Description

This old Broadbent crane was a fixture on the end of the rear wharf at Spectacle Island near Drummoyne on the Parramatta River, Sydney.

Thomas Broadbent & Sons ceased crane manufacture in the 1930s making this crane an extremely rare piece of industrial maritime heritage.

In the 19th century, Spectacle Island was Sydney’s armaments depot. Since the 20th century, the island has been a naval establishment and was, for many years, the main repository of the Australian Navy’s Heritage Collection.

In this painting, the protagonists:  Tony Taranto (marine engineer) observes as  Mark Taylor (marine electrician) is filling the water bag, while David Glasson (shipwright) operates the crane from the cabin. Their objective, to lift the load to get readings of the crane’s brakes.

Marky-the-Sparky Taylor was the right electrician for this job, having worked on the same Broadbent cranes at the Historic Chatham Dockyards, in Kent, England, and is familiar with this crane’s electrics & brakes.

Sadly, the crane was removed from Spectacle Island in 2023 to coincide with the dismantling of the heritage collection.

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