SITE OF STATE SHIPBUILDING YARDS

Author

City of Fremantle

Place Number

25697

Location

59-71 Harvest Road, 9-17 Corkhill St, 3-15 Direction Way North Fremantle

Location Details

Local Government

Fremantle

Region

Metropolitan

Construction Date

Constructed from 1942 to 1950

Demolition Year

1994

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
Municipal Inventory Adopted Historical Record Only

Parent Place or Precinct

22385 North Fremantle Precinct

Child Places

  • 20536 SITE OF PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT DEPOT, 15 CORKHILL STREET

Statement of Significance

Site of State Shipbuilding Yards has cultural heritage significance for its history of use in the marine industry, its landscape setting and for its value in community river front activities.

Physical Description

The buildings were deemed to be below threshold for entry into the Register of Heritage Places, and were demolished in 1994. This place is retained on MHI for historical information only.

History

The land bounded by Harvest Road, Corkhill and John Streets was taken up with shipyards for most of the twentieth century; one occupant being Northwest Whaling Company; and as at 1904 it was Browns’ Shipyards, the proprietor A. E. Brown residing nearby at 1 Elizabeth St (later Corkhill St) on the corner of John St). During World War Two these shipyards were used for the construction of timber vessels for the Australian Navy. The State Shipbuilding Yards was established in 1942. The area extended from Corkhill Road to the foreshore, on the south side of Harvest Road. (It now comprises 59-71 Harvest Road, 9-17 Corkhill St and 3-15 Direction Way.) The site was opposite Preston Point, site of the Leeuwin naval station. Twelve wooden ships were contracted by the Commonwealth government using West Australian timber and with mechanical components made either in WA or in Melbourne. The State Engineering Works at Leighton was closely involved in the project. The ships were used mainly as army supply vessels in the islands north of Australia during World War II. Later occupants of the site included the Public Works Department (15 Corkhill Street; see separate Place Record), Bradford’s Insulation (1954 to 1970s) and Precision Marine (late 1970s). In 1993 Council supported subdivision of Lot 25 into 24 lots for housing. City of Fremantle had commissioned a site history and assessment prior to this (undertaken by Ian Molyneux, Architect). Council’s decision was supported by the Heritage Council of WA, who agreed that the site’s shipbuilding history, landscape setting and community river front activities were of cultural heritage significance, but that the buildings were deemed to be below threshold for entry into the Register of Heritage Places. Several large steel and timber sheds and timber yards were demolished in 1994 and between 1995 and 1999 the housing subdivision was completed. References: Aerial photographs 1947-2016; Battye Library MN 1490 Acc. 4714; Fremantle History Centre Property File, 74 Harvest Road.

Place Type

Historic Site

Creation Date

10 Aug 2016

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

22 Mar 2019

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.