Appleton Dock

Appleton Dock is an international shipping facility in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was constructed in about 1956 by the Melbourne Harbor Trust, and is named after MHT commissioner William Thomas Appleton (1859-1930), who was a staunch advocate of harbour improvements in the early 20th century.[1]

Following the construction of Spencer Street Bridge over the Yarra River in 1929 most of the upper river wharves were blocked to shipping, and so replacement of wharfage was necessary. The Harbor Trust had commenced works at the outlet of Moonee Ponds Creek in 1929, and this became Appleton Dock. which was planned since the 1930s, but because of the interruptions caused by the Second World War, it was not completed until 1956. At the same time, South Wharf was extended to the west. The dock now serves bulk grain, coal and from the 1960s, some container shipping.

Appleton Dock berths B,C and D are used for general cargo, managed by DP World; Appleton Dock E is used for general cargo to and from Tasmania; Appleton Dock F is used for bulk dry cargo reconstructed by joint venture partners Cortex Resources and Walter Construction Pty Ltd, as Australia's premier bulk export terminal operated by Australian Bulk Alliance (ABA) and AWB (formerly the Australian Wheat Board).[2] The rail sidings at Appleton Dock reopened in 2000 after reconstruction of the Footscray Road crossing to serve a new export grain terminal at the port.[3]