HERITAGE COUNCIL DETERMINATION
Determination Date / Thursday 6 August 2015Place/Object Name / Alfred Graving Dock
Location / Williamstown Dockyard, Williamstown
VHR Number / H697
At a meeting of the Heritage Council of Victoria on 6 August 2015 it was determined that, in accordance with Section 54 of the Heritage Act 1995, the Victorian Heritage Register entry for the above place should be amended. This decision was reached having considered the assessment against the Heritage Council’s criteria and other information, including the proposed amendments contained in the attached report and submissions received in response to the Executive Director’s recommendation.
The Heritage Council endorses and adopts the attached report for the purposes of making its decision.
Professor Stuart Macintyre AO
Chair, Heritage Council of Victoria
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Name: Alfred Graving Dock
VHR number: VHR H0697
Hermes number: 1231
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
RECOMMENDATION TO THE
HERITAGE COUNCIL TO
AMEND AN EXISTING REGISTRATION
NAME / Alfred Graving DockDATE REGISTERED: / 09 November 1988
VHR NUMBER: / VHR H0697
HERITAGE OVERLAY NO: / HO209
LOCATION / williamstown dockyard, williamstown
CATEGORY / Heritage Place
FILE NUMBER: / 13/009112-01; 600755
HERMES NUMBER: / 1231
PROPOSED EXTENT OF REGISTRATION
All of the place shown hatched on Diagram 697 encompassing parts of Lots 1, 2 & 3 on Title Plan 852954.
The extent of registration of the Alfred Graving Dock on the Victorian Heritage Register affects the whole place shown on Diagram 697 including the land, all buildings, roads, trees, landscape elements and other features.
PROPOSED STATEMENT OF CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE
What is significant?
The Alfred Graving Dock in the Williamstown Dockyard.
History Summary
The Alfred Graving Dock was constructed by contractors for the Victorian Government between 1864 and 1873 at a total cost exceeding £300,000. It was the largest works undertaken by the Victorian government at that time and was of international importance both as a facility for shipping and as a work of engineering. In 1913 the dock was incorporated into a new dockyard owned by the Victorian Government and known as the State Shipbuilding Yard. In 1918 the Commonwealth Government purchased the site and in 1924 the Melbourne Harbor Trust (MHT) purchased the dockyard. After the outbreak of World War II the MHT used the dockyards for the conversion of merchant vessels and trawlers for war purposes and the construction of naval vessels. The Royal Australian Navy requisitioned the dockyard in 1942. The dockyard was sold to a private company in 1988 and in 2009 was owned by BAE systems. Although major alterations have been made to the wider dockyard area, the Alfred Graving Dock remains substantially intact. It has been in continual use for ship repair since 1874.
Description Summary
The Alfred Graving Dock is an excavated pit, approximately 126 metres in length and 30 metres wide. The pit is lined with closely interlocking basalt blocks, with most blocks generally measuring a metre cubed. It is built in the form of an inverted arch. A floating caisson or dock gate is located at the seaward end of the dock. There are capstans at the land (2) and seaward (2) end of the Dock. In 1987, 188 basalt blocks ranging in size from 50x30x70cm to 200x30x70cm were removed from the base of the dock and mortared together to form a patio at the north of Nelson Place. Two large iron plates in the dock indicate their original location. The Alfred Graving Dock is located within an extensive dockyard complex on Nelson Place, Williamstown.
This site is part of the traditional land of the Yalukit Wilum people.
How is it significant?
The Alfred Graving Dock is of architectural and historical significance to the State of Victoria. It satisfies the following criterion for inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register:
Criterion A
Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history.
Criterion F
Importance in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement at a particular period.
Criterion H
Special association with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in Victoria's history.
Why is it significant?
The Alfred Graving Dock significant at the State level for the following reasons:
The Alfred Graving Dock is historically significant as one of the greatest public works constructed in Australia in the nineteenth century and as an expression of the technical skill of Victorian architects, engineers and stonemasons. It provided an essential shipbuilding and repair facility in colonial Victoria when the colony was almost entirely reliant on maritime transport for economic development and population growth. It was an installation vital to the defence of Victoria in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century and important to the naval defence of Australia in the twentieth century. As a key component of the Williamstown dockyard, it has made a vital economic and social contribution to a working-class community employed principally in maritime related activity. [Criterion A & F]
The Alfred Graving Dock is architecturally significant as an example of the work of the distinguished architect and Victoria’s Inspector-General of Public Works from 1861 to 1878, William Wilkinson Wardell. Wardell also designed Government House, St Patrick’s Cathedral, and the Gothic ANZ Bank on the corner of Collins and Queen Streets. [Criterion H]
PROPOSED PERMIT POLICY
DRAFT ONLY – NOT YET APPROVED BY THE HERITAGE COUNCIL
Preamble
The purpose of the Permit Policy is to assist when considering or making decisions regarding works to a registered place. It is recommended that any proposed works be discussed with an officer of Heritage Victoria prior to making a permit application. Discussing proposed works will assist in answering questions the owner may have and aid any decisions regarding works to the place.
The extent of registration includes all of the buildings, features and all of the land shown hatched on Diagram 697.
Under the Heritage Act 1995 a person must not remove or demolish, damage or despoil, develop or alter or excavate, relocate or disturb the position of any part of a registered place or object without approval. It is acknowledged, however, that alterations and other works may be required to keep places and objects in good repair and adapt them for use into the future.
If a person wishes to undertake works or activities in relation to a registered place or registered object, they must apply to the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria for a permit. The purpose of a permit is to enable appropriate change to a place and to effectively manage adverse impacts on the cultural heritage significance of a place as a consequence of change. If an owner is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that Heritage Victoria be contacted.
