Australian Wire Rope Works 1940s [Max Dupain – State Library of NSW]

Today the Australian Wire Rope Works at Mayfield – now known as Bekaert Australia – marks 100 years of continuous manufacture.

Established in Newcastle in 1923, the Australian Wire Rope Works survived the Depression and became a major supplier of wire ropes for Australia’s defence in World War II.

This included steel wire for submarine nets and harbour booms to defend Sydney Harbour. The company’s products were also used for kites to protect ships from dive bombers and cables for underwater mines.

Like so many other industries, women became a crucial part of the workforce following the Great Depression and during WWII.

In the post-war boom, the products were used for the Snowy Mountains Scheme and Katoomba Scenic Skyrail, along with mining and construction.

Nowadays, Bekaert Australia provides steel wire ropes for onshore and offshore oil and gas projects, mining and cranes.

1 Comment

Dennis on 12 February 2024 at 11:39 pm

My father came from Europe. During WW2 he was taken from his homeland and became a forced labor worker.

When the war ended he was in a refugee camp until 1949 when he found a new life in Australia. He spent another two years in camps here, first at Bonegilla and then Greta Army Camp.

He was happy when he then got employment at the Australian Wire Rope Works (Mayfield), now Bekaert Australia.

Being unskilled, he was employed as a cleaner but he was grateful and forever indebted.

Between 1963-1965, I sold newspapers in the afternoon at the main gate.

Good days, gone quick.

Cheers
Dennis

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