Truganina Explosives Reserve (Altona)
.jpg "Truganina Explosives Reserve (Altona)")
This reserve has a unique history, once having been a storage for explosive materials. It comprises an historic homestead and under keepers residence, adjacent to an important conservation reserve.
The Truganina Explosives Reserve was a secure storage facility near Altona which was in operation from 1901 to 1962 to store mainly civilian explosives for mining and construction. The camp included several storage sheds and a jetty, which were connected by a narrow-gauge horse-drawn tramway.
The original vegetation type was sheoke woodland or alkaline dune scrub, dominated by Banksia marginata - silver banksia and Allocasurina verticillata - drooping sheoke. Council is continuing with its rehabilitation works further with revegetation and weed control. The reserve also provides shelter and habitat for the endangered Altona skipper butterfly with a stand of Gahnia filum - Chaffey saw-sedge.
Opening Hours:
Tours run between 1pm - 4pm on the first Sunday of every month from February - December. It is open to the public by tour only. Bookings are not necessary, however see the events calendar for dates and times.
To become involved with the Truganina Explosives Reserve Preservation Society (TERPS) contact Hobsons Bay Council on 9932 1000 or email ranger@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au for further information.
Features include picnic tables, shade areas, toilets, unpaved walking trails and seating.
Truganina Explosives Reserve Map
History of the Site
The Nobel explosives factory (later ICI, then Orica) in Deer Park was set-up in 1873 to produce explosives, especially gelignite and dynamite, for quarries, mines, as well as for road, rail, dam and tunnel construction with the intention to become independent of imports from Britain and South Africa. These explosives were initially stored in specially designed magazines (Jack's Magazine) on the banks of the Maribyrnong River, upstream of Footscray, before being shipped to other parts of Australia or to New Zealand, New Guinea and the Pacific. As the population of Footscray increased, a more remote location for explosives storage was sought. In 1900, Altona had less than fifty inhabitants. The Truganina Explosives Reserve, located less than 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Laverton railway station, was finally selected as a convenient location for a new explosives storage site due to its secluded coastal location.
Most of the land had been owned by George Thomas Chirnside, before he agreed in 1896 to swap 225 hectares (560 acres) of his land against 256 hectares (630 acres) of poor quality land of the government of Victoria. The Victorian Government's Victorian Act 1456 is known as the Powder Magazines Act of 1896. A Victorian Act authorized the governor to exchange this land to set-up an explosives reserve and to build and operate a narrow gauge railway line.
Narrow-gauge tramway
The 610 mm (2 ft) narrow-gauge tramway line began at Laverton railway station and ran along what are now Merton Street and Queen Street through the Truganina Explosives Reserve and then to a jetty at Laverton Creek on Altona Bay. It had eight passing loops parallel to the mainline at the storage facility, as well as sheds and dead-end sidings at Laverton station.
Explosives were delivered by the Victorian Railways from the factory in Deer Park to Laverton railway station. There, the explosives were reloaded by human chain from the railway wagons into the horse-drawn narrow-gauge wagons. The narrow-gauge railway wagons were then hauled by Clydesdale draft horses at a speed of about 4.5 kilometres per hour (3 mph) to the explosives reserve. The narrow-gauge railway line was 2.7 km (133 chains) long. It was in operation until 1936, when rail transport was replaced by road transport. Upon arriving at the reserve, the explosives were stored in the magazines, until they were taken to be loaded onto ships for onward transport. Nine explosives transports were carried out each day with 200 explosives boxes of 50 pounds (22.7 kg) each. Nine horses and 43 wagons were used.
When the explosives had to be shipped to other ports, the explosive boxes were taken by narrow-gauge railway to small boats (lighters) moored at the pier. The specially designed motor-less sailing ships were towed by tugs from the jetty to their moorings at Williamstown. From there lighters took their cargo to larger ships anchored at special explosives buoys in Port Philip Bay.
Magazines
Each magazine had a size of about 9 by 5.5 metres (30 by 18 ft) and could store 20 tons of explosives. The magazines were made of brick, with tile roofs. The roofs were not attached to the walls - they stayed there under their own weight. This was so that, in the event of an explosion, the roof would lift off, minimising damage to the building. The explosives were stacked on air-permeable shelves, so that air could circulate around the boxes at any time. The wooden boxes for explosives were made with brass nails or with only dovetail joints to minimize the possibility of sparking. Each magazine was surrounded on three sides by a large earth wall, with an open side facing away from human activity. These earthworks were designed to protect the workers and their families from explosions. If such an explosion had taken place, the mounds were designed to direct the explosion upwards and outwards and contain the damage. The magazines were built as light as possible to minimize damage caused by flying splinters, with the same design as used in Yatala and Port Adelaide.
Operation
The operation of the explosives reserve and the narrow gauge railway was managed by the Trade and Customs Commissioner. The site was officially opened on 1 May 1901, and was enclosed by a 8 feet (2.4 m) high, 7 miles (11 km) long galvanized corrugated iron fence. Careful handling, transportation and storage of the explosive was of paramount importance to ensure safety for employees and residents. Employees who handled the explosives were instructed to wear leather aprons to protect their clothes and to wear canvas overshoes to prevent sparks. Boots with nailed leather soles were considered too dangerous, because of the possibility of the nails causing sparks, which could have resulted in an explosion.
By 1950, the explosives storage in Altona had reached its peak. Sixty-one magazines were in operation. Of these, 52 were used by Nobel Industries, which became later Imperial Chemical Industries of Australia and New Zealand (ICIANZ), and nine by the state government. A total of 36 employees were employed in the explosives reserve. During this time, the population of Altona grew to 4,000. Therefore, the risk of explosives storage in Altona was re-assessed and alternative locations were evaluated. On 11 May 1962, the auxiliary sailing ship Failie became the last vessel to be loaded at the Truganina explosives reserve; all remaining explosives were transported to a newly built explosives warehouse at Point Wilson. The first delivery from Point Wilson took place on 25 May 1962.
After the closure of the Truganina Explosives Reserve in 1962, the Victorian Government sold most of the land, but retained 16 hectares (40 acres) for the State Labour Inspectorate for Destruction of Dangerous Goods. Until closed in 1994, unwanted explosives from throughout Victoria were brought to this site for safe destruction in a specially constructed bunker. In 1976, 0.8 hectares (2 acres) of the 16 hectares were transferred to the State Environmental Protection Agency for use as a vehicle test station, which was closed in June 1999. In June 2000, the Government of Victoria commissioned the Hobsons Bay City Council to administer the former Truganina Explosives Reserve on their behalf as a recreational park.
Accidents and incidents
There were no significant accidents during operation. The stables in Truganina's explosives reserve were burnt down in 1904, presumably by a swagman, however the suspect was not arrested for lack of evidence.
On 9 April 1946 an ammunition lighter had grounded in a storm and was feared to be in danger of blowing up. It was loaded with 300 tons of ammunition, mainly shells. The ammunition could not be unloaded at low tide onto trucks, because of seaweed and the softness of the sand. Thus it was tried to pull the lighter back into the sea by tugs during high tide.
Conservation and protection of landscape, culture and monuments
Plants and animals - The 16 hectares (40 acres) salt marshes and ancient sand dunes have a high conservation value and are the location of rare animal and plant species. Areas of indigenous, exotic and saline vegetation and the hills of the dune system form landscapes with different characteristics that seem timeless. The high corrugated sheet metal fence has protected the site from human entry, leaving it largely undisturbed for more than 100 years, creating a natural, native ecosystem. The reserve is home to three species of birds of local importance, the white-bellied sea eagle, Nankeen night heron and the brown quail. It also houses four bat species including chocolate wattled bat, white-striped free-tailed bat, south-eastern slider, eight other species of mammals and two species of reptiles. The Altona skipper butterfly is a rare and threatened species of butterfly, which has its main habitat at only at two other local sites, where it can find chaffey saw sedge (Ghania filum) to feed from.
Cultural significance - Archaeological research on the property has uncovered many stone artifacts, including ground-edge axes, anvils and hammer-stones, indicating that the land was inhabited by Aboriginal tribes in the coastal area for some 6,500 years. Remnants of indigenous settlement were also found on the property, which together with the artifacts show that the area was used as a storage area. The Department of Treasury and Finance conducted archeological investigations in the former explosives reserve in 1995 and 1996, during which consultants found six artifact sites but no scarred trees, hearths, hearth stones, bone remains or shell scatters.
The area is part of the traditional land of the Yalukit-willam clan, which settled in the coastal areas that stretch from the northern shores of Port Phillip to Wilson's Promontory. Little is known about the lifestyle of the Yalukit-willam clan. The Wurrundjeri Tribe Land Compensation Council and the Council of Cultural Heritage take care of the region's cultural heritage.
