{{Short description|Shipyard in Victoria, Australia}} {{Use Australian English|date=March 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}} thumb|250px|A 1878 woodcut image of the Government Graving Dock, which was also called Alfred Graving Dock, at Williamstown Dockyard '''Williamstown Dockyard''' was one of Australia's principal ship building yards at Williamstown, Victoria, Australia.

The Colony of Victoria decided to construct a large slipway at Williamstown to provide ship repair facilities in 1856 and the Government Patent Slip was opened in 1858. Slip Pier was built in 1858 and was used in conjunction with the Government Patent Slip. The Slip Pier was later known as the Lady Loch Jetty after the similarly named Government steamer. The pier and Government Patent Slipway were demolished in 1919.

In 1858, the Colony of Victoria decided to build a graving dock and dockyard. Construction commenced in 1868, and was completed in February 1874. The Alfred Graving Dock, named after Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, was built at a cost of £300,000. The graving dock was {{convert|143|m|abbr=on}} in length, {{convert|24|m|abbr=on}} wide, {{convert|8|m|abbr=on}} deep. The dock was designed by William Wardell for the Public Works Department (Victoria), and it was the largest structure of its type in the southern hemisphere.<ref name="VHR">[http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/#detail_places;1231 Victorian Heritage Register] (VHR) Number H0697</ref><ref name="NTV">[http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/search/nattrust_result_detail/65993 National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Register] File B65993</ref>

The Dockyard Pier, originally known as Dock Pier was constructed in 1874 for use with vessels engaged in pre/post docking in the Alfred Graving Dock. In the 1870s, the railway department contracted for the construction of a new pier to meet increased demand imposed by wool and later grain handling. When completed in 1878, it was initially referred to as the Western Pier, but was later renamed New Railway Pier. It was rebuilt in 1915 and 1927 and was renamed Nelson Pier in 1923. The pier and surrounding land was purchased by the Commonwealth in 1967, and use of the facility declined. Demolition work began in 1979 due to its poor condition. Nelsons Pier West was constructed in 1978 to replace the nearby Nelson Pier. It provided two cranes and two berths for the refitting and outfitting of warships. Reid St Pier was constructed for the Melbourne Harbour Trust for exclusive use with its own floating plant in September 1891. It was later used to house the tug fleet, and was rebuilt in 1949.

In 1913, the dockyard was known as the State Shipbuilding Yard and was requisitioned in 1918 by the Commonwealth. Ownership passed to the Melbourne Harbor Trust in 1924 and during World War II it was requisitioned by the Commonwealth in 1942 and was known as HM Naval Dockyard Williamstown, or Williamstown Naval Dockyard. In 1987 it passed into private control of Tenix Defence and which was subsequently acquired by BAE Systems Australia.

