Coops Shot Tower

Coop's Shot Tower is a reminder of Melbourne in the 19th Century, where residential, commercial and industrial all existed together in a mosh pit of noise, fumes and living. Here, at this totally over photographed building, shots were made – small balls of lead used in projectiles in shotguns, and also for ballast, radiation shielding and anything else where small lead balls are useful. The Coop family had extensive interests in shot manufacture and smelting. Looking up the tower is evidence of the original process of lead shot production, which was genius in its simplicity. Molten lead was dropped through sieves at the top of the tower and on its descent down it would form a sphere (tiny ball), landing in water at the bottom. At the height of its productive life (groan, pun intended), the tower was producing six tons of shot per week. There are now few remaining traces of central Melbourne's industrial past, giving the shot tower special importance.