Commonwealth lightship CARPENTARIA (CLS4)

The Commonwealth lightship CARPENTARIA (CLS4) is a significant maritime heritage vessel, now preserved in 3D through an innovative two-phase capture approach that combined dry dock and in-water photography.

About the Vessel

The CARPENTARIA served as a Commonwealth lightship, providing navigational guidance to vessels in Australian waters. These lightships were crucial maritime infrastructure, stationed at strategic locations to warn ships of hazards and mark safe passages.

Capture Method

To create a scan of the whole vessel, two different shoots were undertaken:

Phase 1 - Dry Dock Hull Capture:

• Location - The vessel was imaged whilst in dry dock in a large painting shed
• Ground photography - Comprehensive coverage of the hull from ground level
• Drone imaging - Challenging aerial photography in the enclosed space
• Digital cleanup - Significant post-processing to remove the supports holding the vessel upright
• Limitation - The topside was being worked on during this shoot, preventing complete capture

Phase 2 - In-Water Topside Capture:

• Location - Second shoot arranged when the vessel was back in the water at Darling Harbour
• Drone-only approach - Complete topside documentation without setting foot on the vessel
• Focused capture - Concentrated specifically on the upper deck and superstructure

Final Assembly:

• Both “halves” were expertly combined to create the seamless final model you see here
• The multi-phase approach allowed for complete documentation despite challenging access constraints

This method demonstrates how complex heritage vessels can be fully documented by strategically combining different capture phases and techniques.

Heritage Preservation

This 3D model provides a permanent digital record of the CARPENTARIA, preserving its form and details for future generations and allowing virtual access to this important piece of Australian maritime history.

Interactive 3D Model

Use the controls to:

• Explore the complete vessel from hull to superstructure
• Examine the construction details and maritime equipment
• Appreciate the scale and design of this historic lightship
• View areas that would be inaccessible on the physical vessel