BOTTERILL AND FRASER SLIPWAYS, CONCRETE LANDINGS AND BOATYARD
4 DAHLENBERG STREET WEST MELBOURNE, MELBOURNE CITY
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Statement of Significance
This place is included on the Victorian Heritage Inventory, for its potential to contain historical archaeological remains associated with the settlement and growth of early Melbourne. Under the terms of the Heritage Act 2017 there is protection for all historical archaeology sites and objects in the state.
Please visit the Heritage Victoria website to find out more about the Heritage Inventory.
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BOTTERILL AND FRASER SLIPWAYS, CONCRETE LANDINGS AND BOATYARD - History
This site was occupied by Botterill and Frasier Boat Builders from 1942 onwards. The company employed 300 men, and the yard built vessels ranging from 40ft workboats to 85 ft motor supply lighters for ferrying supplies upriver in the islands during WWII. In 1944, the river was dredged for an occasion where all four slips at the yard were used to launch boats on the same day (Lack, 1991:317). The site is shown in a line drawing of around the 1980's, along with Walsh's Slipway and Clarks Spring Works (PSC#2).
Somerville (pers comms) reports that a former timber gantry crane and winch which stood at the site were buried onsite during reclamation works. Five concrete slipway landings are evident still on the riverbank, and have been filled between with large worked bluestone boulders. A bollard is still evident on the southern landing.
BOTTERILL AND FRASER SLIPWAYS, CONCRETE LANDINGS AND BOATYARD - Interpretation of Site
The site is shown in a line drawing of around the 1980s, along with Walsh's Slipway and Clark's Spring Works. Somerville (pers comms) reports that a former timber gantry crane and winch which stood at the site were buried onsite during reclamation works. The site is significant as the only surviving extant slipway structures from this period in this region, which once housed a thriving boatbuilding industry. It is also the only example of four parallel slipways found in the study area. The site is also of social significance given the large numbers of men who were once employed here. The site is signifcant for its associations with the production of defence force vessels
Heritage Inventory Description
BOTTERILL AND FRASER SLIPWAYS, CONCRETE LANDINGS AND BOATYARD - Heritage Inventory Description
No archaeological evidence was identified.
timber crane, winch, concrete slipways, bollard, bluestone.
Archeological Potential: Excellent
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FOOTSCRAY RAILWAY STATION COMPLEXVictorian Heritage Register H1563
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HENDERSON HOUSEVictorian Heritage Register H0183
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ERCILDOUNEVictorian Heritage Register H0494
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