Seasons Greetings!
This is the last issue of the MMHN Update for 2022.
The MMHN Board sends best wishes the holiday season to all maritime enthusiasts – whether they be on, in, or nearby, our wonderous oceans, waterways and rivers. Or perhaps inside avidly watching the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race? If over summer you encounter interesting maritime places, infrastructure, experiences, people or other creatures you would care to share with others – please email us: info@mmhn.org.au
Firstly – a remarkable image for you to enjoy:

The Galapagos departing F Appleton Dock, Port of Melbourne
Contents:
(Click on the headings below for specific items, or scroll down for the full Update)
1. Williamstown Piers
2. Submarines Saga
3. Seafaring Life – Critical and hard
4. Public Records Office–Splendid Maritime Resource
5. Pile Lights – Gellibrand and South Channel Pile Lights
6. Seaworks Maritime Centre News
7. Heritage Fleet News
8. Lighthouse News
9. Navy Week 2023
10. Naval Historical Society of Australia (Victorian Chapter) – The Port Melbourne Statue
11. Seaweed Feed – new maritime industry
12. World Ship Society (WSS) and Australian Flagged Ships
13. Jet Skis – PWCs?
14. Docklands Walking Trails
15. Seagrass Ecosystems: Blue Carbon Collaboration
16. Maritime Industry Australia Ltd. (MIAL)
17. Drill Ships
18. Challenger Expedition
19. MMHN Walking the Talk – Celebrating Maritime Heritage
1. Williamstown Piers
Action at last – hopefully! Parks Victoria has commissioned GML Consultancy to investigate heritage aspects of the problem of this essential community maritime infrastructure. The MMHN Williamstown Special Advisory Group has been invited by PV and GML to participate in on-line discussions mid-January. In essence the work is to do a heritage review of five piers/jetties within the Williamstown Local Port Area (Ferguson Street Pier, Workshops Pier, Gem Pier, Commissioner’s Jetty and Boyd Street Pier). GML is seeking input from all key stakeholders about the heritage significance of each structure, including the current community connections and uses of these structures. While GML acknowledges that this inquiry is yet another in a long line of such inquiries, MMHN understands that this time, the historical development of the five piers/jetties is to be investigated. For example:
- Significant material changes which have been made to the structures, such as lengthening, widening or rebuilding.
- Significant or notable individuals, groups or events which are associated with these structures, past or present.
- Significant or notable uses which are associated with these structures, past or present.
MMHN obviously acknowledges the importance of identifying accurate heritage aspects of maritime infrastructure but notes that process of identifying past works may frustrate many in the community who have been clamouring for months for new works to commence so that piers may be accessible over summer.
It is pleasing to note an election promise by local Williamstown re-elected State member Minister Melissa Horne that the ALP would commit $6 million to the restoration of Workshops Pier.


2. Submarines Saga
How we will pay? Journalist Matthew Cranston (Australian Financial Review, 9 December 2022) reports that although Australia may have to pay upwards of $80 billion for 10 nuclear-powered submarines under its AUKUS treaty with the US and UK, Defence Minister Richard Marles says there will be no new taxes imposed to pay for them. He says funds for the submarine program will start to appear in the forward estimates, while he noted it will be a very long program that will run for some decades; Marles says he is optimistic about the rules, regulations and politics needed to share US nuclear propulsion technology with Australia.What we should do before they get here? Journalist Cameron Stewart (Australian Financial Review, 29 November) reports that former US Navy Secretary Richard Spencer claims US should do more to help Australia with defending its maritime approaches in the period before Australia acquires nuclear submarines. The US Navy submarines should ¬patrol Australian territorial ¬waters with Australian crew members aboard, while he has also called for the basing or extended deployment of US nuclear submarines in Australia. It has been suggested that the three AUKUS nations should develop a common-design submarine, but Spencer doubts that they could come to an agreement.
3. Seafaring Life – Critical and hard
MMHN is pleased to note that the essential, and very dangerous work, of seafarers was acknowledged on public ABC Radio774 Conversation Hour ‘Meet the seafarers’ in November. Importantly, the interviews illuminated what Australia needs to do in order to halt the dangerous decline of our national seafaring capability. “the unsung and unknown front-line workers, moving essential cargo, keeping the nation’s wealth and health literally afloat.”See: https://www.abc.net.au/melbourne/programs/theconversationhour/the-conversation-hour/14026436
4. Public Records Office–Splendid Maritime Resource
MMHN is delighted to note news from the Public Records Office (PROV) which is, of course, the repository of a wealth of maritime heritage material. Extracts from the latest issues of PROV’s journal. Provenance 2022 | PROV:
- The two fishery inspectors
MMHN member David Harris delves into The Outward Letter Book, Inspector of Fisheries and Game 1885-1894. Rather than the expected matter-of-fact administrative tone, the letters, memos and reports preserved in the Letter Book carry a clear sense of the authors as they express their opinions over a range of matters to do with the fishery. Both inspectors came from maritime backgrounds, so there is strong sense of identification with the commercial fishers with whom they regularly worked. At the same time, there is a palpable resonance with current concerns about the marine environment, species extinction and destructive fishing practices—matters that concerned both commercial fishers and the inspectors. Finally, the Letter Book captures a period of significant change in commercial fishing in the colony, as the older, pre-industrial remnants of artisanal fishing, brought to the colony by commercial fishers during the gold rush, gave way to an imagined industrial fishery with dreams of a Bass Strait trawling industry”. - Ladies Harbour Lights Guild of the Mission to Seafarers
Lucinda Horrocks writes about records left behind by the Ladies Harbour Lights Guild of the Mission to Seafarers. The deeds of this remarkable group of women were almost forgotten until 2007, when a set of dusty old boxes were discovered stored under the mission’s theatre in the 90-year-old state heritage–listed building at 717 Flinders Street. The boxes held an archive filled with documents and photographs related to the activities of the LHLG from its foundation in 1906 to its demise in the 1960s. In recent years, a dedicated team of volunteers and staff at the Mission to Seafarers has been gradually digitising, identifying and cataloguing the guild records. A reminder that there is a marvellous video about the Ladies Harbour Lights Guild on YouTube. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86UP6s6uGOo
You may wish to subscribe to the PROV free publications.
See: https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/provenance-journal/provenance-2022
5. Pile Lights – Gellibrand and South Channel Pile Lights
South Channel Pile Light: World Ship Society member Mike Carolin has alerted us to this fascinating example of maritime infrastructurebuilt between 1872-74 and a functioning light for 111 years until 1985. Mike writes “I recently came across this photo of the South Channel Pile Light, which along with two other piled lights, were historic and unique to Port Phillip. The light was the front lead (along with the rear lead: the Eastern Light at McCrae), which together formed a lead for the South Channel, from where vessels turned off the Heads, to Rye. As built a number of vertical piles were driven into the sandy bottom, and tied together by horizontal timbers. On top of the pile structure was a self- contained room for the lighthouse keeper(s). The room contained a living/lounge area with a fire place and chimney, a bedroom with 4 bunks, an office/store room, and a tank for collecting rain water. The toilet was a round hole in the timber decking! Above the room as the light apparatus which was originally kerosene, and later acetylene. I am told there was a dingy for rowing ashore for stores etc, otherwise the keeper lived on the structure till 1924. By the mid-1990s, it was very dilapidated due to lack of maintenance. In an incident on 2 May 1993, the containership Berlin Express grounded after steering difficulties very close to the structure. The incident weakened the piles, and the lighthouse was in danger of falling over into the Channel. Due the cost of repairs for a non-working lighthouse, it was going to be scrapped. However due to the howls of protest and petitions ashore, eventually the structure was handed over to Parks Victoria in 1998. The room and lighthouse were taken by barge to Melbourne and refurbished. It was repositioned on a new pile structure about 3km away near Rye (out of the way of big ships!). The remaining piles at the original site were left there as they had become home to a colony of seals that were attracting a lot of tourist interest.
See: https://archives.novascotia.ca/communityalbums/agesail/archives/?ID=200

Image: Sourced by Mike Carolin WSS
6. Seaworks Maritime Centre News
Seaworks Maritime Centrereports that restoration works on the Gellibrand Pile Light (rust removal, repainting, reglazing, replacement weathervane, interpretive signage) are now complete and on view at Seaworks together with an ‘augmented reality experience’ (https://maribyrnonghobsonsbay.starweekly.com.au/news/gellibrand-pile-light-finds-her-way-back-home/). The restored pile light was in effect ‘re-launched’ in November and may now be seen at Seaworks which reopens on Wednesday 4 January 2023.

7. Heritage Fleet News
Polly Woodside: Those maritime enthusiasts who have observed with growing anxiety the absence of adequate maintenance of the Polly will be pleased to learn that the ‘sacrificial anodes’ have now been replaced! For the non-technical amongst us, Anodes are metal rods that are submerged in the water, that help protect the metal of the ship hull from corrosion by attracting whatever threatens corrosion. The replacement and proper functioning of anodes is critically important for the long-term survival of the Polly. In the future, replacement will be biennial. More good news: quotations are being sought for new canvas for the deck-house roof, due to be completed by the end of summer.
HMAS Otama: Given that the vessel is waiting to be scrapped in Perth, strictly speaking this heritage vessel is no more. However, the valiant struggle to retain some of her artifacts continues. Items to be returned for display include tools, fin, bow, control room. For further information contact VMC at Crib Point See: https://www.maritimecentre.com.au
Wyuna: has a temporary at berth at the Australian Maritime College and is engaged in negotiations with TasPorts for another berth. The Wyuna is a wonderful former Melbourne-based pilot ship which has been deteriorating at anchor in Launceston for many years. The Wyuna would be of interest to the public if brought back to Victoria as planned next April with assistance from veterans, and fully restored. A suitable berth site is now being sought. Without doubt the Wyuna would be a marvellous addition to the Heritage Fleet. If anyone has any suggestions for a berth, or would like to become involved in ‘repatriating’ this marvellous vessel, contact Max Bryant VMC: maxbry@tpg.com.au or see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPWlS6OuBgs

Image : VMC website


Images: Bay Steamers
8. Lighthouse News


9. Navy Week 2023
For your diaries: all States are to align celebratory efforts in Navy Week 2023, to be held between 23 February and 23 March. The theme of Navy Week 2023 is Safeguarding Australia’s Economic Wellbeing On and Under the Sea since Federation. It is important to note that on 1 March 2023, the Navy will celebrate its 122nd birthday.
An important reminder that historically the strength of Navy, especially for our island nation, is about security of our seas and also security of our maritime industry and trade supply chain. The Navy website is most interesting, see https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/navy-news. In December more than 1000 RAN personnel and six ships sailed home from maritime training exercises with regional partners with port visits to more than 16 countries throughout the Indo-Pacific region:
- guided missile destroyer HMAS Hobart returned to Fleet Base East in Sydney after more than three months away.
- HMAS Ships Stalwart, Anzac, Arunta and Adelaide returned to their respective homeports following similar integrated regional deployments;
- Adelaide and Anzac, along with 500 soldiers of the Australian Amphibious Force, worked with Indonesian marines to conduct a joint amphibious capability demonstration for the first time.
- HMAS Brisbane will return from the Pacific later this month.
10. Naval Historical Society of Australia (Victorian Chapter) – The Port Melbourne Statue
By way of background: anyone in WWII who joined the RAN in Victoria passed through HMAS Lonsdale. In recognition of this, all carried the prefix ‘PM’ to their Official Number denoting that they joined the Navy at Port Melbourne. With the decommissioning and closure of HMAS Lonsdale in 1992, evidence of the Navy link to the Port Melbourne from the mid-1850s to 1992 was gone. However, fortunately this was deemed unacceptable. The Naval Heritage Foundation of Australia Inc. was incorporated to remedy this omission, by installing a tall bronze statue of a WW2 sailor representing all ranks and rates, men and women who have served their country in both war and peace, and passed by Port Melbourne.


Images: Jackie Watts
11. Seaweed Feed – new maritime industry
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) reports that the 2022 Budget committed $8.1 million to seaweed research to establish the National Hatchery Network for the commercialisation of seaweed production to develop feedstock to help reduce methane emissions. This underpins work already underway with Australian Sustainable Seaweed Alliance (ASSA) in developing the Seaweed Industry Blueprint. Jo Kelly, Chair of ASSA and CEO of the Australian Seaweed Institute, says there is an opportunity for Australia to develop a large-scale seaweed aquaculture and biotechnology industry: “Australian seaweeds exhibit great potential for use in food, animal feed, pharmaceuticals, biofuels and fertilisers. Seaweed cultivation can also provide environmental benefits by reducing nutrient pollution and buffering ocean acidification”. Asparagopsis, a species native to Australia has been proven to reduce methane emissions from livestock which contributes 10% to Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. When added to cattle feed can reduce methane emissions by 80-90% under optimal feeding conditions. The Asparagopsis species of seaweed produces a bioactive compound called bromoform, which prevents the formation of methane by inhibiting a specific enzyme in the gut during the digestion of feed. Asparagopsis is one of the most popular types of limu. In the cuisine of Hawaii, it is principally a condiment known as Limu kohu in the Hawaiian language, meaning ‘pleasing seaweed’. Limu kohu has a bitter taste, somewhat reminiscent of iodine, and is a traditional ingredient in poke.
See: https://www.frdc.com.au/growing-seaweed-reduce-emissions-livestock


Images: CSIRO
12. World Ship Society (WSS) and Australian Flagged Ships
WSS each month reports on a seemingly infinite and amazing variety of commercial vessels visiting our ports. Noting where vessels are ‘flagged’ is instructive. WSS reports that in this month alone vessels flagged in Marshall Islands, Liberia, Hongkong, Denmark, Belgium, Monaco, Singapore, Netherlands, Malta, Panama, Kuwait visited our ports. Alarming note Australian Flagged ships? ZERO.
Ships may be registered under ‘flags of convenience’ to reduce operating costs, or else to avoid the regulations of, or inspection and scrutiny by, the country of the original owner. Normally the nationality (i.e. flag) of the ship determines the taxing jurisdiction. In 2022 there are just 12 merchant vessels sailing under the Australian flag.
Background to the current federal Strategy is well explained in The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/how-flags-of-convenience-have-shrunk-australias-merchant-fleet-115059
This economics around flagged shipping is ‘debatable’. Journalist Ronald Mizen (Australian Financial Review, 21 November) reports that the maritime industry peak body argues that ‘Labor’s strategic fleet of ships will need tax breaks to work’. The ALP government promised to create a fleet of about a dozen commercially owned ships operating under an Australian flag, which MIAL Angela Gillham hopes will grow to 120. See: https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/labor-s-strategic-fleet-of-ships-needs-tax-breaks-to-work-20221115-p5byiu
13. Jet Skis – PWCs?
Sandringham Foreshore Association (SFA) is currently seeking the support of like-minded organisations and individuals who are concerned about the safety of jet skis in Port Phillip Bay. Issues of concern include noise pollution, negative impact on marine life and the public. For further information contact Dr Vicky Karalis, SFA President: sandyforeshore@optusnet.com.au
As of December 2019, operators of jet skis are required to:
- navigate the PWC in the safest most direct course to and from the shore. The shore includes the beach, boat ramp or berthing facility including a jetty, pier or mooring
- avoid any irregular riding or freestyling within the five knot speed restriction zones, for example, donuts, circles, weaving. Changes of direction to avoid other waterway users is permitted
Jet skis have been banned in Sydney Harbour for 20 years, see: https://watercraftzone.com.au/why-are-jet-skis-banned-on-sydney-harbour-government-transcript-reveals-all/
14. Docklands Walking Trails