The name of the explosives reserve is derived from Truganini (1812-1876), who was long considered the last true Aboriginal Tasmanian. She was a daughter of the tribal elder Mananga of the Aborigines of Bruny Island.
Remains of buildings
The Truganina Explosives Reserve is listed under Hermes number 70270 in the Victorian Heritage Database Report. The historical attributes of the site are of Regional Significance. The site is still state owned and has been nominated for listing in the Victorian State Heritage Register. The Keepers Quarters residence is already listed as a local heritage by the Hobson's Bay City Council.
Remains of the tramway
Only little remains of the former tramway have survived. The only visible part of the route can be seen on the south side of the reserve, where it ran in a curve through a gate towards the pier. Some rails with the embossing "WIW Australia" and a crown symbol are embedded in a concrete channel. The crown symbol is probably a trademark of the Commonwealth Steel Company, whose Waratah Iron Works supplied many railways. The route then disappears there underneath the earthworks of a modern footpath.
The railway embankment, which was made of bluestone ballast, became visible during road works on the northeast corner of Queen Street and Merton Street. At this point the right of way of the narrow-gauge tramway line ran with a suitable radius over the property situated at the corner. Another section of the road is preserved near the ford westwards of Merton Street, again only as the earth dam, which turns west from the entrance to Laverton railway station and is partly overbuilt with a modern cycle path. The rails and sleepers are missing in these two sections and other sections of the routes within the reserve, but gravel and few metal artifacts are still visible. The sections within the reserve are either buried or overgrown.
Truganina Explosives Reserve by Bronwen Gray
ALTONA'S EXPLOSIVES RESERVE.
ESTABLISHING AN EXPLOSIVES RESERVE
Altona's Truganina Explosive Reserve is situated 26 kilometres west of the city, and 9 kilometres from Williamstown on the shore of Port Phillip Bay. The Reserve was established by the State Government in 1901 for the storage and handling of commercial explosives.
The manufacture of explosives, mainly gelignite and dynamite, had commenced in Deer Park in 1873 predominantly for the quarrying and mining industries. Other uses for explosives were for road construction, dam building and tunnelling. These explosives were stored in specially designed buildings called magazines. along the Maribyrnong river, upstream from Footscray until it was necessary for them to be shipped to work sites in other parts of Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea and the Pacific region. Prior to explosives being produced in Australia, they were imported from England and South Africa.
With the development of Footscray into a bustling metropolis, it was felt that the storage and handling of explosives should be moved to a more isolated site. In 1900, the population of Altona was less than fifty, with a total of fifteen occupied dwellings. Situated less than four kilometres from Laverton station, Truganina Reserve was seen as the ideal site for a new explosives site, because of it's water frontages. and remoteness from populated areas.
Much of the land in the region was owned by the George Thomas Chirnside, who agreed to swap 555 acres (225 hectares) for 633 acres (256 hectares) of lesser quality land with the Victorian Government in 1896.
Act 1456 of the Victorian Government was known as the Powder Magazines Act of 1896. The act empowered the Governor in Council to exchange the lands for the purpose of establishing an Explosives Reserve and the power to construct and manage a tramway line. The tram line started on a jetty built into the Altona Bay, through Truganina Reserve, along Queen Street to Merton Street and terminating at the Laverton railway station. Management of the Reserve and operation of the tramway was vested with the Commissioner of Trade and Customs. Enclosed by a galvanised fence, two and a half metres high, the site was officially opened on May 1st 1901.
THE NEED FOR SAFETY
The utmost concern was given for the careful manufacture. carriage, handling and shipping of the explosives, to ensure personal and community safety. Explosives were carried by rail in railway explosives vans from the Deer Park factory to the Laverton Railway Station. From there, the explosives would be hand lifted in chain gang style from the vans into horse drawn trucks. The Clydesdales would then haul the load down the tramlines to the Explosives Reserve (also known as a powder reserve) at approximately 4.5 Kilometres per hour. The total length of the tramway was 133 chains or 2.7 kilometres. The section of the line continued in operation until 1936, when it was replaced by road transport. Upon arrival at the Reserve, the explosives were stored in the powder magazines until they were despatched to ships. Each magazine was approximately 9 metres by 5.5 metres in size, and could contain 20 tonnes (20,000 kilos) of explosives. The explosives were stacked on benches so that air could be circulating around the boxes at all times. Boxes containing explosives were constructed with brass nails, to minimise the possibility of sparks occurring.
