Melbourne’s Planned Ship Canal

Planned Ship Canal and Docks, Melbourne (c1853)
(State Library of Victoria Collection)

During the 1840s a number of plans were developed to improve Melbourne’s port facilities, including a survey of the River Yarra by Messrs. Hatsell Mellersh Garrard and John Augustus Manton in 1848.

In late 1850 the Ham Brothers, sons of the Rev. John Ham, published an article in the “Illustrated Australian Magazine” in which they outlined the difficulties and considered alternative solutions for improving the situation. Ships, they explained, wanting to dock at Melbourne had to make their way up the River Yarra which had a silt barrier at its mouth and a barrier of rocks at its junction with the Saltwater River. This only gave a depth of nine feet of water at high tide and meant that only small coastal ships could reach Melbourne. Larger ships had to anchor in Hobson’s Bay and tranship their cargoes onto lighters for the journey up the Yarra, considerably increasing their costs.

The remedies that were suggested were firstly, a deepened channel along the Yarra, estimated by engineer David Lennox to cost about £100,000; secondly, constructing a pier on the beach near Sandridge with a road or railway from there to Melbourne; or thirdly to excavate a ship canal from the beach to Melbourne, a distance of just over 2 miles.

The estimated cost of a pier was about £2,000 with the road to Melbourne costing about £2,000 more plus a further £100 to £200 for a bridge across the Yarra at the Falls. They believed that any pier should be built on stout posts and not be a solid structure as that would likely cause a build up of silt. They thought a ship canal would cost about £30,000 plus the cost of a pier.

The publication of this article aroused considerable interest in Melbourne and resulted in a petition being prepared which requested that the Mayor of Melbourne, William Nicholson, convene a Public Meeting to consider the construction of a ship canal from the beach to Melbourne. The Mayor responded by calling a meeting to be held at the Mechanic’s Institute Hall at 3.00pm on Monday, 6 January 1851.

Immediately prior to the meeting commencing Alderman Augustus Frederick Adolphus Greeves drew the attendee’s attention to the wording of their petition which would have restricted any discussion to be solely about the construction of a ship canal by a private company. With the agreement of those present who had signed the petition it was decided to open up the discussion to other possible options.

On taking the chair the Mayor reported that he had made enquiries of Colonial Architect, Henry Ginn as to what work had already been done. This included a complete survey of the River Yarra and the provision of a steam dredge, punts, diving bell, air pumps, etc. costing £6,000 of which £2,000 had been already paid with the balance expected to be allocated by the new Victorian Government following Separation from New South Wales on 1 July 1851. Mr. Ginn had also been requested to prepare a report and estimates on the other proposed schemes.

William Hull, J.P. then spoke of having visited the canals of Holland which he thought to be similar to any canal that might be built across the swampy ground between Melbourne and the beach. In Holland the banks of the canals had to be very wide to prevent flooding and he estimated the cost of similar work here would come to about £50,000 to £60,000 per mile. Such an amount would be ruinous to a private company.

Alderman Greeves then spoke of the considerable time and expense that could be saved if ships were able unload and load their cargoes at proper docking facilities at Melbourne.

Henry Langlands pointed out the favourable conditions that existed here in that most of the land required for the various schemes was still owned by the government and would not have to be purchased at great expense as it had been in Britain. Also, the land surrounding any works here would be likely to increase in value.

John Pascoe Fawkner then spoke in favour of a ship canal, saying that the increased value of the land surrounding a canal might not only pay for its construction but might doubly or trebly pay for it. He also suggested the building of a hardwood tramroad for use while a canal was being constructed.

William Westgarth, M.L.C. then gave some examples of how recently arrived ships had experienced lengthy delays and excessive costs while anchored in Hobson’s Bay.

William Williamson spoke in favour of the cutting of a canal, saying that the excavated earth could be used to fill up the swamp and the resulting land be sold at a profit.

Councillor George Annand spoke of his opposition to the construction of a tramway as he thought it could result in profiteering similar to that experienced with lighters. He was in support of either a ship canal or the deepening of the Yarra.

Discussion then focussed on whether the works should be undertaken by the government or by a private company. It was eventually resolved in support of a ‘public trust’ being tasked with the construction of a ship canal.

The ship canal from Melbourne to the beach never got built. In September 1854 a steam railway line was opened between Melbourne and the beach at Sandridge. In 1886 the Coode Canal was opened. This cut across a loop in the Yarra, shortening the distance from Melbourne to the mouth of the Yarra and allowed for the passage of larger ships.
Planned Ship Canal and Docks, Melbourne (Detail) (c1853)
(State Library of Victoria Collection)

Contributed by Alexander Romanov-Hughes – PPPG Member No. 52