The Commonwealth ship building programme was announced in Federal Parliament in July 1917 (1), and work commenced almost immediately.(2) The original programme provided for the construction in Commonwealth, State and private shipyards in Australia subject to supervision by the Prime Minister's Department, of 24 wooden sailing vessels and 24 steel cargo vessels. The date of the establishment of the Ship Construction Branch within the Prime Minister's Department is unknown, although the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer on 30 October 1917 was officially notified in the Commonwealth Gazette.(3)  The appointee,  Mr H.W. Curchin, arrived in Australia in December 1917 and worked from an office at 51 Spring Street, Melbourne until office space for the branch was leased at 31 King Street, Melbourne in January 1918.(4).

While the Ship Construction Branch always remained within the Prime Minister's Department, ministerial responsibility for the shipbuilding function was distributed as follows:
 
(July) 1917-1918 (April): Rt. Hon W.M. Hughes, Prime Minister
 
(April) 1918-1920 (Feb): Hon. A. Poynton, Minister in charge of
                         Shipping and Shipbuilding
 
(Feb) 1920-1921 (Dec): Hon. A. Poynton, Minister in charge of
                       Shipbuilding
 
(Dec) 1921-1923 (Feb): Rt. Hon W.M. Hughes, Prime Minister

from (Feb) 1923: Rt. Hon S.M. Bruce, Prime Minister

The Hon Alexander Poynton was the Minister in charge of Shipbuilding whilst also acting Minister for the Navy from April 1918 to August 1919, Assistant Minister for Repatriation from January to September 1919, and Minister for Home and Territories from February 1920 to December 1921 (5).

The position of Chief Executive Officer of the Ship Construction Branch was filled as follows.
(Oct) 1917-1920 (Sept): W.H. Curchin
 
(Oct) 1920-1921 (Feb): K. Watson (Acting)

Mr Curchin's appointment was for three years, at a salary of 2,000 pounds p.a.(6). Upon the expiration of this term Mr K. Watson was appointed to act in the position (7).

As part of a scheme to amalgamate the Commonwealth dockyards under Ship Construction Branch control,(8) the position of Secretary of the branch was upgraded and Mr H.C Brown appointed in December 1920 at a salary of 900 pounds p.a.(9).

The Ship Construction Branch was responsible for all aspects of the implementation and administration of the Commonwealth Shipbuilding programme. In February 1918 the Branch took over control of the Williamstown dockyard from the Victorian government, and in June 1921 the former naval dockyard at Cockatoo Island was transferred to the branch. The Shipbuilding Yards Board of Control was established to manage the dockyards and Mr H.C. Brown was appointed to the Board as Finance member.(10). Apart from the construction of ships within these dockyards, the Ship Construction Branch supervised the construction under contract of vessels in State and private dockyards. The shipbuilding programme was a major undertaking by the government, and the policy and aspects of its administration were the subject of much debate and of some major investigations by the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee.(11). The feasibility of the creation of a separate department to administer the programme was also canvassed.(12).

The Commonwealth shipbuilding programme was completed in 1924. Owing to variations, the programme resulted in the construction in Australia of 21 steel vessels and 5 two-masted schooners with auxiliary power. In addition, 5 steamers were constructed in yards in the United Kingdom (13).
 
The office of the Ship Construction Branch was closed in May 1924, and formal notification of the abolition of all positions appeared in the Commonwealth Gazette (14). Some of the correspondence files of the branch were transferred to the Prime Minister's Department (CA 12) and top-numbered into CRS A458, Correspondence files, multiple-number series, second system, 1923-1934.
 
References:
 
1. Parliamentary Debates, Vol. LXXXII, p. 9
 
2. Ibid, pp. 597-598
 
3. Commonwealth Gazette, No. 15, 7th February 1918, p. 232
 
4. Ibid, No. 52, 11th April 1918, pp. 637-638
 
5. Commonwealth Parliamentary Handbook, 1918, p. 218; 1901-1926,
   p.298.  
6. Parliamentary Debates, Vol LXXXIV, p. 3546
 
7. Federal Guide, 1921 p. 18
 
8. Parliamentary Debates, Vol XCIV, p. 5453
 
9. Commonwealth Gazette, No. 6, 13th January 1921, p. 81
 
10.Ibid, No. 53, 16th June 1921, p. 967.
 
11.Parliamentary Papers, 1920-1921, Vol v, pp. 489-691
 
12.Parliamentary Debates, Vol XCIV, p. 5453, p. 5735, pp. 5747-5748  
13.Official Yearbook of the Commonwealth of Australia, No. 18 - 1925,
   p. 269
 
14.Commonwealth Gazette, No. 49, 17th July 1924, p. 1513, No. 56, 
   7th August 1924, p. 1644

Historical agency address
1917-1918: 51 Spring Street, Melbourne
1918-1924: 31 King Street, Melbourne