Fishermans Bend
Fishermans Bend, located on the south of the Yarra River near the suburb of Port Melbourne and opposite Coode Island., has a significant place in Australian aviation history, being the home of several prominent historical Australian aircraft design and manufacturing companies, including the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, General Motors Holden, Smorgon Steel, Government Aircraft Factories, the Aeronautical Research Laboratory and regional facilities for Boeing. Fishermen's Bend Aerodrome remained in use until 1957. Other previous industries included the car manufacturers Australian Motor Industries and the Rootes Group, GKN Aerospace Engineering Services and a campus of RMIT University dedicated to aerospace engineering. Fishermans Bend originally included the area now known as Garden City, which was renamed in 1929.
From the 1850s, the lower reaches of the Yarra River - known as 'Humbug Reach' and 'Fishermen's Bend' - were occupied by fishermen of European descent. Some thirty families lived on the 'Bend', frequently finding additional work in the docks and cargo ships and loading ballast for ships returning to Europe. Habitation was in rough shacks along the Bend, made from corrugated iron, flattened kerosene tins or wood. There were no roads, shops, or sewerage. Water was collected from hanging out sail canvases, and stored in iron tanks or casks milk came from a nearby farm. Fishing continues on the Bay, but today only two fishing licences belong to descendants of these early pioneer settlers. The last remaining shack on the Bend was demolished in 1970, to make way for Webb Dock. The new Surf Life Saving Club headquarters stand on the site.
Fishermans Bend is a primarily industrial centre towards and around the foot of the West Gate Bridge and contains major establishments for the Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Holden Australia, Boeing, the Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures, Kraft Foods, Port Security, and the Herald & Weekly Times. It also has a marina, known as d'Albora Marinas Pier 35, and the Webb Dock motor vehicle offloading facility and planned container terminal. Fishermans Bend has a single large reserve known as Westgate Park, a large artificial wetland surrounding the West Gate Bridge approaches.
The state government's 'Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Area' vision plan aims to attract 40,000 jobs and 80,000 residents to the area by 2050.
The Aerodrome and Aircraft Manufacturing Facility at Fishermans Bend
Fishermans Bend Car Manufacture: General Motors Holden
Fishermans Bend Car Manufacture: Australian Motor Industries Coode Island and Coode Canal
