Williamstown Naval Depot

1 - Construction of Torpedo Shed "The torpedo shed at Williamstown was being constructed in the same way and for the same reasons, but no other work was being carried out by the department for which tenders had not been called." The Argus, 21 September 1882. A torpedo shed was needed as the Victorian Military Torpedo Corps, had been created in July 1882, to take over control of defensive torpedoes (sea mines) from the Naval Torpedo Corps. Between July 1878 and July 1882 the Naval Torpedo Corps had responsibility for defensive torpedoes and operated out of the hulk Deborah. Additions to torpedo shed, Williamstown, J. James £122 8s. The Argus, 7 November, 1884.

Tween Decks on the Deborah

2 - Transfer to Naval Forces

"The depot now occupied by the Torpedo Corps at Williamstown will be handed over to the naval forces. Another contemplated work, and for which plans are now in course of preparation, is the building of a large depot near the Graving dock at Williamstown, to be used conjointly as a storing station tor the large and valuable stock of war material now in possession of the defence authorities, and also as a drill room for the Williamstown section of the Naval Brigade."

In 1887 the Military Torpedo Corps moved across Hobson's Bay to a drillroom built for them in Port Melbourne, near Watson's Baths.

3 - Conversion to Naval Depot

THE NEW QUARTERS FOR THE TORPEDO CORPS.

"The torpedo sheds, which are being erected by the Defence department on the land between the railway pier and the dockyard, Williamstown, are approaching completion, and will in all probability receive the finishing touches from the hands of the contractors, Messrs. J. and J. Baxter, early next month. The structure will vastly improve the original unsightly appearance of that portion of the foreshore. It is proposed also to reclaim the low-lying area at the rear of the sheds, between the P. and O. Company's boundary and the railway pier, and to build on it a drill-room for the Torpedo Corps. The new sheds, which are of galvanised iron, are 180 ft. x 100 ft. in extent, the height from floor to pitch of roof being 16 ft. The structure is divided into three compartments - in the rear a storeroom, 100 ft. x 90 ft., and in front, a boat shed and a workshop, each 50 ft. x 90 ft. The storeroom, which has a floor of asphalt, will be a depot for the stores, gear, &c., used in the torpedo boats. The contract price of the sheds is £2,800. A wharf, 350 ft. in length, and having a deck of 12 ft redgum planks, extends from the pier to the dockyard fence in front of the torpedo sheds. The contractor for this undertaking is Mr. J. Dalgleish, and the price £2,000. A handsome cottage, erected by Mr. Garnsworth at a cost of £600, stands close to the storehouse. It will be the quarters of the drill instructor to the Torpedo Corps."

3 - Drillroom built at Naval Depot

In 1893 the new drillroom at the Naval Depot was opened and, measuring 50 metres x 23 metres, was described as the largest in the southern hemisphere. This replaced the use of the drillroom in Pasco Street and was itself moved to Pasco Street in 1924.

Location of the Williamstown Naval Depot

	Naval Depot & HMAS Cerberus in 1902. Mouseover photo for names of places. The Railway Pier (now Gellibrand Pier) is on the far left with Cerberus flying the Australian Flag. The Naval Depot's main buildings and torpedo sheds (far right) are in the background. Gordon, the white painted wooden hulled torpedo boat with funnel, is in the water. Photo courtesy of Elder's Naval Postcards
	Naval Depot & Alfred Graving Dry-Dock Mouseover photo for names of places. The Railway Pier is just visible in the bottom left corner. The Naval Depot is in the background (left of centre). To the right of the torpedo sheds is a ship in the flooded Alfred Graving Dry-Dock. BS - Boat Shed TS - Torpedo Sheds RP - Railway Pier AGD - Alfred Graving Dry-Dock
	Naval Depot Site & Alfred Graving Dry-Dock 2007 Gellibrand Pier (ex Railway Pier) is just visible in the bottom left corner. The Naval Depot occupied most of the land between the water and the frigate. The frigate is in the Alfred Graving Dry-Dock.
	Naval Depot, Alfred Graving Dry-Dock & Gellibrand Pier A - Alfred Graving Dry-Dock. B - Naval Depot site. C - Gellibrand Pier (ex Railway Pier)
Officers Quarters at the Williamstown Naval Depot in 1914. Deeds not Words, Wilson P. Evans, Hawthorn Press, Melbourne 1971. Hi-res image	Officers' Quarters at the Naval Depot The main building at left is the Officers' Quarters. Mouseover the image to reveal letters for the legend below. A - Officers Ward Room. B - Warrant Officers Quarters. C - Motor Garage D - Naval Store & Ship Steward's Store E - Pantry & Bathroom (small room jutting out) Note the Field Gun in front of the Pantry & Bathroom. The members of the first Australian Expeditionary Forces are facing towards the Alfred Graving Dry-Dock. Out of view & to the left of the photo are the Torpedo Boat Sheds and the wharf.
	Williamstown Drill Room (Built 1893) Mouseover photo to see inside the Drill Room. Shown is the Williamstown Drill Room after having been moved in 1924 from the Naval Depot in Nelson Street to Pasco Street. Photographed at Pasco Street in 1946. AWM 125050 Inside Drillroom 1946. AWM 125052 Drill Room at the Depot in 1900. Note gun ports. Photo: Deeds not Words, Wilson P Evans. Click image to enlarge.
Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works plan. State Library of Victoria.	Naval Depot & Williamstown Dockyard Mouseover the image to reveal the Naval Depot boundaries & letters for the legend below. DR - Drill Room. BS - Boat Shed. O - Officers Quarters W - Warrant Officers Quarters TS - Torpedo Boat Sheds P - Parade Ground shown in Officers Quarters photo E - Engineers Workshop & Torpedo Store     AGD - Alfred Graving Dry-Dock PS - Patent Slip RP - Railway Pier (aka Gellibrand Pier) NP - Nelson Pier Gellibrand (Railway) Pier & Side of Boat Shed Photo: State Library of Victoria Click image to enlarge.