Berrys Bay

Berrys Bay and SS South Steyne

Berrys Bay is a bay located to the east of the Waverton Peninsula and the west of McMahons Point, on the north of Sydney Harbour.

A number of ship building firms operate from the bay.

History

Shipbuilding

William Alfred Dunn (1839 – 1915) established a boat-building yard at Berry's Bay in the 1870s.[1][2] In 1878 Dunn built Sydney's first steamer with propellers at both ends for the North Shore Ferry Company, for passenger ferry service in Sydney Harbour.[3] Dunn's boatyard at Berry's Bay built ferry-boats, tugboats and lighters, as well as sailing boats and steam yachts. His sons, Charles and William Dunn, also became boat-builders.[4][5]

Walter McFarlane Ford (1841 – 1934) established a shipbuilding yard at Berry's Bay in 1878, which, over a period of 40 years, turned out a variety of vessels, including pearling schooners, island and mission vessels, surfboats and racing yachts and cruisers.[6][7][2]

A maritime precinct

In 2008 the Government of New South Wales called for Expressions of Interest for the private sector to develop a maritime precinct at Berrys Bay.[8] In 2013 Roads & Maritime Services and Government Property NSW entered into an agreement to lease with Pacifica Developments (formerly known as Meridien Marinas) to develop a maritime precinct at this site.[9] No later information is available on this project.

In March 2021 Transport for NSW appointed a Berrys Bay Community and Stakeholder Working Group to help shape a fresh vision for this historic Waverton harbourside location. The group was scheduled to meet for the first time in April.[10] In February 2022 ownership of the Qurantine Depot site passed to North Sydney Council.[11]

References

  1. ^ North Sydney Heritage Leaflet 9: Boatbuilding in North Sydney, North Sydney Heritage Centre, North Sydney Council.
  2. ^ a b Family records, Ancestry.com.
  3. ^ New Harbour Ferry Boat, Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney), 28 September 1878, page 32.
  4. ^ Veteran Boat-Builder: Death of Mr. W. A. Dunn, 3 September 1915, page 5.
  5. ^ The Hon. R. H. D. White's New Yacht, 26 March 1889, page 8.
  6. ^ Shipbuilder Dies, Daily Telegraph (Sydney), 8 December 1934, page 7.
  7. ^ Mr. E. A. E. Ford, Sydney Morning Herald, 20 October 1937, page 21.
  8. ^ Berrys Bay Maritime Precinct Government of New South Wales
  9. ^ Berrys Bay proposed maritime precinct Roads & Maritime Services
  10. ^ A new Berrys Bay Community and Stakeholder Working Group has been appointed to help shape a fresh vision for this historic Waverton harbourside location Transport for NSW 26 March 2021
  11. ^ Unlocking the Berrys Bay foreshore with the transformation of Quarantine Depot site Department of Planning & Environment 4 February 2022

33°49′54″S 151°11′05″E / 33.83167°S 151.18472°E / -33.83167; 151.18472


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