Woolwich Dock facts for kids
Woolwich Dock is a special place in Sydney, Australia. It used to be a very important dry dock and shipyard. A dry dock is like a giant bathtub for ships. It can be drained of water so people can work on the bottom of a ship. A shipyard is where ships are built and repaired. Woolwich Dock is located in Woolwich, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales.
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The History of Woolwich Dock
The company Morts Dock and Engineering Company bought this land in 1898. They wanted to build a big dry dock there. On December 4, 1901, Woolwich Dock officially opened. It was the largest dry dock in Australia at that time. It was about 188 meters (617 feet) long and 27 meters (89 feet) wide.
Growing Bigger and Busier
Between 1902 and 1918, the dock was made even longer. It grew to 260 meters (853 feet) long! To do this, a street called William Street was bought. A new road, Franki Avenue, was built instead. This new road was named after James Peter Franki. He was the general manager of the company. By 1917, over 1,500 people worked at the dock.
World War Work
The busiest times for Woolwich Dock were during the two World Wars. Many passenger ships were changed into troopships. These ships carried soldiers during the wars. The dock also repaired ships that were damaged in battle. In the 1940s, some older buildings were replaced. A new building with a sawtooth roof was built. This building is still there today.
Closing Down
After the Second World War, there was less work for the dock. It closed down in 1958. The dock then sat empty for five years, until 1963.
The Army Takes Over
In 1963, the Australian Army bought Woolwich Dock. They used it for their water transport operations. The Army tore down three old buildings. They put up new metal buildings. They also added wooden piers and wharves to the dock. A special crane was built next to the dock to help launch boats.
The Army used the dock to launch their boats. They also used the workshops to fix and maintain their vehicles and equipment. In 1997, the Army units moved from Woolwich to Townsville, Queensland.
Returning to the Community
After the Army left, there were plans to sell the land to developers. Developers wanted to build houses or other buildings there. But a community group called Foreshore 2000 Woolwich was formed. They protested against selling the site. They worked with the local council to keep the land for everyone.
In 2001, the Australian Government agreed. The site would be returned to the people of Sydney. The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust was created to manage Woolwich Dock. They also look after other important places around Sydney Harbour. Now, Woolwich Dock is a public space for everyone to enjoy.
