Williamstown Dockyard facts for kids

The Williamstown Dockyard was one of Australia's main places for building and repairing ships. It was located in Williamstown, Victoria, Australia.

History of Williamstown Dockyard

The area started as a place for ship repairs. In 1856, the Colony of Victoria decided to build a large slipway. This was like a ramp that ships could be pulled onto for repairs. It was called the Government Patent Slip and opened in 1858. A pier, called Slip Pier, was also built in 1858 to help with this. Both the slipway and the pier were taken down in 1919.

Building the Dockyard

In 1858, the Colony of Victoria decided to build a bigger facility: a graving dock and a dockyard. A graving dock is like a giant bathtub for ships. Water is let in so a ship can float in, then the water is pumped out, leaving the ship dry so workers can repair its bottom.

Building started in 1868 and finished in February 1874. This large dock was named the Alfred Graving Dock, after Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh. It cost a lot of money back then – about £300,000! The dock was 143 metres (469 feet) long, 24 metres (79 feet) wide, and 8 metres (26 feet) deep. It was designed by William Wardell and was the biggest of its kind in the southern half of the world.

Piers and Jetties

Several piers were built around the dockyard to help with ship movements and cargo. The Dockyard Pier was built in 1874 to help ships get in and out of the Alfred Graving Dock. Another important pier, first called the Western Pier, was built in 1878 to handle wool and grain. It was later rebuilt and renamed Nelson Pier in 1923. This pier was eventually taken down starting in 1979 because it was old and in poor condition. To replace it, Nelsons Pier West was built in 1978. It had cranes and berths for fixing warships.

Changing Owners Over Time

Over the years, the dockyard changed hands many times. In 1913, it was known as the State Shipbuilding Yard. During World War II, in 1942, the government took control, and it became HM Naval Dockyard Williamstown, or Williamstown Naval Dockyard. This shows how important it was for building and repairing ships for the navy during the war.

In 1987, the dockyard became a private company, Tenix Defence, which was later bought by BAE Systems Australia.

Important Ships Built Here

The Williamstown Dockyard built many different types of ships, from small tugs to large frigates and even landing helicopter docks. Here are some of the vessels constructed at this important dockyard: