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Whyalla Steelworks
The Whyalla Steelworks is a fully integrated steelworks and the only manufacturer of rail in Australia. It produces 75% of all structural steel in Australia. Iron ore is mined in the Middleback Range to feed the steelworks, resulting in the distribution of finished steel products of over 90 different grades. It occupies a 1,000-hectare (2,500-acre) site on the shore of False Bay, Spencer Gulf and is the largest employer in Whyalla, South Australia.
Opened in 1941, along with a major shipyard, the steelworks were owned by BHP, and many of the vessels were produced for the use of BHP Shipping. The shipyards were closed in 1978. OneSteel, later Arrium was a company spun out from BHP in 2000, and owned the steelworks until the company went into administration in 2017. It was bought by Liberty House Group, a subsidiary of the British company GFG Alliance, owned by Sanjeev Gupta, and the OneSteel brand was changed to Liberty OneSteel. After the company had incurred massive debts, the South Australian Government forced it into administration in February 2025, and the federal government announced a $2.4 billion joint state-federal support package for Whyalla and its steelworks.
The Whyalla Steelworks receives iron ore mined at various sites along the Middleback Range. Iron ore mining in this region dates back to at least 1900. Prior to the steelworks' construction, the ore was shipped from Whyalla (then known as Hummock Hill) to Port Pirie for use as a flux in smelters. It was later supplied to steel-making facilities at Port Kembla, New South Wales. The first shipment of iron ore by sea for Port Pirie departed Whyalla in 1903. The first mines to be developed were Iron Knob and Iron Monarch, with later developments including Iron Baron, Iron Knight, Iron Princess, Iron Chieftain and Iron Duke. The mines were developed by BHP, which went on to develop the steelworks and shipyards.
The steelworks first established a plant for the production of pig-iron for sale or use at other BHP plants. The announcement was made in 1937 and South Australian legislation was prepared to facilitate the development. Water security for the project was also guaranteed by the development of the Morgan-Whyalla pipeline. The Whyalla Steelworks was opened in May 1941 with the first blast furnace "blown in". A shipyard was also constructed, designed to aid the British Commonwealth's efforts in World War II. After the war, the steelworks and shipyards continued to produce a range of products including rail track and maritime vessels for commercial use.
In the 1960s, a BOS rolling mills and coke ovens were constructed, enabling the Whyalla plant to become a fully integrated steelworks.
Various records were set and milestones met by the Whyalla shipyards. In 1947, Australia's largest domestically built vessel, the bulk carrier Iron Yampi, was launched. It was built for BHP Shipping to transport iron ore from Yampi Sound in Western Australia. In 1965, the honor was claimed again, when the Darling River was launched. With the launch of the tanker Arthur Phillip in 1974, the Whyalla shipyard passed a major milestone, having produced over one million tonnes of merchant vessels in total. The shipyard also produced the world's first gas turbine-electric powered ship, the Seaway Prince in 1975.
BHP's shipyards continued to operate until 1978. Many of the vessels were produced for the use of BHP Shipping. The eventual closure of the shipyards came as a major blow to the town of Whyalla and plunged it into an economic recession, with 1,800 workers made redundant.
In October 2000, BHP spun off a new company, OneSteel, a domestically focused steel manufacturer and distributor. Apart from the steelworks, it also owned Whyalla harbour, and iron ore mining operations along the Middleback Range, about 50 km (31 mi) west of Whyalla.[citation needed] In 2011, the steelworks employed 1,600 people, down from a peak of around 6,000.
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Whyalla Steelworks
The Whyalla Steelworks is a fully integrated steelworks and the only manufacturer of rail in Australia. It produces 75% of all structural steel in Australia. Iron ore is mined in the Middleback Range to feed the steelworks, resulting in the distribution of finished steel products of over 90 different grades. It occupies a 1,000-hectare (2,500-acre) site on the shore of False Bay, Spencer Gulf and is the largest employer in Whyalla, South Australia.
Opened in 1941, along with a major shipyard, the steelworks were owned by BHP, and many of the vessels were produced for the use of BHP Shipping. The shipyards were closed in 1978. OneSteel, later Arrium was a company spun out from BHP in 2000, and owned the steelworks until the company went into administration in 2017. It was bought by Liberty House Group, a subsidiary of the British company GFG Alliance, owned by Sanjeev Gupta, and the OneSteel brand was changed to Liberty OneSteel. After the company had incurred massive debts, the South Australian Government forced it into administration in February 2025, and the federal government announced a $2.4 billion joint state-federal support package for Whyalla and its steelworks.
The Whyalla Steelworks receives iron ore mined at various sites along the Middleback Range. Iron ore mining in this region dates back to at least 1900. Prior to the steelworks' construction, the ore was shipped from Whyalla (then known as Hummock Hill) to Port Pirie for use as a flux in smelters. It was later supplied to steel-making facilities at Port Kembla, New South Wales. The first shipment of iron ore by sea for Port Pirie departed Whyalla in 1903. The first mines to be developed were Iron Knob and Iron Monarch, with later developments including Iron Baron, Iron Knight, Iron Princess, Iron Chieftain and Iron Duke. The mines were developed by BHP, which went on to develop the steelworks and shipyards.
The steelworks first established a plant for the production of pig-iron for sale or use at other BHP plants. The announcement was made in 1937 and South Australian legislation was prepared to facilitate the development. Water security for the project was also guaranteed by the development of the Morgan-Whyalla pipeline. The Whyalla Steelworks was opened in May 1941 with the first blast furnace "blown in". A shipyard was also constructed, designed to aid the British Commonwealth's efforts in World War II. After the war, the steelworks and shipyards continued to produce a range of products including rail track and maritime vessels for commercial use.
In the 1960s, a BOS rolling mills and coke ovens were constructed, enabling the Whyalla plant to become a fully integrated steelworks.
Various records were set and milestones met by the Whyalla shipyards. In 1947, Australia's largest domestically built vessel, the bulk carrier Iron Yampi, was launched. It was built for BHP Shipping to transport iron ore from Yampi Sound in Western Australia. In 1965, the honor was claimed again, when the Darling River was launched. With the launch of the tanker Arthur Phillip in 1974, the Whyalla shipyard passed a major milestone, having produced over one million tonnes of merchant vessels in total. The shipyard also produced the world's first gas turbine-electric powered ship, the Seaway Prince in 1975.
BHP's shipyards continued to operate until 1978. Many of the vessels were produced for the use of BHP Shipping. The eventual closure of the shipyards came as a major blow to the town of Whyalla and plunged it into an economic recession, with 1,800 workers made redundant.
In October 2000, BHP spun off a new company, OneSteel, a domestically focused steel manufacturer and distributor. Apart from the steelworks, it also owned Whyalla harbour, and iron ore mining operations along the Middleback Range, about 50 km (31 mi) west of Whyalla.[citation needed] In 2011, the steelworks employed 1,600 people, down from a peak of around 6,000.