Luffing no more!

A part of Fremantle’s skyline is changing, possibly forever.

Scaffolding and tarps now surround one of the iconic Babcock and Wilcox luffing cranes near the Maritime Museum and Slip Street at Victoria Quay and dismantling has begun.

Credit Jean Hudson

The top section is gone, removed by a modern yellow crane. This is the first of the historic 1925 Babcock and Wilcox cranes to be dismantled. This crane is owned by Fremantle Ports. Its dismantled parts will be restored and put into storage until the Future of Fremantle planners decide where to rebuild it.

The other two luffing cranes are owned by the Maritime Museum. These are earmarked to be dismantled in the near future and reassembled into one crane.

Credit Jean Hudson

Over the years, the Fremantle Shipping News has featured photographs of these much loved cranes both from the harbour and through the windows of the Maritime Museum.

Credit Deanna Shanahan

Wonder just where they’ll reappear?

* STORY by Jean Hudson @jeansodyssey. Jean is our Shipping Correspondent and also a regular feature writer and photographer here on the Shipping News. You may like to follow up her informative Places I Love stories, as well as other feature stories and Freo Today photographs, right here.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE –