FISHERMEN'S BEND TIMBER WHARVES

231-261 LORIMER STREET PORT MELBOURNE, MELBOURNE CITY

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Victorian Heritage Inventory

Fishermen's Bend Timber Wharves Yarra River March 2003 001

Statement of Significance

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  • History

    FISHERMEN'S BEND TIMBER WHARVES - History

    The timber wharves are the only extant example of the early fire safety procedures implemented to protect the port, and demonstrate the beginning of a later trend to designate given maritime trades to specified areas, in this case to isolate flammable (timber) materials from the central city.

    As part of fire safety measures in the 1890s to protect the port, a large timber depot was later established at Fishermens Bend, and a number of wharves and piers were built to service the yards. Millars Karri and Jarrah Company occupied the timber yard site west of Johnson St around this time, and the area became a base for saw and moulding mills. Six finger piers and 1100ft of wharves were built in 1889 (Heritage Victoria File S782), and are shown here in 1894, 1910, and 1920, along with an associated wharf at the northern end. It was planned for moats to be built in the area behind the wharves, which was to be divided into blocks surrounded by water filled moats to prevent any potential fires spreading. However, before this work was completed, the timber trade collapsed, and the site was used as an area where old ships were moored and abandoned, which was known as Rotten Row or Siberia (Heritage Victoria File S782). A shipbreakers yard operated by Mr Wheeland once occupied this site, and derelict vessels were brought here for dismantling (Somerville, pers comms). Old and derelict craft were a problem for the MHT around this time, and many ships often sunk at there moorings along the Yarra. Wooden vessels in particular posed a fire problem, and were often sunk deliberately to put out fires, but were often not raised again (Heritage Victoria File S782). The Yarra Unidentified Hulk #1 may be either one of these vessels, or could be associated with the former ship breaking yard run by Wheeland. The timber wharves were subsequently used during WWII as part of the aircraft production factories situated directly behind (Somerville Pers Comms).

    Interpretation of Site

    FISHERMEN'S BEND TIMBER WHARVES - Interpretation of Site

    The structures are probably the remains of the former wharf structure shown in the Cox plan of 1894. The extant pier and other pier piles to the south are probably the remains of the original timber wharves structure.

    Heritage Inventory Description

    FISHERMEN'S BEND TIMBER WHARVES - Heritage Inventory Description

    A section of the former timber wharves are still extant at the extreme southern end of the Pier 35 marina complex. Ten rows of four timber piles (perpendicular to the shore) support horizontal timber beams on both sides of each pile. Each has vertical diagonal bracing and horizontal bracing at the waterline. The seaward end of the structure is further braced with horizontal platform beams. The landward side has evidence of vertical timber sheet piling and horizontal wharf ties under the current landfill. This structure is extant for a length of approx 40m and 10m wide. The southern sections of the wharves have been demolished, although two rows of paired piles run parallel to the shore two and five metres offshore respectively for a distance of approximately 300m. There are scattered concentrations of demolished platforms and beam structures evident. North of the extant structure, approx 2 - 5 m off the current marina boardwalk, lie the stumps of former wharf piles spaced at intervals between 3 - 7 m for a distance of 70 m.

    Extant pier, wharf piles, pier piles and associated archaeological deposits.

    Archeological Potential: EXCELLENT

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