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The Melbourne Harbor Trust was established in 1877 to improve and operate port facilities for the growing city of
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
. It was superseded by the
Port of Melbourne Authority in 1978 and later by the
Port of Melbourne Corporation
The Port of Melbourne Corporation (PoMC) is a statutory body established by the Victorian Government to develop and manage the Port of Melbourne, Australia's busiest container port. The Corporation commenced operations on 1 July 2003, when it t ...
.
Creation
In the 1860s and 1870s, agitation for the establishment of a trust on the lines of those on the
Mersey at Liverpool, and especially the Clyde Navigation Trust (which was run by Glasgow's leading merchants), came predominantly from the
Melbourne Chamber of Commerce
The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the largest and most influential not-for-profit business organisation in Victoria, informing and supporting 47,000 members and clients across the state.
Founded in 1851 with headquarters in Melb ...
. However, Williamstown and Geelong interests opposed the measure, while
Alfred Clark (the member of parliament for Williamstown) warned "''...if ships were to be taken up the river then grass will grow on the piers and streets of Williamstown''." The trust reflected Melbourne mercantile interests but the government was hostile towards it.
) and
Williamstown. Vessel movements and berthings, navigational aids, and wharfage rates, were the responsibility of the Ports and Harbours Branch under the Department of Trade and Customs.
The trust was created after several boards of inquiry into means to improve access for shipping to Melbourne, and a specific Act of Parliament was finally passed in 1876. The first appointment of fifteen commissioners, who represented various interests in the Port, was on 30 March 1877, with a meeting on 11 April 1877 to elect office bearers:
James Lorimer being appointed the Trust's first chairman.
British engineer, Sir
John Coode, was commissioned to advise on port improvements. Coode produced a scheme involving a large dock basin (
Victoria Dock) and bypassing a large bend in the river through a new cut, now known as the
Coode Canal
Coode is a surname. Notable persons with that name include:
* Arthur Coode (1876–1940), cricketer
* Ed Coode (born 1975), British rower
* Jim Coode (1951–1987), Canadian football player
* John Coode (Governor of Maryland) ( 1648–1709), Engl ...
. However, the works could not commence until 1883 when a coalition government united the previously opposing groups. Under Coode's Plan, heavily modified by the Trust's own engineer,
Joseph Brady, the Yarra was deepened and cleared of obstructions, and the Coode Canal was excavated, opening in 1886. Excavation of Victoria Dock was underway in 1891, opening in 1896. The Trust also undertook the filling of the Sandridge Lagoon and dredging the deep-water channel to the Port Melbourne piers.
Dock construction under the original harbour trust scheme continued into the 1920s.
By 1927 the trust was employing more than 1000 men Melbourne, and was the eighth largest deep-water port in the British Empire. After 1945 new facilities were developed downstream, including
Appleton (1956),
Webb
Webb most often refers to James Webb Space Telescope which is named after James E. Webb, second Administrator of NASA.
It may also refer to:
Places Antarctica
* Webb Glacier (South Georgia)
* Webb Glacier (Victoria Land)
* Webb Névé, Victor ...
(1960) and
Swanson (1969) docks,
each of which was named after chairman of the trust –
William Thomas Appleton (1859–1930), chairman 5 April 1911 to 22 January 1913;
John Percival Webb OBE chairman from 27 May 1941 to 31 August 1971; and
Victor Swanson
The name Victor or Viktor may refer to:
* Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname
Arts and entertainment
Film
* ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film
* ''Victor'' (1993 film), a French shor ...
from 1960 to 1972.