Permits are required for anything which alters the place or object, unless a permit exemption is granted. Permit exemptions usually cover routine maintenance and upkeep issues faced by owners as well as minor works. They may include appropriate works that are specified in a conservation management plan. Permit exemptions can be granted at the time of registration (under s.42 of the Heritage Act) or after registration (under s.66 of the Heritage Act).
It should be noted that the addition of new buildings to the registered place, as well as alterations to the interior and exterior of existing buildings requires a permit, unless a specific permit exemption is granted.
PROPOSED PERMIT EXEMPTIONS (under section 42 of the Heritage Act)
DRAFT ONLY – NOT YET APPROVED BY THE HERITAGE COUNCIL – RECOMMENDED UNDER SECTION 33 OF THE HERITAGE ACT
It should be noted that Permit Exemptions can be granted at the time of registration (under s.42(4) of the Heritage Act). Permit Exemptions can also be applied for and granted after registration (under s.66 of the Heritage Act)
General Condition 1
All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
General Condition 2
Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such works shall cease and Heritage Victoria shall be notified as soon as possible.
General Condition 3
All works should be informed by Conservation Management Plans prepared for the place. The Executive Director is not bound by any Conservation Management Plan, and permits still must be obtained for works suggested in any Conservation Management Plan.
General Condition 4
Nothing in this determination prevents the Heritage Council from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
General Condition 5
Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the relevant responsible authority, where applicable.
Specific Permit Exemptions
Minor repairs and maintenance which replaces like with like and which ensures that the original formation of the dock remains unaltered.
RELEVANT INFORMATION
Local Government Authority / Hobsons Bay City CouncilHERITAGE LISTING INFORMATION
Heritage Overlay: / HO209
VICTORIAN HISTORICAL THEMES
03 Connecting Victorians by transport and communications
3.2 Travelling by water
04 Transforming and managing land and natural resources
4.7 Transforming the land and waterways
05 Building Victoria’s industries and workforce
5.2 Developing a manufacturing capacity
07 Governing Victorians
7.4 Defending Victoria and Australia
KEY REFERENCES USED TO PREPARE ASSESSMENT
Barnard J. 2010 Draft Review of Extent of Registration, Heritage Victoria
ADDITIONAL IMAGES/MAPS
Image 1 Aerial view of the Alfred Graving dock with registered extent overlaid.
Image 3 Capstan at seaward end of the Alfred Graving dock.
Image 4 Alfred Graving dock in action.
Image 5 Alfred Graving dock close up.
Image 6 Alfred Graving dock under construction. (Source: Trove.nla.gov.au)
Image 7 Alfred Graving dock under construction. (Source: Trove.nla.gov.au)
Image 8 Opening of the Alfred Graving dock. (Source: trove.nla.gov.au)
Image 9 Harbinger in the Alfred Graving dock. (Source: trove.nla.gov.au)
ATTACHMENT 1
Existing registration details
To be superseded by the foregoing recommendation
EXISTING EXTENT OF REGISTRATION
1. All the buildings and all the land included in the plan held by the Ministry for Planning and Environment (Appendix A) and the associated chattels (Appendix B) included in Certificate of Title Vol. 8909 Folio 298.
2. Appendix B (designated chattels also included in the extent of designation)
188 bluestone blocks. These blocks range in size from .5 x .3 x .7 metres to 2 x .3 x .7 metres.
These were removed from two locations on the base of the dock February 1987 and in mid 1987 removed to a site on the dock property in the north side of Nelson Place where they were mortared together to form a patio for worker recreation purposes. The blocks have been so dealt with that they can be replaced in the dock. Two large iron plates currently indicate their original location. The blocks were removed to permit ships with modern propeller structures to use the facility.
EXISTING STATEMENT OF CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE
Statement of Significance
The need for a dry dock to service large vessels had been expressed as early as 1855. This dock was designed by the inspector general of public works William Wilkinson Wardell and constructed by Glaister and Co. Work commenced in 1864 with the construction of a 300 metre long timber coffer dam. The memorial stone was laid by HRH. Prince Alfred on 4 January 1868. This occurred as part of the first royal tour of the Australian colonies. Alfred's association with the dock remains one of our most tangible legacies of this tour the dock was completed in 1873 at a total cost exceeding £300,000. It was the largest works undertaking by the Victorian government at that time and was of international importance both as a facility for shipping and as a work of engineering.
The first vessel to enter was HMVS Nelson in 1874 which became the first line-of-battle ship to be dry docked south of the equator. In 1913 the dockyard became the state shipbuilding yard and in 1918 the Commonwealth government purchased the complex. In 1924 the Melbourne Harbour Trust purchased the dockyard. The Royal Australian Navy requisitioned the dockyard in 1942, it then being known as HMAS Naval Dockyard, Williamstown. The dockyard was sold to the present owner in 1988.
The Alfred Graving Dock, Williamstown is one of architectural and historic importance for the following reasons:
1. As the first large factory of its type in Victoria, and as one of the greatest public works constructed in Australia in the nineteenth century.
2. As an expression of the technical skill of Victorian architects, engineering and stonemasons.
3. As a work of the distinguished architect William Wilkinson Wardell (1823-1899).
4. For its association with the development of shipping in the Port Phillip area.
5. As an installation vital to the defence of Victoria in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
6. As an important maritime facility which made a vital economic and social contribution to a working-class community employed principally in maritime related activity.
EXISTING PERMIT EXEMPTIONS
None.
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Name: Alfred Graving Dock
VHR number: VHR H0697
Hermes number: 1231