At the start of
World War II, the company established a shipyard at
Kangaroo Point on the
Brisbane River taking over the
Queensland Government's lease of Moar's Slipway beside Cairns Street () (which was then owned by the
Brisbane City Council). The company developed the site for the construction of military and merchant vessels. In January 1940 the first ship to be built at the Evans Deakin shipyard was announced. The ship was the first
1200-ton oil fuel lighter for the
Royal Australian Navy, which was then using
500-ton oil fuel lighters. Named the
Rocklea, it cost and pumps to enable the rapid re-fuelling of warships. A major expansion at the Kangaroo Point site when the Frank Nicklin Dry Dock was constructed costing of which was contributed by the Queensland Government. The dock was long, wide and deep and could handle vessels up to 60,000 tons. The dock was officially opened in July 1967 by
Queensland Premier Frank Nicklin after whom the dock was named. In his speech, Nicklin said it was important that Australian developed greater shipbuilding capabilities as Australia had been isolated from large shipbuilding countries during the two world wars, which was compounded by Britain's withdrawal from the
Far East. Nicklin then pressed a button allowing the water from the Brisbane River to flow into the dock. The company built the largest ship ever made on the
Brisbane River, the oil tanker
Robert Miller. They also built trawlers, bulk carriers, tankers and tugs. There is a monument to the Evans Deakin shipyards in Captain Burke Park (at the eastern end of Holman Street) on the tip of Kangaroo Point (); this is further north than the original site of the shipyards. ==References==