Staff involved in the handling of the explosives were instructed to wear leather aprons to protect their clothing and canvas overshoes were worn at all times. Most working men wore hob nailed boots, but these were deemed too dangerous because sparks could fly from the boots and start an explosion. Surrounding each powder magazine was a large hill of soil. These mounds protected the workers and their families from explosions that could occur in the magazine. If such an explosion was to occur mounds had been designed so that they would collapse on to the magazine, buffering the explosion and containing the damage. Nine transports of explosives arrived a day, each containing 200 cases of explosives, of 50 pounds ( 22.7 kilos.)
PART OF VICTORIA'S MARITIME HISTORY
When it was time for the explosives to be despatched to other ports and work sites, the boxes of explosives would be carried on the trucks down one of the three tramways along the pier to a waiting explosive lighter for the next part of their journey. Explosive lighters were specially designed engineless vessels that were towed to the jetty from their resting places in Williamstown by tug boats. The following were some of the sailing vessels used regularly in the explosives trade: The Alma Doepel, Argonaut II, Huia, Wongala, Merilyn, Evaleeta, Joseph Sims.
They were either ketch or schooner rigged. Of the motor vessels, the Pirri, Lady Isobel and the Taranui were prominent. Memories of some of these vessels linger in the names of streets in the Altona Bay residential estate, such as Alma Doepel Drive, Argonaut place, Huia Close and Piri Grove. Vessels, whilst loading or unloading explosives, were required to anchor at specified anchorages offshore. The isolation of these anchorages was determined necessary to protect the port against any serious structural damage, if an explosion was to occur. Again the cargo was hand loaded into the hold of the lighter; and then towed to the vessels waiting at the powder -anchorages and again unloaded into these vessels where they could be despatched for the final leg of their journey.
By 1950, the explosives industry in Altona had really reached its peak. Sixty one magazines were in operation (fifty two owned by Nobels, later to be known as I.C.I.; and nine owned by the State Government). A workforce of twenty six men were employed on the Reserve, and nine horses were involved in the pulling of forty three wagons.
The explosives site and anchorages were responsible for the greater proportion of commercial explosive requirements for Australia and New Zealand. By this stage, the population of Altona had expanded to 4000 with a total of 1100 occupied dwellings. The question of the safety of the Altona township was noted and plans for the removal of the explosives site were investigated.
In 1952. the Commonwealth Government began investigating a more isolated site for the handling and shipping of explosives, and by 1957, a site at Point Wilson, at the North Eastern end of Corio Bay had been secured. Situated approximately 15 kilometres from populated areas, construction began in 1958.
THE END OF AN ERA
On May 11th 1962, the auxiliary sailing vessel Falie was the last to load out of the Truganina Reserve and all remaining explosives were transferred to Point Wilson. The first shipment out of Point Wilson was on the 25th of May 1962.
Following the closure in 1962 of the Truganina for explosives storage, the Victorian Government sold off most of the land, but retained 16 hectares for use of the then State Occupational Health and Safety Authority (now Work cover Authority) for the testing, trials, demonstrations and destruction of dangerous items, a use which ended in 1994. In 1976, 0.8 hectares of the 16 hectares was transferred to the State Environment Protection Authority for use as a vehicle testing station, but this use also terminated and was declared surplus to EPA requirements in June 1999.
Personal safety was closely monitored during the handling and shipping of the explosives on site and there were never any reported fatal accidents during Truganina's period of operation.
ALTONA'S SECRET TREASURE
Surrounded by the high metal fence opposite the Kooringal Golf Course in Queen Street, these 40 acres have lain generally dormant for nearly twenty five years, growing wild, undisturbed by development surrounding it. The isolated nature of the site and the high restrictive fencing has excluded most people which has resulted in a form of protection for the site.
As a result of this, the Explosives Reserve is one of Melbourne's last unique and beautiful coastal spaces of archaeological, geological, geomorphological, floral, faunal and cultural significance, with direct frontage to Port Phillip Bay.
