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morgan to switch on digital television - Morgan, South Australia

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STRUGGLE TO SAVE HERITAGE DRY DOCK IN MANNUM<br />

Rising water levels in the Murray are good news for the river’s health,<br />

but for Flinders University archaeologists working <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>serve a<br />

unique 19 th century dry dock at Mannum, they create an added<br />

sense of urgency.<br />

Excavati<strong>on</strong>s in December last year yielded some of the<br />

structural secrets of the disused dry dock, which was used <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> repair<br />

and refit the paddle steamers that plied the Murray’s busy trade up<br />

until the 1920s.<br />

Staff and volunteers from the Mannum Dock Museum and a team<br />

of postgraduate and undergraduate students from Flinders will again<br />

work <strong>on</strong> the site with an architect and c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong>ist in September<br />

Their aim is <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> complete a full picture of the dock’s structure and<br />

the envir<strong>on</strong>ment in which it sits.<br />

Originally built as a floating structure for use <strong>on</strong> Lake Alexandrina, the Randell Dry Dock was <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wed <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> Mannum<br />

and installed <strong>on</strong>shore in 1876 by Captain William Richard Randell founding father of Mannum. The installati<strong>on</strong> of<br />

the Dock at Mannum greatly extended a small existing ship building and repair facility that had been<br />

developed by Captain Randell.<br />

It is estimated that over half of all vessels in use <strong>on</strong> the river system used the Dock at some time and its<br />

associated workshops c<strong>on</strong>sequently had a significant role in employing local shipwrights and tradesmen and provided<br />

the core required <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> maintain the local ship building industry.<br />

It is thought that <strong>on</strong>ly <strong>on</strong>e other comparable structure existed in Albany, Western <strong>Australia</strong>, from the same time<br />

period. Al<strong>on</strong>g with examples from Bermuda and Chile, the Mannum Dock is the <strong>on</strong>ly <strong>on</strong>e that has survived.<br />

Assessing possible threats <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> the dock’s integrity from rising water levels will be part of the project.<br />

Archaeologist Britt Bur<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>n said that there was an urgent need <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> support and stabilise the dock’s timbers.<br />

“At the current rate of deteriorati<strong>on</strong>, there is a window of less than ten years in which <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> take major preservative<br />

acti<strong>on</strong>,” she said.<br />

“Bey<strong>on</strong>d this time the dock will probably be <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>o rotten <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> save. The Save Our Dry Dock group has researched<br />

opti<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> help slow down or halt the increasing rate of deteriorati<strong>on</strong>.”<br />

In the short term, c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> of a roof over the dock is being c<strong>on</strong>sidered.<br />

“These investigati<strong>on</strong>s by the Flinders University team are essential <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> assist in determining the right course of acti<strong>on</strong><br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> save our Dry Dock”, said Mannum Dock Museum Chairman, Rob Bowring.<br />

Rob further said, “The Randell Dry Dock is an integral piece of Mannum’s maritime his<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ry and is <strong>on</strong>e of ic<strong>on</strong>ic<br />

attracti<strong>on</strong>s for our <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wnship and the Mannum Dock Museum. Our ‘Save our Dry Dock’ committee is working tirelessly<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> implement a c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> plan <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> ensure Mannum does not lose this vital link <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> the days of steam and<br />

wooden paddle wheelers and boats <strong>on</strong> the Murray”.<br />

The upcoming project will combine surveys and the<br />

digging of a two-metre pit in order <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> expose and document<br />

the structures of the dock. The group’s main aim is <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

produce a complete, detailed technical drawing of the<br />

dock, and activities will also include filming a short<br />

documentary <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> record the archaeological activities and<br />

overall project.<br />

Members of the public are encouraged <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> come and see<br />

the excavati<strong>on</strong> in acti<strong>on</strong>. The Randell Dry Dock is located<br />

at the river end of Mannum’s main street, next <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<br />

ferry crossing at the Mannum Dock Museum.<br />

For further informati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> the Mannum Dry Dock, visit<br />

www.psmari<strong>on</strong>.com or c<strong>on</strong>tact Jenny Callander at the<br />

Mannum Dock Museum <strong>on</strong> 85692733<br />

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