Urangan Pier
Encyclopedia
Urangan Pier is a historic pier
in Urangan
, Hervey Bay, Queensland
, Australia
.
It is a former deep-water, cargo-handling facility originally built to facilitate the export of sugar, timber and coal. The pier, served by the extension of the railway line from Pialba, was used for the transfer of cargo
between rail and ships.
It was built between 1913 and 1917, originally to a length of 1107 metres. The pier was closed in 1985, and 239 metres of it was demolished. However, due to public outcry, 868 metres of the pier was left, and the land was handed to the Hervey Bay City Council.
By 2009 the last 220-metre section of the pier had been fully restored, and the original timber pylons had been replaced with steel pylons with a plastic covering.
Construction on the Urangan Pier began in 1913. In order to reach the deep water channel, it was required to extend 1.1 km (3690 ft) out to sea. Construction was very slow and finished in 1917. The Urangan railway line also began construction in 1913 and branched off the main railway line at Pialba
. This line was extended along the Urangan Pier as it was being constructed. Once it was completed, it served as one of the main ports of Queensland.
Sugar was one of the main exports, however had to be transported from as far north as Bundaberg
. When the Bundaberg Port
was built in 1958, it took over sugar cane exports and the Urangan pier ceased exporting sugar. Timber, general cargo and produce was still exported until 1960, when Caltex
built an oil terminal adjacent to the Pier. Soon after this was built, freight, goods and produce exports were stopped and fuel became the only import from the pier.
After the last ship docked at the Urangan pier in January 1985, Caltex Oil reversed the process of storage, replacing the system of fuel service from Shipping to bulk supply by rail from the Pinkenba
and Colmslie port terminals in Brisbane. This, in turn, lead to the closure of the pier and the Urangan branch line, as neither had a use anymore. At this stage, the pier was in serious need of repairs. A decision was made by the Queensland Government to dismantle the entire pier. Due to large public outcry, rallying and petitions, the demolition of the pier was stopped. In late 1985, the Queensland Government handed the pier to the Hervey Bay City Council. The council pledged to restore the pier, which began in the late 1990s. Restoration included removing the rail tracks from the pier, encasing the wooden pylons with steel, repairing sleepers, repairing hand rails, and repairing lights.
In 1999, the pier was restored to a length of 868 meters. It was officially re-opened by the then-governor of Queensland and the mayor of Hervey Bay, Peter Arnison
and Bill Brennan (respectively) on the 27th of November, 1999.
of the pier was made by Mr Harry Coxon in 1917, the same year the original pier was constructed. It is a significant artifact in the Hervey Bay Historical Village & Museum’s collection. Two new models are on display in the Hervey Bay Tourism Visitor Centre and in the Hervey Bay Whale Watch office at the Boat Harbour Marina.
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
in Urangan
Urangan, Queensland
Urangan is a suburb of Hervey Bay in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Urangan had a population of 8,009.-References:...
, Hervey Bay, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
It is a former deep-water, cargo-handling facility originally built to facilitate the export of sugar, timber and coal. The pier, served by the extension of the railway line from Pialba, was used for the transfer of cargo
Cargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
between rail and ships.
It was built between 1913 and 1917, originally to a length of 1107 metres. The pier was closed in 1985, and 239 metres of it was demolished. However, due to public outcry, 868 metres of the pier was left, and the land was handed to the Hervey Bay City Council.
By 2009 the last 220-metre section of the pier had been fully restored, and the original timber pylons had been replaced with steel pylons with a plastic covering.
History
The original proposal to establish Urangan as a coal port for the Burrum River mining project did not eventuate due to several factors, mainly because the coal output did not reach original expectations. However, as the Wide Bay area was a chief producer of produce and freight, the Queensland Government made a decision to build a pier at Hervey Bay.Construction on the Urangan Pier began in 1913. In order to reach the deep water channel, it was required to extend 1.1 km (3690 ft) out to sea. Construction was very slow and finished in 1917. The Urangan railway line also began construction in 1913 and branched off the main railway line at Pialba
Pialba, Queensland
Pialba is a suburb in Hervey Bay, Queensland located north of Brisbane. It is the central business district of Hervey Bay. It was once serviced by a railway line. It is the location of one of the transmitters for ABC Wide Bay....
. This line was extended along the Urangan Pier as it was being constructed. Once it was completed, it served as one of the main ports of Queensland.
Sugar was one of the main exports, however had to be transported from as far north as Bundaberg
Bundaberg, Queensland
Bundaberg is a city in Queensland, Australia. It is part of the Local Government Area of the Bundaberg Region and is a major centre within Queensland's broader Wide Bay-Burnett geographical region...
. When the Bundaberg Port
Bundaberg Port
Bundaberg Port is located 20 kilometres northeast of the city of Bundaberg, 5.6 nautical miles from the mouth of the Burnett River. The port is a destination for ships from Australia and overseas. It is predominantly used for shipping raw sugar and other goods related to that industry such as...
was built in 1958, it took over sugar cane exports and the Urangan pier ceased exporting sugar. Timber, general cargo and produce was still exported until 1960, when Caltex
Caltex
Caltex is a petroleum brand name of Chevron Corporation used in more than 60 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and southern Africa.-History:...
built an oil terminal adjacent to the Pier. Soon after this was built, freight, goods and produce exports were stopped and fuel became the only import from the pier.
After the last ship docked at the Urangan pier in January 1985, Caltex Oil reversed the process of storage, replacing the system of fuel service from Shipping to bulk supply by rail from the Pinkenba
Pinkenba, Queensland
Pinkenba is the name of a suburb in eastern Brisbane on the northern side of the Brisbane River. Despite being less than 10 kilometres from the Brisbane central business district, it has a largely rural feel to it...
and Colmslie port terminals in Brisbane. This, in turn, lead to the closure of the pier and the Urangan branch line, as neither had a use anymore. At this stage, the pier was in serious need of repairs. A decision was made by the Queensland Government to dismantle the entire pier. Due to large public outcry, rallying and petitions, the demolition of the pier was stopped. In late 1985, the Queensland Government handed the pier to the Hervey Bay City Council. The council pledged to restore the pier, which began in the late 1990s. Restoration included removing the rail tracks from the pier, encasing the wooden pylons with steel, repairing sleepers, repairing hand rails, and repairing lights.
In 1999, the pier was restored to a length of 868 meters. It was officially re-opened by the then-governor of Queensland and the mayor of Hervey Bay, Peter Arnison
Peter Arnison
Major General Peter Maurice Arnison AC CVO, , was Governor of Queensland from July 1997 until July 2003. He graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1962, and retired from the Australian Army in 1996...
and Bill Brennan (respectively) on the 27th of November, 1999.
Urangan Pier Model
A modelScale model
A scale model is a physical model, a representation or copy of an object that is larger or smaller than the actual size of the object, which seeks to maintain the relative proportions of the physical size of the original object. Very often the scale model is used as a guide to making the object in...
of the pier was made by Mr Harry Coxon in 1917, the same year the original pier was constructed. It is a significant artifact in the Hervey Bay Historical Village & Museum’s collection. Two new models are on display in the Hervey Bay Tourism Visitor Centre and in the Hervey Bay Whale Watch office at the Boat Harbour Marina.