‘On the move’? Maritime heritage and urban redevelopment in Melbourne

This paper explores issues surrounding the conservation and management of Polly Woodside, one of Victoria’s most significant maritime heritage objects. Sold to the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) for restoration in 1968, the ship has been berthed in the historic Duke’s Dock since 1978. Through various incarnations, the ship and associated museum have been a key feature of the Melbourne ‘riverscape’, and a major tourist attraction, ever since. The paper briefly explores the history of the Polly Woodside and museum, before focusing on the debates about the future use and location of the vessel brought about by the continuing redevelopment of Melbourne’s South Wharf from the mid-1990s until today. It examines how these contentious and often heated debates were shaped by different understandings of the ship's cultural significance, as well as ideas of community, ownership and sustainability, which have wider implications for the management of maritime cultural heritage within a context of urban redevelopment and place promotion.