==Vessels constructed at Williamstown Dockyard== {| class="wikitable sortable" !Name !Type !Class !Completed !Notes |- |HMAS ''Kooronga'' |Tug | |1924 | |- |HMAS ''Ballarat'' (J184) |Corvette |''Bathurst'' |1941 | |- |HMAS ''Castlemaine'' (J244) |Corvette |''Bathurst'' |1942 |Preserved as museum ship in Williamstown, 600&nbsp;m (2,000&nbsp;ft) from the slipway where she was constructed. |- |HMAS ''Echuca'' (J252) |Corvette |''Bathurst'' |1942 |Transferred to RNZN on 5 March 1952, and served as HMNZS ''Echuca''. |- |HMAS ''Geelong'' (J201) |Corvette |''Bathurst'' |1942 |Sank on 18 October 1944, after colliding with a tanker north of New Guinea. There were no deaths. |- |HMAS ''Horsham'' (J235) |Corvette |''Bathurst'' |1942 | |- |HMAS ''Benalla'' (J323) |Corvette |''Bathurst'' |1943 | |- |HMAS ''Shepparton'' (J248) |Corvette |''Bathurst'' |1943 | |- |HMAS ''Stawell'' (J348) |Corvette |''Bathurst'' |1943 |Transferred to RNZN on 5 March 1952, and served as HMNZS ''Stawell''. |- |AV ''Crusader'' (AV2767) |Army cargo ship | |1945 | |- |HMAS ''Culgoa'' (K408) |Frigate |Bay |1945 | |- |HMAS ''Anzac'' (D59) |Destroyer |Battle |1951 | |- |HMAS ''Vendetta'' (D08) |Destroyer |''Daring'' |1958 | |- |HMAS ''Yarra'' (DE 45) |Destroyer escort |River |1961 | |- |HMAS ''Derwent'' (DE 49) |Destroyer escort |River |1964 | |- |HMAS ''Swan'' (DE 50) |Destroyer escort |River |1970 | |- |TRV ''Tailor'' (803) |Torpedo recovery vessel | |1971 | |- |TRV ''Trevally'' (802) |Torpedo recovery vessel | |1971 | |- |TRV ''Tuna'' (801) |Torpedo recovery vessel | |1971 | |- |HMAS ''Flinders'' (A 312) |Survey vessel | |1973 | |- |HMAS ''Cook'' (A 219) |Survey vessel | |1980 | |- |''Wallaby'' |Water and fuel lighter |''Wallaby'' |1983 | |- |''Wombat'' |Water and fuel lighter |''Wallaby'' |1983 | |- |''Warrigal'' |Water and fuel lighter |''Wallaby'' |1984 | |- |''Wyulda'' |Water and fuel lighter |''Wallaby'' |1984 | |- |HMAS ''Melbourne'' (FFG 05) |Frigate |''Adelaide'' |1992 | |- |HMAS ''Newcastle'' (FFG 06) |Frigate |''Adelaide'' |1994 | |- |HMAS ''Anzac'' (FFH 150) |Frigate |''Anzac'' |1996 | |- |HMNZS ''Te Kaha'' (F77) |Frigate |''Anzac'' |1997 | |- |HMAS ''Arunta'' (FFH 151) |Frigate |''Anzac'' |1998 | |- |HMNZS ''Te Mana'' (F111) |Frigate |''Anzac'' |1999 | |- |HMAS ''Warramunga'' (FFH 152) |Frigate |''Anzac'' |2001 | |- |HMAS ''Stuart'' (FFH 153) |Frigate |''Anzac'' |2002 | |- |HMAS ''Parramatta'' (FFH 154) |Frigate |''Anzac'' |2003 | |- |HMAS ''Ballarat'' (FFH 155) |Frigate |''Anzac'' |2004 | |- |HMAS ''Toowoomba'' (FFH 156) |Frigate |''Anzac'' |2005 | |- |HMAS ''Perth'' (FFH 157) |Frigate |''Anzac'' |2006 | |- |HMNZS ''Otago'' (P148) |Offshore patrol vessel |Protector |2010 | |- |HMNZS ''Wellington'' (P55) |Offshore Patrol Vessel |Protector |2010 | |- |HMAS ''Canberra'' (L02) |Landing helicopter dock |''Canberra'' |2014 |Hull constructed by Navantia in Ferrol, Spain. |- |HMAS ''Adelaide'' (L01) |Landing helicopter dock |''Canberra'' |2015 |Hull constructed by Navantia in Ferrol, Spain. |}

== References == {{Reflist}}

* [http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/#detail_places;1231 Victorian Heritage Register] Accessed on 9 Nov 2010 * [http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/search/nattrust_result_detail/65993 National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Register] Accessed on 9 Nov 2010

==External links== {{commonscat|Williamstown Dockyard}} * [https://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM00054b.htm Alfred Graving Dock]

{{Authority control}} {{Coord|37|51|50|S|144|54|41|E|region:AU-VIC_type:landmark|display=title}}

Category:Shipyards of Australia Category:Shipbuilding companies of Australia Category:Heritage-listed buildings in Melbourne Category:Transport buildings and structures in Victoria (state) Category:Williamstown, Victoria Category:1874 establishments in Australia Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1874 Category:Buildings and structures in the City of Hobsons Bay