# Williamstown, Victoria



## Bob Lyons

This photo might be of some interest, one of the tugs that has come and gone from Williamstown dockyard a couple of years back.....


Bob


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## tony Allard

hey mate i was on the net one day and came across one of those tugs its called WYAMBI and is based near brisbane QLD i think. check out www.marinetraffic.com for locations of tugs and so on.
see ya.


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## Oz.

Tugs in Williamstown didn't berth at Williamstown Dockyard, they berthed at Reid Street Pier, near the Dockyard. Some years ago, they were moved to South Wharf, Melbourne where they are now based. My dad was engineer on the coal burning tugs years ago and Reid Street is very much a part of my memories. This was back in the days of James Patterson, Tooronga, Keera, Marimba, Eagle(aka Black Bess) , Swiftness, ( Photo in my gallery), Keera, Howard Smith , Batman. Just writing this brings back the smell of the pier early in the morning - coal smoke and frying bacon and the unforgettable engine room smell of hot oil, steam and the hiss and clunks of up n downers being warmed through. There was always a feed for me as I wandered around the pier !


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## vmr

Hi Oz Your Comments Reminded me Of My Days On the Lighthouse supply Ship Cape York At Reid Street Pier great Place You Said It All.vmr


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## Bob Lyons

Oz, loved reading your reminisces about the old Reid Street pier, and the coming and going of the tugs there, when it was purchased by Tenix several years back, and the tugs all moved up the river, the locals were very upset, all the weekend fishermen had to find a new place to go fishing as well. !

The tugs were still operating from Reid Street when I first started working at the dockyard in 1990. I enjoyed watching them come and go. !

Sadly the days of the old Reid Street pier are almost over, it is due to be demolished later this year, to make way for the new LHD's that are being partly built in Spain, then barged out to Williamstown, and will be alongside Nelson Pier during their final fit out, so the old Reid Street pier will be demolished to make way for these ships, the first one due in Melbourne in August 2012, and was actually launched in Spain just a few days back, they are over 30,000 tonnes worth of ship (LHD = Landing Helicopter Docking). The first of class, the Juan Carlos for the Spanish Navy has completed sea trials and I think has already been commissioned into the Spanish navy, so a google search would give some idea of how big these things will be, when they (2 of them) get to Williamstown !

Bob


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## Bob Lyons

Here is a couple more shots from Williamstown, taken in April 2008, and shows the tug 'Pacific Wrangler' just before she entered the dry dock for some repairs.......


Bob


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## Bob Lyons

again....


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## Bob Lyons

and one more.....


Cheers

Bob


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## Bob Lyons

Woops, forgot, that last one is the tug 'Edna' tied up alongside Shenandoah Wharf, at Williamstown dockyard, also April 2008.


Bob


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## Oz.

Bob, I also worked at Williamstown Dockyard, 1959 to 1964 as an apprentice Fitter and Turner. The day my apprenticeship was finished, I was on a Comet jet to Bahrein and on to Doha to join my first ship, Mobil Daylight. Was away at sea for around 18 years, my sea going life ended when Straitsman rolled over in the Yarra and trapped me inside. Came back to the Dockyard as Safety Officer and left when Tenix (or whoever) took over. I remember Cape York well , amd later sailed on Cape Pillar and Cape Moreton. Wonderful small ships that did a great job. If you look at my gallery there is a wonderful photo of Williamstown taken many years ago.


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## Bob Lyons

Oz, great story mate, and you ain't going to believe this, but my brother was on the Cape Pillar and Cape Morton, served with them for about 20 years after he got out of the RAN, you may have run into him, Spencer (Tiger) Lyons ??? He was operating the Larcs for a while I think.

When I started at the yard it had just changed names from Amec to Amecon in 1990 (June 1990 was when I kicked off, so racked up a few years there now), then it went to Transfield, then Tenix, and now BAE Systems. !

Bob


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## Bob Lyons

Here is an aerial view of Williamstown from a few years back, when the tugs were still operating from the Reid Street Pier...


Bob


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## vmr

Hi Bob, When I Was On The Cape York, We Sometimes Carried A DUCK Or correct title DUKW for some trips, made It Easier To get to some Lighthouses. The Cape Pillar Carried A LARC A Modern Version Of The DUCK Gret Engine, Trying To Remember Tiger Lyons Hard On The Memory After All These Years, Will Try This Month When In Sydney To Visit The Cape Don Being Restored In Sydney. Cheers VMR.


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## trotterdotpom

A lot of Australian National Line deck apprentices sailed on the lighthouse ships and all regarded it as an experience impossible to gain anywhere on deepsea ships. Especially regarding basic seamanship and small boat handling. 

She's been gone for years now, but I still miss seeing Cape Moreton alongside when driving over the Story Bridge in Brisbane.

John T.

John T.


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## reggiel

gday just searching for williamstown tugs eagle and james patterson wallumba my father worked on these for years


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## reggiel

Gday Oz you may have known my father reggie lewis he was on all of the tugs you mentioned would you have any photos of these i would love to chat with you i will forward an address when you make contact , i am his youngest son we lived originally in cecil street and then hanmer st williamstown untill dad died we had a service on tug with old mates geoff stevens son of jack do you recall any of these??


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## Bernie Lanyon

*I Knew Your dad*



reggiel said:


> Gday Oz you may have known my father reggie lewis he was on all of the tugs you mentioned would you have any photos of these i would love to chat with you i will forward an address when you make contact , i am his youngest son we lived originally in cecil street and then hanmer st williamstown untill dad died we had a service on tug with old mates geoff stevens son of jack do you recall any of these??


Yes I knew your Dad Reggie ,I joined the tugs in 1975 on the Elton Griffen,then onto Walumba and finally the New Build Thomas Webb replacing the Walumba Stayed until us Cooks got the **** in 1989 Replaced by a Micro Wave Oven ,My name is Bernie Lanyon Seagull .
I retired in 2014 after 44 years at sea.


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