Houses by the river were usually built with the front of the house facing the river.
(BCC Archives. BDHS. Edited by N. Love)
The general location, however for the sake of the tour we have left out some of the names of the residents who lived in homes along Byron Street.
From the Apollo Ferry, Byron Street on the riverside began with 3 residents and then James Clark’s boat shed which was used to store many sailing boats. As there were no Yacht Clubs along the river before WWII many residents had boat storage along the riverbank. Next we see the Watts and Wright’s slipway and boat building shed. This area also included the Watts family residence and a loft. Later another boat building shed was built next door by Harold Watts. This site would eventually be used by several other boat builders eg Striker Boats and Norman R Wright.
(Google Earth, BCC, Rob n Suz. Facebook. Edited by N Love BDHS)
James Love's boatshed on the waterfront (curved roof) was later used by Sam Elms Furniture maker who then moved into a shed closer to Byron St on the same site. Clacher's Marine Engineers also had an ESSO Service Station at the Byron Street entrance along with a marine refueling pump on the jetty. Mrs Clacher had a house on the same property.
(J Finn Photography, Edited by N Love BDHS).
Further along Griffith’s property was sold to RQYC (S), A E Harold. The buildings were demolished to make way for a larger boatbuilding shed., Australian Yacht Builders, Byron Shipyards, and IOL.
(J Finn Photography and Love Family, edited by N Love, BDHS).
A little house with a lot of history was alongside the large IOL shed. The house was once on the riverbank where the WWII Army Camp was being built. It was moved to Byron Street to make way for the Wartime Camp. Its owner Vic Vaughan was an 18 ft Skiff World Champion, 4 years running.
(Google photo, NARA Photo Edited by N Love, BDHS).
Next to Vaughan’s was the Millkraft boatyard which later became Millkraft Thompson. The Millkraft shed was rebuilt after a fire in the 1960s. Originally owned by the Millis family who had a house on site. Quite often the house was moved to make room for large boats that were to be built and needed more room. River Connections were next to Millkraft. They had the City Cat lease and serviced the ferries on site.
(Unknown & Laurie Cordingley edited N.Love BDHS)
Did you know Roy Bliss once rented a boat yard behind this house? The house is still there.
Roy Bliss later bought a house in Mc Connel Street and worked from a shed on the property.
(Google Earth Photo edited by N.Love BDHS).
Beside Roy Bliss’s was another building with a lot of history. Markwell's Yanmar Engines, SCESCO, Ross Patterson’s, and Miller, Whitworth and Tickle's Ship's Chandlers. (Bob Miller later changed his name to Ben Lexan).
(Google photo, NARA Photo Edited by N Love, BDHS).
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