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Chart No. 13 Mr. Keele's harbour proposal, Port Stephens

Printer William Applegate Gullick (1858 - 1922)

Date1911

Object numberANMS1403[008]

NameChart

MediumInk on paper

DimensionsOverall: 320 x 580 mm

ClassificationsMaps, charts and plans

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from David Dixon

Terms

Port Stephens

DescriptionThis folio of 23 plans and maps was issued by W. A. Gullick Government Printer, Sydney NSW in 1911 as an appendix to the Report of the Royal Commission as to Decentralisation in Railway Transit.HistoryIn the early 1900s, the construction of rail networks around Australia was at its peak. Railways were the primary means of rapid inland transport and travel. They had all but replaced river boats in most areas of New South Wales in particular. Yet as this series of maps and plans show, the land transport system was determined by its relation to and connectedness with the sea. Harbours and ports were the hubs from which railway lines radiated. In fact the map of New South Wales in the series shows Port Stephens as the feeder port (later replaced by nearby Newcastle) for the massive area of the whole of northern and north western New South Wales. In June 1910, after much lobbying and concerns from regional areas that did not yet have access to the expanding rail system, the New South Wales Government appointed 'Messrs C. N. J. Oviler (ex-chief Railway Commissioner), Herbert Hickman (President Sydney Harbour Trust) and O'Malley Wood (a commissioner of the Government Savings Bank) as members of the commission.' (Northern Start, Lismore 29 June 1910 p2) to conduct a royal commission into decentralisation of the rail system. The commission's terms were that 'decentralisation in railway transit is neccessary to deal adequately with the growing traffic of New South Wales.' The commissioners were required to look into and report 'as to the terminal points inland and on the sea-coast which should be connected by railway.' (ibid). The final report included this 'List of Plans etc'. There are 23 maps and plans; 1 Railway proposals submitted to the Commission 2 Comparative map of the railway systems of New South Wales and Victoria 3 Mr. de Burgh's harbour proposal, Byron Bay 4 Mr. Keele's harbour proposal, Byron Bay 5 Mr. Bloomfield's proposed new entrance, Clarence River 6 Mr. de Burgh's harbour proposal, Woolgoolga Bay 7 Mr. Keele's harbour proposal, Woolgoolga Bay 8 Mr. de Burgh's harbour proposal, Coff's Harbour 9 Mr. Keele's harbour proposal, Coff's Harbour 10 Mr. de Burgh's harbour proposal, Trial Bay 11 Mr. Keele's harbour proposal, Trial Bay 12 Mr. de Burgh's harbour proposal, Port Stephens 13 Mr. Keele's harbour proposal, Port Stephens 14 Mr. de Burgh's harbour proposal, Newcastle 15 Mr. de Burgh's harbour proposal for an outer harbour, Newcastle 16 Mr. Keele's harbour proposal proposal for an outer harbour, Newcastle 17 Artificial harbour in course of construction at Port Kembla 18 Mr. de Burgh's harbour proposals, Jervis Bay 19 Mr. Keele's harbour proposals, Jervis Bay 20 Mr de Burgh's harbour proposals, Wagonga 21 Mr. de Burgh's harbour proposal, Twofold Bay 22 Mr. Keele's harbour proposal, Twofold Bay 23 Railways as recommended by the Commission for construction Plan No. 1 shows proposed railway lines submitted to the Commission and Plan no. 23 shows the Commission's recommended lines for the State of New South Wales. The differences in submissions and recommendations reveals interesting regional competition for the extension of railways and port facilities. Plans 3-22 show detailed maps of the various ports that connect with proposed and existing rail lines. Most of them show ports - where much of the work involved in the regional extension of rail was required. Details include harbour depth marks, proposed light towers, loading jetties, dredging areas, and other relevant port facility information. SignificanceThese maps and plans of ports and harbours show how shipping was the central focus in the growth, planning and establishment of railways in New South Wales.