ex-Sydney Inner-harbour ferry Lady Herron, which is currently laid up in Newcastle.
==surviving ships==
As of 2011 the surviving State Dockyard built ships are the MV Cape Don built in 1963 for the commonwealth lighthouse service which is now a [[museum ship]] on [[balls head bay]] in [[waverton]] and the MV Freshwater and [[MV Queenscliff (1983)]] for the Manly-Circular Quay run


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
* [http://www.newportcorp.com.au/page_default.aspx?pageID=48 Newcastle Port Corporation History Timeline]

* [http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/cguide/pr/pwd00017.htm State Records NSW - State Dockyards Files]
==External links==
* [http://www.newportcorp.com/page_list_detail.aspx?mediaID=169&getDetailType=media Media Release - Azzura Marine Dockyard]
* [http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/shipyard/list?link=2462&page=1 Miramar Ship Index - fuller, though incomplete, production list (subscription required)]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Queenscliff_%281983%29]
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/sets/72157629215715018/detail/?page=5 Flickr gallery]
* [http://emuseum.anmm.gov.au/code/emuseum.asp?style=browse&currentrecord=1&page=search&profile=ARHVObjects&searchdesc=cape%20don&searchstring=QuickSearch/,/contains/,/cape%20don/,/false/,/true&newvalues=1&newstyle=single&newcurrentrecord=1]

* [http://www.mvcapedonsociety.org.au/]
{{Coord|32|55|21.4|S|151|46|30.4|E|type:landmark_region:AU-NSW|display=title}}

{{City of Newcastle suburbs}}
{{City of Newcastle suburbs}}
{{Hunter Region places and items of interest}}
{{Hunter Region places and items of interest}}


[[Category:Newcastle, New South Wales]]
[[Category:History of Newcastle, New South Wales]]
[[Category:Shipbuilding companies of Australia]]
[[Category:1942 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:1987 disestablishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Shipyards of New South Wales]]

Latest revision as of 14:56, 1 September 2024

State Dockyard
IndustryShip building
PredecessorGovernment Dockyard
Founded1942
FounderGovernment of New South Wales
Defunct1987
FateClosed
Headquarters
Newcastle, New South Wales
,
Australia
OwnerGovernment of New South Wales

The State Dockyard was a ship building and maintenance facility operated by the Government of New South Wales in Carrington, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia between 1942 and 1987.

History

[edit]

In 1942, the State Dockyard opened on the site of the Government Dockyard at Dyke Point in Newcastle that had closed in 1933. Officially the New South Wales Government Engineering & Shipbuilding Undertaking, it was universally referred to as the State Dockyard. The dockyard facility was located at Carrington on Newcastle Harbour, on 11 ha (27 acres) of land in addition to the ship repairs site on 3 ha (7 acres).[1][2]

The dockyard launched its first vessel in July 1943. By the end of World War II, it had launched two ships for the Royal Australian Navy and 22 vessels for the United States and had repaired six hundred ships.[1]

With the cessation of large scale shipbuilding, in the 1970s it diversified into other engineering disciplines. In November 1986 a team of apprentices from the Hunter Valley Training Company completed a three-year overhaul of steam locomotive 3801 at the dockyard.[3] The dockyard closed on 3 March 1987.[1]

A 15,000 ton floating dock was located at Carrington in 1943 to repair damaged ships during World War II. The floating dock was scrapped in 1977 and replaced with a new one built in Japan called Muloobinba, which was eventually sold overseas in 2012.

