The bhp shipbuilding gallery reflects whyalla s shipbuilding era the shipyards were open from 19401978 and in that time sixty six vessels were built, including warships, carriers, tankers, ferries, container ships, barges and an oil rig. Arrium was an australian mining and materials company. Hmas whyalla was anchored in sydney harbor on 31 may 1942 when the japanese midget submarines attack took place. The bathurst class minesweeper, corvette, hmas whyalla, was commissioned at whyalla, sa. A further three corvettes, the kalgoorlie, gawler and pirie, were completed that year. In 1941 the first ship from the new shipyard, hmas whyalla, was launched and the blast furnace became operational. Whyalla, city and port, southern south australia, on the east coast of eyre peninsula opposite port pirie and northwest of adelaide. Books, images, historic newspapers, maps, archives and more. Work and control in the whyalla shipyard kriegler, roy j on. Whyalla is a dynamic community located on the western shores of the upper spencer gulf in south australia. The whyalla port information gathered by marinetraffic includes, wind forecasts and realtime updates for vessels in the port of whyalla. In 2007, onesteel commenced iron ore export from the port of whyalla via transshipment. In january 1943, hmas whyalla became the first ran warship to participate in the survey of unknown coastal waters of papua, new guinea.
In november 1943, hmas whyalla resumed escort duties off the east coast of australia. The settlement then known as hummock hill, gradually expanded until 1914 when whyalla was proclaimed a town. Hmas whyalla rendered great assistance to allied ships in escaping maneuvers. Hmas whyalla i archives page 3 of 3 naval historical.
The museum presents the usual history of the four world war two corvettes built in whyalla, bhp shipbuilding industry, natural history and maritime heritage of the upper spencer gulf. When it opened, the line was served by a daily passenger service from adelaide to whyalla operated by cb class railcars. In october 2012, a new dual gauge railway balloon loop was commissioned at whyalla with the purpose of increasing arriums iron ore export capacity to 12 million tonnes per annum. Late in world war i, the commonwealth government realised that there was a shortage of ships in australia due in part to. Jun 25, 2012 a great documentary made in 19871993 about the hmas whyalla ship, this documentary features the ships move from sea to dry dock in whyalla in 1987 to the then called tanderra location which is. The whyalla steelworks is a fully integrated steelworks and the only manufacturer of rail in australia. Today it is a modern and vibrant country town, with good weather, beaches, fishing and boating, and is the third largest city by population in south australia. Whyalla maritime museum australian museums and galleries. By the end of the war whyalla had one of the largest furnace units in the world and a very busy shipyard.
Located on eyre peninsulas spencer gulf in south australia, whyalla is the regions. Allow a few hours minimum, we didnt and consequently missed out on getting the full experience. Blessed with more than 300 days of sunshine every year escape from the rain, anyone. The whyalla maritime museum is home of the former hmas whyalla first ship built at the whyalla shipyard in 1941. Whyalla flinders ranges research and south australian history. On 28 december 1944, off cape everard, a whale rose under the forefoot of the ship. The syndicate which began mining highgrade silverleadzinc ore in 1883, following a discovery of what was thought to be tin in the barrier range of new south wales, became the broken hill proprietary co. The buildings of the tanderra craft village are of interest due to their heritage significance they are the original bhp single mens quarters built in 1942 to house the large workforce working in the shipyard and in later years the steelworks. Fossils offer fascinating insights into the big questions of sex, death and evolution, as whyalla locals will hear from a flinders palaeontology roadshow tomorrow. And it would have been just as incredulous to have.
Ltd bhp in august 1885 when the company was floated on the stock exchange in melbourne, its. The world today archive whyalla rocked by news of bhp. Adams on wednesday, january 10, 1962 at the whyalla shipyard, south australia south australia 1962. To see a selection of photographs in this collection, search on archival number prg 1642.
The city itself started as a tiny work camp on the shore at the foot of hummock hill, in 1901. Well, the south australian city of whyalla has been rocked by the announcement. Visitors can view the exhmas whyalla from the lincoln highway and take a guided tour of it via the whyalla maritime museum. Adams on wednesday, january 10, 1962 at the whyalla shipyard, south australia south australia. It was withdrawn on 31 december 1990 when australian national withdrew all its south australian passenger services. May 11, 2007 the two world wars of the twentieth century were both instrumental in increasing the amount of shipbuilding in south australia. Whyalla shipyard and blast furnace south australia. The pilot radioed a mayday transmission when approximately 35 nm 65 km.
