EXPLOSIVE FACTORY BARGE LOADING GANGWAY #2
2 CORDITE AVENUE MARIBYRNONG, MARIBYRNONG CITY
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Statement of Significance
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EXPLOSIVE FACTORY BARGE LOADING GANGWAY #2 - History
Sometime around the 1940's barges were used to transport ammunition, explosives and other sundry items between Jacks Magazine, the Commonwealth Explosives factory and the Footscray Explosives Factory (formerly the Colonial Ammunition Company). The barges were tied along the river bank outside the Commonwealth explosives factory, and timber topped iron framed gangways hinged onto a rectangular iron frame were lowered on to the barges to enable loading/unloading (Somerville, pers comms). Smoke barges were employed during armed conflicts to create a visual cover used to camouflage troop movements, and this area was also used to test smoke barges which had been primed at the explosives factory. Somerville (pers comms) maintains that the area was often so thick with smoke from these tests during the wartime years that even the birds couldn't see where they were going.EXPLOSIVE FACTORY BARGE LOADING GANGWAY #2 - Interpretation of Site
These are unique examples in this area of former hinged loading facilities associated with defence facilities. Strong associations wih the defence forces landscapes
Sometime around the 1940s barges were used to transport ammunition, explosives and other sundry items between Jacks Magazine, the Commonwealth Explosives factory and the Footscray Explosives Factory (formerly the Colonial Ammunition Company). The barges were tied along the river bank outside the Commonwealth explosives factory, and timber topped iron framed gangways hinged onto a rectangular iron frame were lowered on to the barges to enable loading/ unloading (Somerville, pers comms).
Heritage Inventory Description
EXPLOSIVE FACTORY BARGE LOADING GANGWAY #2 - Heritage Inventory Description
Two sets of collapsed gangway frames are evident on the river bank amongst the reeds. The iron frames are about 4 m high and approximately 30 cm wide, with rectangular iron gangways. One is located downstream from the Maribyrnong Sand Mining Company, and the other just upstream. The upstream frame also has evidence of a set of brick and cement stairs leading down to the waterline.
gangways, access stairs
Archeological Potential:
Excellent
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