The Union was first registered federally in January 1916 as the Federated Shipwrights of Australia. In September 1916 it changed its name to the Federated Shipwrights' Ship Constructors' & Boat Builders' Association of Australia and in 1917, the union became the Federated Shipwrights Ship Constructors Naval Architects Ships Draughtsmen and Boat Builders of Australia. In 1933 it changed its name again to the Federated Shipwrights' & Ship Constructors' Association of Australia. Operating until 1976 the Federated Shipwrights' & Ship Constructors' Association amalgamated with the Amalgamated Metal Workers' Union to form the Amalgamated Metal Workers' & Shipwrights' Union.

The union was first registered under the Queensland Trade Unions Act of 1886 as the Brisbane Shipwrights Provident Union. By early 1907 it was reconstituted as the Port Brisbane Shipwrights Union until 15 January 1918 when it became the Brisbane Branch of the Federated Shipwrights, Ship Constructors, Naval Architects, Ship Draughtsmen and Boat Builders' Association of Australia, a predecessor of the Federated Shipwrights and Ship Constructors' Association of Australia, Queensland Branch.