Halliday Engineering 170 Year History Book

Halliday Engineering is the oldest engineering firm in Australia and in fact one of the oldest continuing Australian enterprises. Its founder who came to Australia from Scotland in 1852, Charles Halliday was hailed as an “industrial pioneer”. Those who followed him carried on his business adhering to values laid down from the firm’s establishment: a focus on quality, Australian manufacturing, skilled labour, honest and integrity. These values shaped the business for 170 years and continue to shape it today.

The company has seen many vicissitudes, it has survived two world wars, two economic depressions, it’s had its factory reclaimed from underneath its feet and has farewelled its wharf side beginnings. From the early days with the foundry in Erskine Street, through the often-troubled times in Sussex Street and now to almost endless possibilities in Mansfield Street Rozelle, Halliday Engineering has evolved and modernised in time with Sydney itself.

Likewise, Halliday Engineering has borne witness to changes in the marine engineering industry; steam ships replaced by turbine driven monoliths, riveting giving way to welding and finger wharfs to massive docking facilities. The firm has battled changing government priorities, including the death of knoll of the Australian shipping industry with the removal of national protection. It has witnessed striking wharfies, the regulation of labour and work practices and the much-needed introduction of the safer workplace.

Through all these changes, Halliday Engineering has reinvented itself, refined its approach to business and adapted where others fell by the wayside. Starting its days with small government contracts and becoming respected for its ‘can do’ attitude and a timely response to problems from which others walked away. Halliday Engineering now has a large client base and is relied upon for significant defence projects.

It has done all this through the combined efforts of 100s of people who stories are retold in this book. The business has been a family business in the traditional sense of those words, led by six generations of Hallidays. But the Halliday family is broader than the blood lines passed down. “Family” is an essential part of the Halliday culture, and family embraces all those who have given their energies to help the business reach its milestone birthday.

This wider Halliday family is proud of its story, which it offers here for your enjoyment.

Dr Stella M. Barber
Professional Historian and Author