VPRS 18878 Soundings by Royal Australian Navy

This series comprises soundings plans taken around Hobsons Bay in 1930 and 1931. The soundings were recorded by Lieutenant W H Martin of the Royal Australian Navy. The plans document soundings of the sea floor, recording the depth at various locations. These are recorded as rows of numbers across the map, usually in uniform lines. The plans mostly show soundings close to shore, such as in proximity to piers and berths. The plans are limited to a few locations around Hobsons Bay, primarily Williamstown, and only go as far east as Port Melbourne. They also show locations of buoys and dredging sites. The series also includes a small collection of type-written pages, which also contain typed soundings measurements not depicted on a map. The pages are addressed to the Harbour Master of the Melbourne Harbour Trust Commissioners.   The reason for this survey project, and why it was conducted by the Navy, is unclear from the records and is subject to further research. These records were transferred to PROV from the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum.