A “Valley of 1,000 Hills” image from Flickr – click on the name of the photographer below to see more Durban goodness and to thank the photographer.
Mort’s Dock & Engineering Company c.1855
Photo by Balmain & Glebe Heritage
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The Mort’s Dock site has an industrial heritage spanning more than 100 years (1842 – 1979).
Mort Bay was originally known as Waterview Bay, and at the corner of the bay was the mouth of a small stream which rean down from Balmain Hill through the valley of Strathean. On its way to the harbour, the stream collected in small waterholes known as the ‘Curtis Waterholes’ after the then landowner James Curtis.
In 1842 James Reynolds purchased from Curtis an area of land bounded by what is now Curtis Road down to the waterfront between Mort and Church Streets, dammed the stream, built a stone house called ‘Strathean Cottage’ and sold fresh water to the ships anchored in the deep calm waters of the Bay.
The land was then sold to Captain Thomas Rowntree in 1853, who recognised the site as a prime location for a patent slip. To finance his venture, Rowntree sold his ship the ‘Lizzie Webber’ and in doing so, met Auctioneer, Thomas Sutcliffe Mort. Mort further recognised the necessity for Sydney to provide docking facilities for ships needing repairs in the Colony, as at that time there were no such facilities south of Bombay (modern Mumbai), India. The location was ideal.
Rowntree and Mort formed the Waterview Bay Dry Dock Company (later Mort’s Dock & Engineering Company) in 1853 and built Australia’s first dry dock and patent slip on the site. The dock was operational by 1855, one year before Cockatoo Island. The company soon become the largest private employer in the colony, a cornerstone of the union movement and the birthplace of the Australian Labour Party (then the Labour Electoral League, later the Political Labour League), founded in 1891 by Balmain Unionists at the dock, who fielded 4 candidates in the State elections.
In 1867, Mort’s Dock became principally an engineering facility, manufacturing steam locomotives, ships and ship machinery, mining equipment, bridge-iron, steel pipe for the Sydney Water Board.
In 1901 the company opened a second dry dock and slipway at Woolwich to cater for increased demand and by 1917 the Dock has built 39 steamships, 7 Manly ferries, pumping engines for the Waverley and Crown Street reservoirs, and the ironwork for the Sydney GPO. During the interwar period, an iron foundry was constructed, a slipway and floating dock purchased, and a virtual monopoly on industry in the area was obtained.
The outbreak of World War II proved to be a boom time for Mort’s Dock. The 1920s and 1930s had seen a decline in the Royal Australian Navy with few vessels constructed and older ships sold off or scrapped. Japan’s entry into the war led to a sudden demand for coastal protection and increased offensive power in the Pacific Ocean.
Between 1940 and 1945, Mort’s Dock constructed 14 of the 60 Bathurst class Corvettes built in Australia, 4 of the 12 River Class frigates, and a 1000 ton capacity floating dock. Following liquidation of the Mort’s company in 1959, the site was purchased by ANL in 1960, and backfilled to create its newest container facility. The backfill has preserved the dry dock and other in situ remains providing a high archaeological potential and fabric integrity.
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Have you tried: Visiting Port Elizabeth?
Quick Durban KwaZulu-Natal Fact: From the beautiful buildings of yesteryear, to Durban’s brand new architectural icon – Moses Mabhdia Stadium. Built for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, the stadium was designed by German firm, GMP Architekten. Named for the former secretary general of the South African Communist Party, the stadium boasts state-of-the-art technology which maximizes light, protects spectators from wind, and still allows a free view outwards. Situated on a raised platform to enhance its visibility, the stadium can be seen from as far away as Ushaka Marine World. The iconic arch houses a skycar which gives unparalleled views of the city and coastline.
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