Written by passionate volunteer researchers, our library of articles (below) include comprehensive biographies and entertaining yarns. Some are informed by folk stories, tall tales and hearsay. Others draw on archival newspapers and reliable, first-hand accounts.
Captain Julian James King-Salter’s six-year tenure as General Manager of Cockatoo Island’s Naval Dockyard was fraught with difficulties. According to volunteer researcher, Michele Harper, while the naval engineer’s management style faced criticism – and he contended with industrial unrest amongst his workers – the island’s shipbuilding and ship repair programme was a success under his leadership, with several vessels launched.
Thomas Sutcliffe Mort was one of Australia’s most successful businessmen during the 19th century, rising to prominence within a decade of his arrival in the colony. In this article, volunteer researcher Michele Harper details the life and career of the enterprising British expat, including his role in establishing Australia's largest dry dock, Woolwich Dock.
Colonel Barbara Maxwell served with the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps (RAANC) and the Women’s Royal Australian Army Corps (WRAAC), including at Georges Heights in Mosman, during a time of great social change for women in Australia. In this article, Michele Harper – a volunteer researcher with the Harbour Trust – charts Maxwell’s rise through the ranks of the WRAAC to become the organisation’s fourth (and final) director by the late 1970s.
In 1810, a humble Scottish soldier by the name of Lachlan Macquarie ended a rebellion and became the fifth Governor of New South Wales in Australia – a role he held for more than a decade. In this article, volunteer researcher, Michele Harper considers Governor Macquarie's reputation as a nation builder and details his achievements, including the eradication of corruption, the implementation of societal improvement policies and the advocacy for emancipists.
Louis Samuel was a young engineer who cemented his place in the history of Sydney Harbour with the construction of Cockatoo Island’s Sutherland Dock. According to volunteer researcher Faye, despite Louis’ untimely death at the tender age of 26, the maritime landmark is a symbol of his enduring legacy.
In 1871, the Newcastle Industrial School for Girls closed, and its inhabitants were transferred to Cockatoo Island. The new establishment was divided into two institutions: the Biloela Industrial School for Girls and the Biloela Reformatory. In charge of this transfer and the treatment of those incarcerated at Biloela were superintendent George Lucas and his wife Mary Ann. Trigger warning: In this article, Harbour Trust volunteer Michele exposes the horrific mistreatment and abuse of the girls, arising from the Lucas appointment at Biloela.
The late Richard Kennedy Fullford is perhaps best known as the author of ‘We stood and Waited: Sydney’s Anti-Ship Defences, 1939-1945’. The acclaimed tome delves into the fascinating defence history of North Head in Manly; however, it worth noting that Fullford himself led a storied military career.
From 1871 to 1892, the NSS Vernon – a nautical school ship for at-risk boys – had a permanent mooring at Cockatoo Island. A person charged with supervising and educating the youth who’d been placed aboard the vessel was James Gorman. In this article, Harbour Trust volunteer Michele canvasses the achievements of the brave and well-respected seaman, which include being the first recipient of the Victoria Cross to reside in NSW.
A self-made journalist and writer, Sir Henry Parkes has the distinction of serving as the premier of NSW on five separate occasions during the late 1800s. As Harbour Trust volunteer Michele writes, the British expat was also instrumental in exposing the mismanagement of Cockatoo Island’s penal establishment and paving the way for at-risk boys to receive education aboard nautical school ships, including vessels moored off the island.
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