Whyalla whyalla eyre peninsula eyre peninsula australia. Her book catalogued a relentless succession of development, urban. The whyalla steelworks is a fully integrated steelworks and the only manufacturer of rail in. List of shipbuilders and shipyards project gutenberg. The corvette was launched on 12 may 1941 by lady barclayharvey, wife of the governor of south australia, and commissioned on 8 january 1942. Iron ore is mined in the middleback range to feed the steelworks, resulting in the distribution of finished steel products of over 90 different grades. Technology in australia 17881988, chapter 7, page 517 bicentenary study by distinguished fellows of the australian academy of technological sciences and engineering of development of technology over two hundred years. Whyalla south australia genealogy familysearch wiki. For andor cultural reasons this item may only be accessed from computers in the state library of south australia. Whyalla was laid down on 27 july 1940 in the broken hill pty shipyard at whyalla, and launched on 12 may 1941.
In 1943 the water pipeline from morgan to whyalla became operational. During and after the war whyalla built many ships and the additional labour resulted in a total population of 7,500 in 1946. Aboriginal, torres strait islander and other first nations people are advised that this catalogue contains names, recordings and images of deceased people and other content that may be culturally sensitive. National library of medicine, national institutes of. The whyalla maritime museum galleries reflect whyallas shipbuilding era documenting the story of the four wartime corvettes built in whyalla. Varied museums, galleries and tours give insights into whyallas history from ship building at the maritime museum, whyallas lifestyle and heritage at the mount laura homestead museum and the history of bhp at the steelcap gallery. The company has been in the area for a hundred years and its long products division is the biggest employer.
Starting from scratch they built wharfs, building and fittingout berths and all the other requisites for shipbuilding. Lady barclayharvey, wife of the governor of south australia, sir malcolm barclayharvey, performed the launching ceremony. The city has shipbuilding and iron and steel industries. In september 2017 it was acquired by britishowned liberty house group. Adams on wednesday, january 10, 1962 at the whyalla shipyard, south. Whyalla is a city on the northeastern eyre peninsula, which was developed around the steelworks, port and nearby iron ore deposits in the early 20th century. Sue scheiffers privately published 1985 history of the city, a ribbon of steel, though. The ship is a retired world war iiera corvette and was the first ship built in the city of whyalla during the war. As you enter whyalla, the rudder can be seen in wilson park a 10 meter high inverted rudder presented to the people of whyalla in 1974. Bhps steelworks had opened the year before, the shipyards orders book was healthy, while ore from iron knob was being shipped from whyalla in increasing quantities my.
The story of whyalla the city itself started as a tiny work camp on the shore at the foot of hummock hill, in 1901. In the same month, while in a deep inlet on cape nelson peninsula, she was attacked by 18. Whyallas shipbuilding history could be revived to create jobs boost. Whyalla the northeastern gateway to the eyre peninsula, this industrial town is much more than just that come and see for yourself. Lady reluctant by maggie osborne nook book ebook barnes.
It is the fifth most populous city in the australian state of south australia after adelaide, mount gambier, gawler and mount barker. Whyalla was the first ship built by the whyalla shipyard. Whyalla a city and port in australia, on spencer gulf of the indian ocean, in the state of south australia. We had a wonderful book launch at the library today with almost 30 packed into the community room. Whyalla ship whyalla maritime museum, whyalla traveller. The two world wars of the twentieth century were both instrumental in increasing the amount of shipbuilding in south australia. It was created in 1901 by the broken hill proprietary company ltd. Shortly after the war a solar salt industry was added to its already powerful industrial base. After active service during world war two, the ship became the rip.
The whyalla maritime museum consists of the former hmas whyalla, museum building and garden. Whyallas shipbuilding history could be revived to create jobs boost, sa. From 19451970 three local members, three bhp representatives and a chairman appointed by the south australian government, ran the town. The whyalla maritime museum is just an old mine sweeper but it is all the history behind this thing. Tge shipyard has the 2nd largest shipbuilding drydock in the country, with. Take a look at our whyalla trip website to schedule your visit to whyalla marina and learn about what else to see and do during your holiday. Admission includes a tour of the wwii bathurst class corvette, hmas whyalla.
