EXPLOSIVE FACTORY BARGE LOADING GANGWAY
2 CORDITE AVENUE MARIBYRNONG, MARIBYRNONG CITY
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Statement of Significance
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EXPLOSIVE FACTORY BARGE LOADING GANGWAY - 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 - Interpretation of Site
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).
Somerville has shown the author two sets of collapsed gangway frames that are still evident on the river bank amongst the reeds. The iron gangway frames are about 4m high and approximately 30cm 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.
These are unique examples in this area of former hinged loading facilities associated with defence facilities.
Heritage Inventory Description
EXPLOSIVE FACTORY BARGE LOADING GANGWAY - Heritage Inventory Description
Two sets of collapsed irongangway frames are evident. The frames are rectangular in shape and about 4 m high and approximately 30 cm wide. One has evidence of a set of brick and cement stairs leading down to the waterline.
Gangways and access stairs.
Archeological Potential: Excellent
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CSIRO SOUTH H1 - HOMESTEAD SITEVictorian Heritage Inventory
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REMOUNT DEPOT BARRACKS AND STABLESVictorian Heritage Inventory
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RALEIGH HOMESTEAD SITEVictorian Heritage Inventory
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