Walkers Limited
In 1864 John Walker and three associates established the Union Foundry in Ballarat, Victoria, to service Victoria’s mining industry. With the discovery of gold in Queensland, and a growing sugar industry, John Walker came to Queensland to build a foundry at Maryborough. Business was initially slow but grew rapidly with the growth of mining and sugar milling industries. They later expanded into construction of locomotives, shipbuilding and various engineering projects in Queensland and other states. The Ballarat assets were disposed of in 1879. In 1950 a branch foundry was built in Mackay, Central Queensland. Walkers Limited had an affiliated company Walkers Engineering South Africa Ltd. Walkers Limited was taken over by Evans Deakin in 1981 and subsequently by the Downer Group.
Mining
Walkers Limited played a crucial role in supplying machinery to numerous mines across Queensland and emerged as a world-class exporter of heavy machinery. Their equipment range included headgear, lifts and cages, rolling stock, crushing machines and batteries, clarifiers, cyanide and chlorination plants, engines, and boilers.
Sugar Industry
Walkers Limited was instrumental in constructing entire sugar mills, encompassing everything from the buildings and sugar production trains, with small locomotives hauling sugar to the mill, to the crushing of cane and production of sugar crystals. Walkers significantly contributed to the development and improvement of the necessary equipment. Mills were constructed in Marian, Proserpine, Plane Creek, Bauple, Gin Gin, and Maryborough, with the last one built in Tully in 1927. There wasn’t a single mill in Australia, Fiji, or Natal, South Africa, that didn’t utilise Walkers’ equipment.
Locomotives
The first locomotive built by Walkers was the Mary Ann, an unusual contraption designed to haul logs to a timber mill in the Gympie Cooloola District. From 1883 to 1981, Walkers constructed a total of 701 locomotives, including 587 steam locomotives, 12 diesel-electric locomotives, and 132 diesel hydraulic locomotives for Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Commonwealth and the Emu Bay Railways.
Ship Building
Shipbuilding at Walkers Limited occurred in four distinct phases, resulting in a total of 52 ships
1887-1898 Thirteen ships, primarily dredging vessels for the Queensland Department of Harbours and Rivers.
1918-1928 Constructed two E class 6000-ton cargo vessels for the Commonwealth Shipping Line and the 469-ton bucket chain dredge, Platypus II.
1939-1945 At the request of the Commonwealth Government, built ships for the Royal Australian Navy, including three frigates and seven corvettes, among them the heritage-listed, World War II famous HMAS Diamantina.
1945-1974 Produced a variety of vessels, including two 2000-ton cargo ships, ten Attack Class patrol boats, and dredges such as Echeneis, Thomas Hiley for Queensland, and Matthew Flinders for Victoria.
Significant flood damage to the shipyard in 1974 led to its closure.
Engineering Heritage Recognition Program
| Marker Type | Engineering Heritage National Marker (EHNM) |
| Award Date | - |
| Heritage Significance | Walkers Limited began its impressive history of heavy engineering manufacture in 1868 when John
Walker, a successful Ballarat foundry owner, travelled to Queensland in search of new market opportunities. |
| Nomination Document | Available here. |
| Ceremony Booklet Ceremony Report |
Not Available. |
| Plaque/Interpretation Panel | Not Available |
