Overview

The Mead-Morrison No. 6 skip is the only remaining carriage that was part of a complex coal-loading process, which operated for over seventy years from the early 1920s at Waverton peninsula in Sydney.

Its purpose would have been to transport coal along an elevated platform to ships waiting by the water. Now almost 100 years old, it is constructed from both hardwood (probably Sydney Red Gum or Jarrah) and softwood (probably Oregon). It features iron wheels and mechanisms, and steel plate linings.

Treatment

In 2007, ICS was commissioned by North Sydney Council to undertake a condition assessment of the skip and provide recommendations for its future care and management. In 2014, ICS was able to oversee the conservation work required to bring this skip closer to its original state. The treatment involved carefully cutting out rotted timber elements and metal elements that had corroded beyond repair and replacing them with similar materials.

The works were carried out in line with the Burra Charter principles (as little as possible, as much as necessary). This meant keeping many of the skip’s original elements so that its unique history, age and previous restorations were still evident, whilst at the same time ensuring that it was now in a stable and presentable condition.

Display

The skip stood on display for almost forty years next door to the Coal Loader Community Garden at Balls Head Bay and became highly cherished by both the local community and general public. Now back on display in its restored state in a new location outside the coal loading tunnels, it once again acts as a reminder of the site’s unique history and industrial heritage.

More information

• History of the Coal Loader, North Sydney Council
• The Burra Charter