The Docklands community is invited to help with Docklands image spotting!

The Docklands community is invited to help with Docklands image spotting!
Jackie Watts

You are invited to participate at the forthcoming Melbourne Maritime Heritage Network (MMHN) Heritage and Museum Special Advisory Group’s fascinating workshop in Docklands.

Workshop participants will help to identify historic images from the 5000 astounding photographic collection of our waterways held in the Public Records Office (PROV) Harbour Masters Collection. Many of these remarkable images have not ever been seen in public before.

  • When: Wednesday, March 16, 10am to 12pm.
  • Where: Docklands.

If you are interested in participating simply email [email protected]

Workshop numbers are obviously limited, so we recommend you respond promptly.

More about challenges of “identification”

What a fascinating blend of politics, science, timing and the extraordinary heat surrounding the current dispute around identification of the wreck of the iconic Endeavour (or perhaps not?) in the collaborative Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project of which the Australian National Maritime Museum is a participant. This is a riveting tale which is still unfolding. Read more here

You may wish to check Victoria’s Underwater Discovery Program

Hull-Melbourne connection

Historic maritime connections spanning two centuries between Australia’s great southern port city, Melbourne, and Hull, the significant UK port city of Yorkshire, is seldom acknowledged or celebrated.

Historic global connections are many and varied, and importantly, forged by people with great endeavour on the ocean ‒ seafarers, engineers and commercial entrepreneurs. And this connection continues today!

MMHN strongly recommends you tap into this history through a new blog by Blaydes Maritime Centre.

Williamstown Maritime Precinct

Docklanders will be aware that across the Yarra estuary is the historic port precinct of Williamstown. Sadly, all is not going well in relation to maritime heritage there. Damage is being done.

Just as is the case with Central Pier and the wharves which encircle Victoria Harbour in Docklands, the equally significant maritime infrastructure at the historic port precinct of Williamstown is in jeopardy. As is the case in Victoria Harbour, state authorities responsible for maintaining such valuable public assets are failing to do so. Three important and much-loved Williamstown piers are now closed because Parks Victoria deemed them to be a public safety risk. Workshop Pier closed possibly two years ago and now Boyd Jetty and Commissioners Jetty were closed in late December 2021. More detailed technical investigation is underway, a Total Condition Report on the infrastructure will be presented in due course. No date is set for this report.

The public faces an indefinite wait while the Minister of Ports Infrastructure, Melissa Horne, works out who should fund costly remediation of such infrastructure which, just like Central Pier and the wharves of Victoria Harbour, is relentlessly battered by the elements. Such incremental damage in a marine environment is entirely predictable. It is very obvious that pier maintenance is not an optional expense. Where is the logic in this predicament?

Had adequate investment in maintenance of critical maritime infrastructure occurred when warranted years ago this, this messy governance and remediation could have been avoided. Sadly, there is no timeframe for reopening any of the piers. Meanwhile the public is denied use of these piers and compelled to absorb the adverse impact of this protracted inaction by ALL responsible state authorities.

Read more here

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