Other commissioners and chairmen included the following:
* Sir William Murray Mcpherson 1902-05-30 – 1913-01-22 & 1913-02-04 – 1914-02-20
*
William Thomas Appleton 1906-11-28 – 1913-01-22 & 1913-02-04 – 1930-02-16 Chairman 1911-04-05 – 1913-01-22
* James Arthur Boyd 1913-02-04 – 1941-04-12
* Henry Meeks 1914-02-21 – 1922-08-06
* William Andrews 1922-08-15 – 1924-09-01
* Francis Duncan 1924-09-09 – 1951-01-22
* George Kermode Chairman 1934-08-29 – 1940-06-30
* Charles A Phayer 1937-02-04 – 1947-06-30
* Aubrey Duncan Mckenzie Chairman 1940-07-01 – 1960-03-03
*
John Percival Webb Chairman 1941-05-27 – 1971-08-31
* Albert George Allnutt 1947-07-01 – 1950-06-30
Functions
The purpose of the trust was ''...to provide for the Regulation, Management and Improvement of the Port of Melbourne and certain portions of the River Yarra Yarra and certain portions of the Saltwater River....[including the regulation of the trade of the port with respect to such matters as
landing of shipping of merchandise, arrivals and departures of vessels, wharfage rates...management of port facilities, [and] improvements to the port''.
Port of Melbourne Authority
The trust was reorganised in 1978 to form the
Port of Melbourne Authority, in line with modern organizational naming practice around the world, although its functions did not change greatly. It moved from its grand 1930 Market Street head office to the
World Trade Centre (Melbourne)
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metrop ...
in 1983. Subsequent restructuring in 1997 saw the Melbourne Port Corporation take over property and assets, the Victorian Channels Authority berthing responsibilities, and Melbourne Port Services privatised and put out to tender. The
Port of Melbourne Corporation
The Port of Melbourne Corporation (PoMC) is a statutory body established by the Victorian Government to develop and manage the Port of Melbourne, Australia's busiest container port. The Corporation commenced operations on 1 July 2003, when it t ...
was formed on 1 July 2003, taking over the Melbourne Port Corporation, and the Victorian Channels Authority.
Facilities
Maintenance workshops erected in Williamstown.
The trust operated a series of dredges including:
* ''Bunyip'' 1879–
* ''G. Ward Cole'' Iron screw dredging steamer c1890
* ''Pioneer'' sand dredge c1940s
* ''John Nimmo'' 1887–1931
* ''Sir William McPherson'' 1912–1949
* ''Melbourne''
* ''D. Mclennan'' 1925–1949
* ''George Kermode'' Twin screw Steam bucket dredge 1941–1976
* ''Mathew Flinders '' Cutter suction Dredge c1960-1985
The North and South Wharves were extended downstream, and in the 1930s–1950s
Appleton Dock
Appleton Dock is an international shipping facility in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was opened in about 1956 by the Melbourne Harbor Trust, and is named after MHT commissioner William Thomas Appleton (1859-1930), who was a staunch advocat ...
was reconstructed and extended, followed by
Swanson Dock
Swanson Dock is an international shipping facility in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was constructed between 1966 and 1972 by the Melbourne Harbor Trust, leading off the north bank of the Yarra River, to alleviate congestion in the port and p ...
, and
Webb Dock
Webb Dock is a port facility at Fishermans Bend in Melbourne, Victoria constructed progressively from 1960, by dredging and land fill at the mouth of the Yarra River. It includes roll-on/roll-off facilities handling motor vehicle import and expor ...
.
[Jubilee history of the Melbourne Harbor Trust: compiled from the original records of the Trust and from the Victorian Hansard / by Benjamin HoareHoare, Benjamin, 1842–1932]
References
Other sources
The engineering of the Port of Melbourne, Peter Milner, 6th National Conference on engineering Heritage 1992.* ''Jubilee history of the Melbourne Harbor Trust'': compiled from the original records of the Trust and from the Victorian Hansard, Benjamin Hoare, 1927, Melbourne Harbor Trust Commissioners Jubilee Report.
* ''Port of Melbourne, 1835–1976'' Olaf Ruhen, 1976
* ''Review of the organisational structure of the Melbourne Harbor Trust'', John S. Taylor, 1975 Thesis (MBA)--University of Melbourne, 1975. Typescript (photocopy) ...At
Baillieu Library
The Baillieu Library is the largest of the eleven branches which constitute the University of Melbourne Library. Its impressive collections are central to teaching, learning, and research in the arts, humanities and social sciences. It is located ...
* ''The development of the Port of Melbourne 1877–1971'' Sanay Yarnasarn, Thesis : 1974
{{DEFAULTSORT:Melbourne Harbor Trust
1978 disestablishments in Australia
1877 establishments in Australia
Port authorities in Australia
Port of Melbourne