Shipbuilding
The maritime history of Cockatoo Island began within a decade of the penal settlement being established. Work began on the Fitzroy Dock in 1847 and it was completed ten years later. Sutherland Dock was built with free labour between 1882 and 1890. These impressive dry docks were fully occupied repairing Royal Navy and colonial vessels.
Shipbuilding began on the island in 1870 with the construction of dredges, barges and tugs. In 1913 Cockatoo Island became the naval dockyard of the Royal Australian Navy. During World War I some 4000 men were employed on the island building, repairing and refitting ships. Ships built after the war included the cruiser HMAS Adelaide and HMAS Albatross, the first aircraft carrier for the Royal Australian Navy.
When shipbuilding activity declined in the late 1920s, the Commonwealth Government decided to lease the island to the private sector. During the 1930s shipbuilding activity picked up and as World War II loomed, merchant ships and luxury liners were converted to troop transports, stores and hospital ships. Orders were placed for the construction of sloops, boom defence vessels and destroyers.
For almost 60 years until the lease expired in 1992, the island was one of Australia's major shipbuilding yards.
