You are now looking at a vast man-made shallow harbour, the second element of the ambitious plan commissioned by Melbourne Harbour Trust to expand port capability. Both the Coode Canal and Victoria Dock were designed by the British engineer, Sir John Coode, and modified by Melbourne Harbour Trust Engineer, Joseph Brady. Originally known as Victoria Port, it is a world-renowned nineteenth century civil engineering ‘marvel’, now known as Victoria Harbour. Constructed between 1887 and 1892, it is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register for its historical, scientific (technical) and architectural significance to the State of Victoria.

The story of Victoria Harbour’s remarkable genesis and evolution and unique role of this port infrastructure in the prosperity of Melbourne is seldom recognised. It is a 37.6-hectare water basin between 8.5 and 9.5 metres deep, originally bordered by linear wharfage with an entrance at the western end. Prior to this massive, publicly funded civil engineering project, intermittent swamps and lagoons collectively known as the West Melbourne wetlands existed, described by early colonists as an intermittent ’Blue Lake’. The wetlands absorbed detritus of the rapidly expanding colonial township of Melbourne and soon seriously degenerated. Projects to drain the wetlands to construct Victoria Port not only benefitted the colonial economy, but benefited public health.

In 1893, Melbournians watched in fascination as a vast area adjacent to the city and the river was completely drained, excavated, re-constructed, and re-filled to create an artificial harbour. With the serious 1890s depression, compromises were made to the project, and West Melbourne Dock (later Victoria Dock) was eventually completed in 1892. It featured 21 berths and an entrance from the Yarra River with a width of nearly 49 metres. When the Governor of Victoria opened the sluice gates the 96 cubic acre void began filling with water. So vast was this excavated void, it took six days to fill with water diverted from the river. Victoria Dock was soon to become the second most important dock in the world until World War Two.

IMAGE CREDIT
Victoria Harbour, soon after it was constructed, early 1900s, Public Record Office Victoria