Cockatoo Island Dockyard

It later built and repaired military and battle ships, and played a key role in sustaining the Royal Australian Navy.

The dockyard was closed in 1991, and its remnants are heritage listed as the Cockatoo Island Industrial Conservation Area.

It was established by the colonial Government of New South Wales, commencing operations in December 1857 with the opening of Fitzroy Dock.

Planning had begun as early as May 1846, when Governor George Gipps had recommended the construction of a dry dock at Cockatoo Island to the British government to service Royal Navy vessels.

[1][2] Facilities at the shipyard were expanded significantly in the 1890s following the opening of Sutherland Dock, taking up a larger proportion of Cockatoo Island.

[1][2][3] The Commonwealth then purchased the Cockatoo Island Dockyard from the New South Wales Government, with the transfer taking place from 31 January 1913, although the formal agreement was not signed until 1915.

It recommended that Cockatoo Island cease shipbuilding activities, but continue to function as a maintenance and repair facility.

This did not take place, but in September 1923 the dockyard was transferred from the Navy to the Australian Commonwealth Shipping Board, and began operating on a commercial basis in addition to its naval work.

The new heavy engineering aspect saw it also building machinery for mines and dams, later to include the Snowy Mountains Scheme.

Over £400,000 was spent on upgrades during the war, including a new turbine shop, brass foundry, plater's shed, welding workshop and slipway.

[2] A new agreement in 1972 meant that Cockatoo Island no longer had preferential treatment for Commonwealth work except submarines, which thereafter became a significant portion of the dockyard's business.

The last submarine to be refitted at Cockatoo Island was HMAS Orion, handed back to the government on 4 June 1991.