Whyalla was laid down by broken hill pty co ltd at whyalla, south australia on 24 july 1940. After construction of 66 ships, the whyalla shipyards closed in 1978. The world today archive whyalla rocked by news of bhp plan. In december 1944, she was engaged in minesweeping operations off the southeast coast of australia. Girl holds babysitters club book in front of her face for story on. Whyalla shipyard photograph state library of south.
Resources about whyalla shipbuilding and engineering works. The shipyards closure hit whyalla hard, but it went down fighting. This unique icon is an excellent way to showcase the official whyalla emblem, epitomising hummock hill at sunset. A shipyard was built to provide ships for the royal australian navy during world war ii. In 1941, the first ship built in the new bhp shipyards, the corvette hmas whyalla, was launched.
Bhp as the spencer gulf terminus of a tramway bringing iron ore from the middleback ranges for use as a flux in the lead smelters at port pirie. Visit whyalla marina on your trip to whyalla or australia. The pilot and seven passengers were killed in the accident. Founded in 1901 as the town of hummock hill, whyalla has a rich history in the australian steel industry and is home to over 21,000 residents. With another world war looming in september 1939, broken hill proprietary ltd decided to build a shipbuilding yard at its whyalla works. The population began rising dramatically and many new facilities, including a hospital and abbatoirs, were built. National library of medicine, national center for biotechnology information, u. The industrial and cultural history of whyalla is accessible to tourists via several museums and public tours. On 21 april 1986, the service was reintroduced as the iron triangle limited. Twenty including whyalla i were built on admiralty order but manned and commissioned by the royal australian navy. The whyalla a historical journey when the original hmas whyalla was launched at the whyalla shipyard in 1941, the proud shipbuilders of the day would have thought it inconceivable that more than 50 years later their first ship would still be serving, albeit a very different role.
Located on south australias eyre peninsula, whyalla was a b. Following a brief welcome by ac, geraldine gillen provided an overview of the history of the whyalla writers group then introduced paul handley who performed his original song, where the outback meets the sea, which also appears in the anthology launched today. The camp was set ups as a service base for the iron ore jetty constructed by broken hill proprietary company limited bhp. The whyalla maritime museum is on the northern approach to whyalla, with the 650 ton australian corvette hmas whyalla mounted in its yard. With the launch of the tanker arthur phillip in 1974, the whyalla shipyard passed a major. Late in world war i, the commonwealth government realised that there was a shortage of ships in australia due in part to wartime losses and a downturn in shipbuilding. The corvette, hmas whyalla was the first vessel built and launched from the whyalla shipyard in 1941.
Sue scheiffers privately published 1985 history of the city, a ribbon of steel, though appearing a decade after the shipyards closure, was subtitled whyalla surges ahead. The first ship off the slipway of the shipbuilding yards at whyalla was a naval vessel, appropriately the hmas whyalla, launched on 12 may 1941. Hmas whyalla was built at the bhp shipyards and now sits in drydock adjacent to the whyalla visitors centre the steelworks first established a plant for the production of pigiron for sale or use at other bhp plants. Hmas whyalla j153 hmas whyalla i was one of sixty australian minesweepers commonly known as corvettes built during world war ii in australian shipyards as part of the commonwealth governments wartime shipbuilding programme. The announcement was made in 1937 and south australian legislation was prepared to facilitate the development. The whyalla a historical journey when the original hmas whyalla was launched at the whyalla shipyard in 1941, the proud shipbuilders of the day would have thought it inconceivable that more than 50 years later their first ship. Whyalla article about whyalla by the free dictionary. Bhp as the spencer gulf terminus of a tramway bringing iron ore from the middleback ranges for. Technology in australia 17881988, chapter 7, page 517.
In 1941 the whyalla shipyard launched its first ship, the hmas whyalla. A great documentary made in 19871993 about the hmas whyalla ship, this documentary features the ships move from sea to dry dock in whyalla in. It stands high and dry 2km inland from its birthplace and 2 meters off the ground. The blast furnace became operational and bhp began making. Information about port of whyalla auwya departures and expected arrivals. Visit whyalla maritime museum on your trip to whyalla or. There are daily tours over the ship which was one of the first to roll off the slipway at the whyalla shipyard. The whyalla maritime museum galleries reflect whyalla s shipbuilding era documenting the story of the four wartime corvettes built in whyalla.