Construction and opening

The first major industrial facility to be built in Kwinana, Western Australia, construction of the refinery started in 1953 by the Anglo – Iranian Oil Company. Costing about 40 million pounds and including establishing water, power, roads and shipping facilities, the construction project took more than two years and marked the beginning of the development of the Kwinana industrial area. These images and articles were captured during the 1950s, including the refinery’s opening event on 25 October 1955.

Aerial shot of BP refinery prior to opening. Image courtesy of I Mueller.

The main trunkway of the oil jetty, 1955.

Early construction of refinery processing units in 1955 generated interest from the community due to their size and marked the beginning of Kwinana’s industrial area.

British Crusader berths at no. 1 jetty with the first delivery of oil, 11 January 1955.

Construction workers building a pipeline at the refinery, 1954.

Preparing for in-situ concreting at jetty head no. 1, 1955.

Workers install valves on the refinery’s original tanks, 1955.

Aerial shot of the crude distillation unit being contructed.

Close up of the crude distillation units being constructed.

WA Premier Sir Ross McLarty turns the first sod, 29 January 1953.

‘Premier turns the first sod at Kwinana’, The West Australian, 30 January 1953.

British Crusader berths at no. 1 jetty with the first delivery of oil, 11 January 1955.

‘British Crusader cuts boom and makes history as first oil flows at Kwinana’, The West Australian, 12 January 1955.

‘Kwinana opening was day of colour’, The West Australian, 26 October 1955.

Aerial shot of BP refinery prior to opening. Image courtesy of I Mueller.

The main trunkway of the oil jetty, 1955.

Early construction of refinery processing units in 1955 generated interest from the community due to their size and marked the beginning of Kwinana’s industrial area.

British Crusader berths at no. 1 jetty with the first delivery of oil, 11 January 1955.

Construction workers building a pipeline at the refinery, 1954.

Preparing for in-situ concreting at jetty head no. 1, 1955.

Workers install valves on the refinery’s original tanks, 1955.

Aerial shot of the crude distillation unit being contructed.

Close up of the crude distillation units being constructed.

WA Premier Sir Ross McLarty turns the first sod, 29 January 1953.

‘Premier turns the first sod at Kwinana’, The West Australian, 30 January 1953.

British Crusader berths at no. 1 jetty with the first delivery of oil, 11 January 1955.

‘British Crusader cuts boom and makes history as first oil flows at Kwinana’, The West Australian, 12 January 1955.

‘Kwinana opening was day of colour’, The West Australian, 26 October 1955.

On the pages below you can view a slideshow of images. Below the slideshow each image is available in a downloadable format. Once downloaded you can share via social media or email.

Celebrate Kwinana: home page

Operating through the years

Jetty trunkway

Concreting the jetty

Pipeline construction

Storage tank valves

British Crusader

British Crusader

British Crusader

Refinery before opening

First sod

First sod

Opening day

CDU construction

CDU construction

Refinery processing units

On the pages below you can view a slideshow of images. Below the slideshow each image is available in a downloadable format. Once downloaded you can share via social media or email.

Celebrate Kwinana: home page

Operating through the years

The people of Kwinana

In our community

The units

Closure and conversion