Williamstown Dockyard facts for kids

A 1878 picture of the Alfred Graving Dock at Williamstown Dockyard

Williamstown Dockyard was a very important place in Williamstown, Victoria, Australia, where many ships were built and repaired. It was one of the main shipyards in Australia.

Building the Dockyard

The story of Williamstown Dockyard began in 1856. The government of the Colony of Victoria decided to build a large slipway there. A slipway is like a ramp that lets ships be pulled out of the water for repairs. This first part, called the Government Patent Slip, opened in 1858.

At the same time, a pier called Slip Pier was built. It worked with the slipway. Later, this pier was known as the Lady Loch Jetty. Both the pier and the slipway were taken down in 1919.

The Alfred Graving Dock

In 1858, the Colony of Victoria also decided to build a much bigger facility: a graving dock. A graving dock is a special type of dry dock. It's like a giant bathtub for ships. Ships float in, the water is pumped out, and then workers can repair the ship's bottom.

Construction of this huge dock started in 1868 and finished in February 1874. It was named the Alfred Graving Dock after Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh. It cost a lot of money, about £300,000.

The Alfred Graving Dock was 143 m (469 ft) long, 24 m (79 ft) wide, and 8 m (26 ft) deep. It was designed by William Wardell for the Public Works Department (Victoria). At the time, it was the largest structure of its kind in the southern part of the world!

Important Piers at the Dockyard

Several piers were built at the dockyard over the years to help with ship operations:

• Dockyard Pier: Built in 1874, this pier was used for ships getting ready to enter or leave the Alfred Graving Dock.
• New Railway Pier (later Nelson Pier): This pier was built in 1878 to handle more wool and grain being shipped. It was rebuilt in 1915 and 1927. In 1923, it was renamed Nelson Pier. The government bought this pier and the land around it in 1967, but it was eventually taken down starting in 1979 because it was in bad shape.
• Nelsons Pier West: This pier was built in 1978 to replace the old Nelson Pier. It had two cranes and two places for warships to dock for repairs and fitting out.
• Reid St Pier: Built in 1891 for the Melbourne Harbour Trust, this pier was used for their own floating equipment. Later, it became home to the tugboat fleet and was rebuilt in 1949.

Changes in Ownership

Over the years, the Williamstown Dockyard changed hands many times:

• In 1913, it was known as the State Shipbuilding Yard.
• In 1918, the Australian government took control of it.
• In 1924, ownership went to the Melbourne Harbor Trust.
• During World War II, in 1942, the government took control again. It was then called HM Naval Dockyard Williamstown or Williamstown Naval Dockyard.
• In 1987, it became a private company, Tenix Defence.
• Later, BAE Systems Australia bought Tenix Defence, and they now own the dockyard.

Ships Built at Williamstown Dockyard

Many different types of ships were built at Williamstown Dockyard over its long history. Here is a list of some of them: