Unidentified Berrys Bay (Hopper Barge 1) Sydney Harbour

Hopper barges played an important role in the daily operation of major ports such as Sydney.  Today several of these unique vessels lie abandoned ashore or sunk on the harbour bed.  One such example lies against the bank of Sawmiller's Reserve, Berry's Bay.  The iron hulled unpowered vessel is typical of the hopper type, fitted with opening doors on the underside of the hull operated by chain gear and a motor.  The hulls were used for carrying bulk cargoes such as harbour spoil obtained through dredging operations.  Unfortunately for the study of these craft, few historic records appear to have survived, such as photographs, vessel plans, registry and operation records. This is partly because of their unglamorous and work-a-day nature.  The Berry's Bay example has been the focus of corrosion potential measurements by the NSW Heritage Office and recording by graduates of the Australasian Institute for Maritime Archaeology (AIMA) /NAS Training Courses in Maritime Archaeology.