Image: Development Victoria
15. Seagrass Ecosystems: Blue Carbon Collaboration
See: https://x.company/projects/tidal/Google is contributing through its Digital Future Initiative (see https://blog.google/intl/en-au/company-news/outreach-initiatives/digital-future-initiative/- ) a $1billion investment in Australian infrastructure, research and partnerships. The project is an impressive combination of Google AI and platform technology, CSIRO’s deep climate, digital and AI expertise, and DFAT’s experience. This partnership will be delivered through Australia’s Science and Technology for Climate Partnership a $2.7 million investment along with in-kind contributions from the partners. (see: https://www.dfat.gov.au/international-relations/themes/climate-change/supporting-indo-pacific-tackle-climate-change/scitech4climate-harnessing-science-and-technology-support-climate-resilience-indo-pacific). The shared goal is to support long-term climate resilience and improve access to technology for developing nations in the Indo-Pacific region.
16. Maritime Industry Australia Ltd. (MIAL)
A reminder that MIAL is Australia’s national maritime industry peak body representing maritime interests nationally and internationally – broadly promoting sustainable competitive and agile Australian shipping interests. So MMHN is heartened to note that MIAL is focussing on the critical issue of decarbonisation in Australia. Their 3rd Maritime Decarbonisation Summit will be held in Perth on 16 May 2023, see: https://mial.org.au/
MMHN also notes that MIAL is concerned about another critical aspect of maritime industry in Australia – maritime skills capacity. It is conducting a ‘survey on current workforce and the near term projections of businesses who need to utilise maritime skills’, e.g. the need for current STCW qualified seafarers and also seafaring experience critical in shore-based roles (terminal interface/harbour master/marine superintendent etc). MIAL seeks ‘real data to assist us in our education of various government agencies of the maritime skills requirement for our industry and to supply the nation’. Click here to complete the survey by 21 December 2022.


17. Drill Ships
Specialist shipping is always fascinating and the vessel Joides Resolution is indeed a specialist vessel – the only ship in the world with the drilling tools to collect both soft sediment and hard rock from the ocean. The material is recovered in long cylinders called cores. For details on the process see the video https://theconversation.com/60-days-in-iceberg-alley-drilling-for-marine-sediment-to-decipher-earths-climate-3-million-years-ago-114553. The drill pipe extends 10,500 ft (3,200 metres, circa 2 miles) to the sea bed and as much as a further 600 metres (circa 2,000 feet) into the hole. The ship is connected to the pipe and detachment takes two hours. Should an emergency (icebergs?) arise, explosives are used to free the ship. Core sections are scanned by multiple machines which greatly improve the interpretation of the data requiring the ship to move, explosives in an emergency. The admirable and authoritative non-profit Australian news source ‘60 days in Iceberg Alley, drilling for marine sediment to decipher Earth’s climate 3 million years ago’, see:https://theconversation.com/60-days-in-iceberg-alley-drilling-for-marine-sediment-to-decipher-earths-climate-3-million-years-ago-114553

Image: Vessel Joides Resolution Wikipedia
18. Challenger Expedition
Naturally MMHN is also interested in the evolution of such specialist drill research vessels. Prior to Joides Resolution the program’s first drill vessel was the Glomar Challenger which operated from 1968 to 1983. The name pays tribute to an earlier drilling exploratory program – the Challenger expedition.
HMS Challenger was a steam-assisted Royal Navy Pearl-class corvette launched on 13 February 1858 at the Woolwich Dockyard, and was the flagship of the Australia Station between 1866 and 1870. The Challenger carried 243 officers, scientists and crew when she embarked on her 68,890-nautical-mile (127,580 km) journey. These days such specialised vessels are purpose-built but Challenger had to be greatly modified in order to probe the depths. All but two of Challenger‘s guns had been removed and her spars reduced to make more space for laboratories, extra cabins and a special dredging platform. Trawls and dredges, sounding leads and devices to collect sediment from the sea bed and great lengths of rope to suspend the equipment into the ocean depths – 181 miles (291 km) of Italian hemp. The United States Space Shuttle Challenger was named after the ship, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Challenger_(1858)


Images: Challenger Wikipepdia
19. MMHN Walking the Talk – Celebrating Maritime Heritage
Finally, MMHN was delighted to co-host a Pre-Christmas Gathering in collaboration OSSA at the Mission to Seafarers and to welcome a plethora of maritime stakeholder groups and multiple maritime enthusiasts – and as it happens, several visiting seafarers! The event amply demonstrated a strong collective commitment towards achieving greater recognition for, and celebration of, our rich maritime heritage – which grows year by year. MMHN sincerely thanks those who so generously provided prizes for the raffle, the proceeds of which were divided equally between Stella Maris and Mission to Seafarers: Spirit of Tasmania, Port Phillip Ferries, Blunts Boat Yard, Boating Industry Association (Vic), World Ship Society, OSSA and Bay Steamers (Wattle).

Image: Bea Nicholas









Jackie
Dr Jackie Watts OAM
Chair,
Melbourne Maritime Heritage Network
0400 305 323 or email info@mmhn.org.au