Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L00053:body:0:p22
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L00053
Segment Type: other
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Character Range: 54110–56927

Navy ships were repaired at Cockatoo Island during WW II. Included among them was the USS New Orleans, which was torpedoed in the Battle of Lunga Point, losing 150 foot of its bow in the ensuing explosion. The New Orleans steamed backwards from the Solomon Islands to Cockatoo where a temporary bow was fitted. This allowed the ship to return to the US for reconstruction.
Figure 20: Dockyard apprentices assembled at the Fitzroy Dock (1947)
Cockatoo Island was one of the earliest establishments in Australia to set up special schools for the training of apprentices, and this co-ordinated training was a milestone in industrial history. Apprentices were indentured to nearly all trades that were carried out on the island, with their number occasionally approaching half the total number of tradesmen employed.
Figure 21: Drawing Office (Building 10)
Cockatoo Island fostered a well-qualified technical team that had the capacity to undertake a wide range of design work. This was particularly the case at the end of WW II when this photograph of the Drawing Office (Building 10) was taken.
Many people in the community called for the island's convict and maritime industrial heritage to be conserved. A community group called the Friends of Cockatoo Island was formed to lobby for the island to be retained in public ownership and for the island's cultural heritage to be conserved. In 2001 the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust was established and the island transferred to the Harbour Trust to ensure its long-term conservation and rehabilitation.
Figure 22: Workers involved in refit of the Oberon Class submarines
To facilitate the refit of the Oberon Class submarines, $4.7 million was allocated for the construction of new facilities. These included 2 substantial buildings – one adjacent to the Bolt Shop Wharf (since demolished) and the Weapons and Electronic Workshops (Buildings 92 & 93) on the southern side of the Fitzroy Dock. These buildings were a far cry from the grime of the traditional workshops. They were fitted with the most modern equipment and had to achieve the highest standards of cleanliness. This photograph shows workers in the 'clean room' where the high-pressure air and telemotor components of submarines were refitted. The hats and uniforms illustrate the sensitivity of the instruments and the need to regulate the environment.

A New Life
After the closure of the island in 1991, and a period of slow deterioration and vandalism, Cockatoo Island was vested in the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust in 2001. A journey of rehabilitation had begun. With the financial assistance of the Australian Government including the Department of Defence, a process of renewal and repair of services, decontamination, basic maintenance and safety measures commenced. In 2005 all the remedial work