Dictionary of Sydney

The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

Australian Foundry

Iron foundry and factory established by Richard Dawson in 1833 which employed blacksmiths and ironmongers to create a huge range of household and construction items. Diversification into steam engines and ship ownership followed as Dawson attempted to secure the mechanism and supplies to ensure success. The site, that included Dawson's house, was on lower George Street near the Quay. The business was sold to Thomas Mort in 1872.

-33.8621155, 151.2081705

Milestone
Opened
1833
Merged into
1872
Name
Alternate
Australian Iron and Brass Foundry
Alternate
Australian Iron Works
Alternate
Castle and Dawson
1834 - 1837
Alternate
Dawson & Co
1865
Property
Owned by
1833 - 1865
Owned by
1834 - 1837
Type

Richard Dawson's Australian Foundry

CC BY-SA 2.0
,
2015

Dawson's Foundry (the Australian Foundry) at George Street and Sydney Cove was the colony's first important iron foundry and a machining and engineering works that operated for four decades. This leading colonial manufactory played an important role in transferring iron trade and engineering technology from England to the Antipodes. Surviving cast iron artefacts represent the industry of the site, which was both a factory and the owner's residence.