The western region of Melbourne has a fascinating geological history, with a history of volcanic activity over millions of years. The last period of activity in the Melbourne region was around 800,000 years ago, at Fairfield. In the Altona area, lying under volcanic flows, there is marine clay, sand and limestone, under which there lies, at about 130 metres below ground level, a layer of brown coal. In the early 1900's there were serious attempts to try and extract the coal from the ground, with a mine being built quite close to Maidstone street, but all attempts failed because of Altona's constant flooding. Under this there is more clay and sand, then bedrock which is thought be between 450 - 500 million years old.
At the Explosives Reserve, at ground level over the volcanics, the sea has built up sand ridges which rise to over three metres above the sea level as it stands today. Radiocarbon dating of the shelly sand ridges on sites that run parallel to the coast between Kororoit Creek and Skeleton Creek, indicate that they were deposited on the sea floor, rather than as wind or storm wave ridges some 5 - 6000 years ago.
The formation of the Explosives Reserve on this site has meant that these geomorphological features have remained untouched and represent one of the few areas in Victoria where sand formations, both above and below water are able to tell us so much about the world that existed millions of years ago.
OUR ABORIGINAL HISTORY
Archaeological studies of the area have unearthed many stone artefacts including anvils, hammer stones and ground edge axes indicating that the land, close to water and rich in vegetation and native grasses, was occupied by Aboriginal tribes within about 6,500 years ago. Aboriginal remains have also been found on the estate, and along with the artefacts, indicate that the area was favoured for camp sites. The area forms part of the traditional land of the Yalukit-willam clan who occupied coastal land that extended from the Northern shores of Port Phillip to Wilson's Promontory.
Little is known of the life style of the Yalukit-willam Clan today and the Wurrundjeri Tribe Land Compensation and Cultural Heritage Council are presently the cultural custodians for this clan estate.
FLORA AND FAUNA
The coastal area around the Explosives Reserve contains one of the most important wetland systems in Australia. Cheetham Wetlands, on the western shore of Laverton Creek, opposite the Explosives Reserve, is host to literally thousands of migratory wading birds who fly in each year from Japan, Siberia and China. The Explosives Reserve is a vital linking piece in creating a continuous run of coastal open space from Point Gellibrand to Point Cook.
Fauna on the reserve includes the Altona Skipper Butterfly. The Altona Skipper Butterfly is a rare butterfly first recorded in the region in 1904. It is known to occur in only three major sites within the region - at Cherry Lake, adjacent to the former Altona tip site and at Truganina Swamp. It is attracted to the stands of Chaffy Saw Sedge, a tufting, reed-like plant which is its primary food source and place where it constructs its leaf "shelters'', the equivalent of cocoons. The butterfly is threatened due to the draining of many of the original local swamps for urban development.
The reserve is one of the most well treed reserves in the Altona area. The most common trees are the Swamp Mahogany Gums, planted probably in the early 1900s. The reserve also contains a stand of young River Red Gums. This is one of only two known stands of Red Gums remaining on Laverton Creek. Also found on the reserve are a range of native grasses, the original flora of the western basalt plains.
THE FIGHT TO SAVE TRUGANINA RESERVE
In 1995, the Department of Treasury and Finance declared the former Explosives Reserve as surplus land and alternative uses for the land were investigated along with it's possible disposal. Local residents formed the Save the Explosives Reserve Group, and with the assistance of Hobson's Bay City Council worked towards lobbying the State Government to protect the site and maintain it as a significant piece of open park land. With the development of the Victorian Coastal Strategy and then a strategic plan to create a continuous parkland along the Williamstown - Altona Coast in 1997, pressure to save the site began to mount. The Minister for Conservation and Land Management became interested in the future of the Truganina Explosive Reserve. even though the land was still under the control of the Department of Finance and Treasury.
In September 1999, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment reviewed the 1997 assessment and evaluation report (that had suggested disposal of the site) against the Victorian Coastal Strategy and determined that the land was not surplus and would be retained in Crown ownership.
In June 2000 the Victorian State Government appointed the Council of the City of Hobson's Bay as the committee of management to administer the former Truganina Explosives Reserve as a recreational parkland.
Access for Dogs:
Dogs are not permitted in this reserve.
Note: A fold out poster size history of The Truganina Explosive Reserve is available from the Hobsons Bay Visitor Centre. Oral history tapes are available for hire from the Hobsons Bay city libraries, Living Museum of the West and the Altona / Laverton Historical Society.
Location
276 Queen Street, Altona 3018 Map
✆ (03) 9932 1000
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