Ships built

[edit]
MS Princess of Tasmania under construction in 1958
  • HMAS Strahan (1943)[4]
  • HMAS Condamine (1944)[5]
  • SS Dorrigo (1946)
  • SS Dubbo (1947)
  • SS Delungra (1947)
  • SS Denman (1949)
  • MV Dongarra/Kabbarli (1950)
  • SS Townsville (1952)
  • MV Woomera (1952)
  • MV Wangarra (1953)
  • MV Warringa/Windarra (1953)
  • MV Kooleen (1956)[6]
  • MV Koojarra (1956)
  • MV Iranda (1957)
  • MS Princess of Tasmania (1959)[7]
  • MV Bass Trader (1961)
  • MV Cape Don (1962) Lighthouse supply vessel
  • Dredge John Main (1962) For NSW Public Works.
  • MV Cape Moreton (1963) Lighthouse supply vessel
  • MV Moresby (1963) For Burns Philp to and from New Guinea
  • HMAS Moresby (1963)[8]
  • MV Cape Pillar (1964) Lighthouse supply vessel
  • MV Kooringa (1964)
  • MT BP Endeavour (1967)
  • MT BP Enterprise (1968)
  • MV Australian Trader (1969)[9]
  • MV Darwin Trader (1970)
  • Dredge Geopodes (1971) For a Dutch Dredging company.
  • Dredge WD Resolution (1971) For Westminster Dredging company.
  • MV Lysaght Endeavour (1973)
  • MV Lysaght Enterprise (1973)
  • MT Express (1974) For Howard Smith
  • MT John Hunter (1975) For Caltex
  • MV Bass Trader 11 (1976)
  • MV Flinders Range (1976)
  • MV Selwyn Range (1977)
  • MV Freshwater (1982 Yard no. 105)
  • MV Queenscliff (1983) (1983 Yard no. 106 and the final vessel built)
  • Lady-class ferries

After closure

[edit]
Sydney Ferries' MV Freshwater at Balmain depot in July 2013

In 2007 the outline of the painted "STATE DOCKYARD" sign on the southern roof of the former dockyard building could still be seen when viewed from above.

Surviving ships

[edit]

As of December 2023, the surviving State Dockyard built ships still in service are the Manly ferries MV Freshwater and MV Queenscliff (1983), which are operated by the Sydney Ferries franchisee Transdev Sydney Ferries. Former Sydney Harbour ferries Lady Cutler and Lady McKell operate as cruise boats on Port Phillip.[13][14]

Surviving non-operating or stored ships built by State Dockyard, are Cape Don, a lighthouse tender built in 1962 for the Commonwealth Lighthouse Service which is now a museum ship at Balls Head Bay, Waverton and the ex-Sydney Inner-harbour ferry Lady Herron, which is currently laid up in Newcastle.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "State Dockyard Newcastle". State Records. Government of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 21 June 2014.
  2. ^ "Timeline". Newcastle Port Corporation. 2003. Archived from the original on 6 May 2008.
  3. ^ "Re-Commissioning 3801" Railway Digest January 1987 page 30
  4. ^ Gillett, Ross (1983). Australian & New Zealand Warships 1914-1945. Lane Cove: Doubleday Australia. p. 168. ISBN 0 86824 095 8.
  5. ^ Gillett, Ross (1986). Australia's Navy Past, Present & Future. Brookvale: Child & Henry. p. 52. ISBN 0 86777 178 X.
  6. ^ MV Kooleen Archived 27 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine Ferries of Sydney
  7. ^ Plowman, Peter (2004). Ferry to Tasmania: A Short History. Dural: Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 100–101. ISBN 1 877058 27 0.
  8. ^ Gillett, Ross (1977). Warships of Australia. Sydney: Rigby. p. 268. ISBN 0 7270 0472 7.
  9. ^ Sharpe, Richard (1991). Jane's Fighting Ships. Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. p. 31. ISBN 0 7106 0960 4.
  10. ^ a b c Andrews, Graeme (1975). The Ferries of Sydney. Terry Hills: AH & AW Reed. pp. 58–59. ISBN 0 589 07172 6.
  11. ^ "Lady Street names her namesake" The Sydney Morning Herald 9 May 1979
  12. ^ "Lady Herron". Ferriesofsydney.com. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  13. ^ "Melbourne Showboat and Boat Cruise for Parties and Wedding". Lady Cutler. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  14. ^ "History". victoriastar.com.au. Archived from the original on 29 February 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
[edit]

32°55′21.4″S 151°46′30.4″E / 32.922611°S 151.775111°E / -32.922611; 151.775111

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=State_Dockyard&oldid=1243451256"