Paddle Boat News January 2015
Paddle Boat News endeavours to keep up with what is making news on the
Murray river, as regards paddle vessels and associated activities and people.
It also provides some randomly selected historic data.
Contributions are welcome from PBN readers.
Contact: Frank Tucker Ph: 03 50214865 or if you are feeling lucky,
0428 242866
Email: [email protected]
Chris Saxon, of Wentworth and owner of PB Florence Annie,
provides the software and web establishment for PBN.
January 2015 Paddle Boat News
When it comes to thought, some people stop at nothing
Front page photo: PS Ruby and PS Marion at Wentworth wharf.
Answer to December question: PS Elfie
Question for January: Name the first paddle steamer owned by
William Grimwade Collins .
Riverboat Society sponsor
PB Lilian towing PB
Tooraloora off the sand at
Grace’s Bend—131214
Photo—Harry Monro
PB Ivy May at Wickett’s Cliffs —141214
A Familiar Hand back on the Wheel. Our friend and fellow volunteer, Captain Peter Thomas has been missing from the Marion’s
wheelhouse for some time. As many know, Peter walked into hospital to have a hip replacement and due to a faulty epidural anaesthetic, came out in a wheelchair as a paraplegic. He then spent
many very difficult months of daily physio learning to walk again.
Whilst he can now walk a little with the assistance of a frame, until
very recently climbing stairs had just not been considered possible.
So, during the recent “All Steamed Up” festival, it was with great
pleasure that we saw Peter with enormous determination, manage
to climb two flights of stairs and finally step back into the wheelhouse of the PS Marion. Not to let Peter rest on his laurels, we
immediately gave him the microphone and were delighted to once
again hear him on the PA system sharing his encyclopaedic knowledge of the River. Then, he took the helm and achieved what he
and many of us had feared was just a dream, to be back in charge
of a paddle steamer. Well done Peter, we couldn’t be more
pleased.
Thanks Alan Bowman for the article and Shane
Strudwick for the photos
The Great Australian Inland Cruise January 3rd 2015
PB Tooraloora and PB
Miralie at Mildura
PB Miralie came down to see the fleet off, as
did the Willaba life boat (flood boat). Because
of the wind, the send-off did not go to plan
and about half the fleet departed for the lock
prior to the ceremony. Fleet organizer Garry
Spencer, the Mayor of Mildura, an RSL representative and a local minister, who blessed the
fleet, spoke to a small group that had gathered.
The fleet will re-group at Abbottsford bridge,
then move on to Wentworth, prior to making a
run up the Darling to Avoca station before
continuing on their journey down the Murray.
The 5 day Darling River trip did not eventuate for the Echuca/Goolwa fleet. Advised that the river level was
lowish and falling, the organizers decided to push on. I spoke with a member of the fleet on Monday 5/1, and
they were almost at the junction of the Murray and the Anabranch.
Where did our Murray River Captains originate ?
Australia
China
India
West India
America
England
Scotland
Norway
Sweden
Scotland
Germany
Netherlands (Holland)
Canada
Ireland
Finland
Wales
Lithuania
Denmark
France
Switzerland
South Africa
New Zealand
If you know of any other countries of origin, please let me know and I will update my River Identities data base accordingly
The Great Australian Inland Cruise January 13th 2015
The fleet arrived in Remark this afternoon and have moored at the town river frontage.
Photos ex Murray River Rats ex Alison Wickham
PB KULKYNE is for sale.
18 metre ( 60 foot ) steel hull Paddle Wheeler. Draught 0.35m. Launched 1998. 4.1 litre main diesel engine. Diesel
generator. Timber superstructure sleeps 2 adults in state room and 4 bunks in bunk room on upper deck Bath room and
toilet on upper deck, 2nd toilet and laundry on lower deck.
asking price = $290K.
Enquiries via e-mail [email protected]
PB Miralie , New Years Eve, Charcoal Creek
PB Shay, New Years Day at Mildura
PB Merlin out for an evening cruise at Mildura on January 7th 2015.
A shrimp net, hanging on a hook, starboard side paddle
box has trapped a 4’
brown snake. I did
not become aware of
the snake for another
couple of days, and was only alerted
by an observant friend and the meat
ants which had gathered to feast.
Look carefully and you can see him
hanging down behind the ladder.
PB Shay, PB
Black Shag & PB
Settler departing
Lock 11, 17th
January, for
Goolwa and the
Wooden Boat
Festival.
In
Lock 6
Photo — Heather Parker
21/1/2015—Phone call from Graham Marks to say the three paddle boats
pictured above were at Wilkadene Brewery and would be in Renmark
tomorrow. 4 barrels of Wilkadene Brewery beer were loaded on board
the PB Settler for shipment to Goolwa. A return cargo of beer from the
Goolwa Brewery will take pride of place on the return journey.
Thursday 22nd January 2015—The Black Shag, Shay and Settler arrived
Renmark and the crews spent some time shopping. The run has been uneventful. Captain Chris (Shay) is worried about the beer “evaporating”
230115—Phone call to say—Rounding Settlers Bend with
Jackson Wickham, “wanna be captain”, at the wheel of PB
Settler, Graham relaxing on the front deck.
Moored at Renmark for restocking and overnight stay. Can’t see
the beer barrels ?
Perhaps they have been broached already !
Photo — Heather Parker
24/1/2015—departed Berri for Loxton
21- 22 FEBRUARY 2015
AHOY THERE!
2015 South Australian Wooden Boat Festival
Festival Highlights
Goolwa is set to come alive for the 2015 South Australian Wooden
Boat Festival!
On Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 February 2015, thousands of spectators will eagerly line the Goolwa Wharf as
wooden boats of all shapes and sizes come together for this fantastic Festival. The 2015 Festival will showcase more
than 200 wooden boats from putt putts to paddle steamers, row boats to speed boats, and off the water there will be
great entertainment, delicious local food, wine and beer, and loads of fun for the kids. The entry fee will be $10 per
person for a weekend pass. Children 15 and under can enter free of charge, making this a weekend for the whole family
to enjoy!
Paddle boats will be a feature of the 2015 Boat Festival, with Oscar W, Goolwa’s own paddle steamer
taking centre stage over the weekend. Paddle boats from as far away as Echuca, 1714km upstream of
Goolwa, will be in attendance. PS Marion (background of this photo) will also be there.
24/1/2015— PS James Maiden passing through
Mannum on her way to Goolwa for the Wooden
Boat Festival
Photo = James McDougall ex Murray River Rats
James Maiden@ Murray Bridge Photo = Jordan
Moritz ex Murray River Rats
Flows in the Mitta Mitta - 22/1/2015 Landowners and river users on the Mitta Mitta River are advised that late January and early February flows in the river will be lower than previously notified as
a result of recent rainfall The amount of water in Hume Reservoir is currently higher than expected
due to recent rain in the upper catchments and reduced demand for water downstream. This means
less water needs to be released from Dartmouth Reservoir via the Mitta Mitta to top-up Hume Reservoir.
Flows will continue to be variable over the coming weeks, however, and people along the Mitta
Mitta River are advised to adjust their river activities as necessary.
The flow at Colemans gauge will be around 3000 megalitres per day (ML/day) during 23 to 26 January, which is 1.9 metres local gauge height. On Tuesday 27 January the flow will begin to increase
and will reach 4500 ML/day on Friday 30 January (down from the 7000 ML/day previously advised).
The flow of 4500 ML/day will be maintained until Thursday 5 February, and will be gradually reduced over the following weeks until flows reach 2500 ML/day at the end of February
Throughout the remainder of February, if conditions remain dry, the flow in the Mitta Mitta River at
Tallandoon is expected to be slightly greater than at Colemans gauge. However, this could change if
flows from Snowy Creek increase due to rain.
Who would want to be
a skipper at Echuca ?
Photo = Michael Snell
I had some fun with the
McLaughlin kids, not long
out from Belfast, Ireland
and now living in Adelaide.
They all “drove” the boat
and were amazed by my
magic barrel, especially
Elle, the youngest (almost
5) who was a treat to have
on board PS Industry on
Sunday 25th January 2015
Photo = Jackson Wickham
PS James Maiden refueling at Phil Reed’s place, “Cosy Corner” Morgan
Photos = Phil Reed
Young Citizen of the Year
Jackson Wickham
I asked Jackson, just last Sunday, was he going to finish school? “Yes”
I then asked, what will you do then “Go and work at Echuca with the riverboats. I
already have organized my work experience to happen there this year.”
It seems that we have a river skipper and or engineer in the making.
Well done on your award Jackson and all the best for the future.
Jackson is pictured here with one of his school teachers, Mary Mattner and one of
his river skipper Mentors, Captain Tony Lyons and wife Pam.
Photo = Alison Wickham (Proud Mum)
Jackson took Settler’s
wheel most of the way
between Renmark &
Berri.
Photo = Graham Marks
Ref: Riverine Herald 14/9/1921 RISE AND FALL OF MURRAY AND DARLING PORTS. Following
is the last of "The Skipper's" reminiscences of 60 years' experiences afloat and ashore on the rivers,
as contributed to "Sunraysia Daily."
On the opening of the Bourke to Sydney railway, Bourke became a port for outward cargo. The firm of
E. Rich and Co.. merchants, of Bourke, bought and chartered a number of steamers and barges, and
traded upstream to Walgett, and down to Wilcannia. Bourke, being the railhead, became the distributing centre for all the north-west district of New South Wales, and for south-western Queensland,
and went ahead by leaps and bounds, until the Queensland Government pushed the railway out to
Cunnamulla, and the New South Wales lines were extended to Brewarrina and Walgett. That was the
"writing on the wall" for Bourke, and now, again, along the reaches were heard for a time the almost
continuous beat of paddle-wheels, and the shrill scream of steamers' whistles, primeval silence reigns
supreme. The short-lived glory of Bourke is gone. Nothing is heard on its river reaches but the scream
of the galah and the cockatoo, and the children run away to hide if they see a stray steamer! No longer
do long strings of huge wagons, loaded with great piles of merchandise wend their way toward the setting sun, on journeys of weeks and months, across black-soil plains, over sandhills, through rivers, on
and ever on into the mysterious West, to the "Never Never" of the Bulla, to Cooper's Creek or to the
Diamentina. Through flood and drought, through blistering heat and freezing night, they used to go cold and shivering in the rain, or parched with thirst and starvation; returning, after months, with
huge loads of wool and station products. Never again will 20 or 30 of these great wagons stand in the
railway yard at Bourke in the morning, loading up goods or unloading wool.
I have seen Bourke in drought and I have seen it in flood. I have seen the river a chain of water-holes
for months – even for years. I saw it when the 1890 flood burst through the embankment; when horsemen galloped through the town, shouting to the people to make for the steamers. I saw women with
what few things they could carry in their hands, and children clinging to them, rushing frantically toward the river in order to reach the steamers before they were over-whelmed by the inrushing flood.
The steamers took 800 refugees to North Bourke, three miles up and across the river. At the time of
that flood I had to row 14 miles through forests and over plains, to reach the railhead, across a turgid
brown sea, flowing restlessly in a mighty stream, ever onward, covering thousands of square miles in
its course of months, until it is finally swallowed up in the great Southern Ocean at Goolwa. Fortunately, most of the people of Bourke were shifted down line before the embankment broke, or there
must have been disaster. The water was three feet deep on the crown of the street for months. It
reached its highest point on April 23, 1890, when it was 45ft. above summer level.
Bourke's sun has set with that of Wilcannia. Their glory is gone with the end of the good old rollicking
rabbiting days, the petering out of White Cliffs, and the coming of the Broken Hill railway.
When the railway was extended from Bendigo to Echuca, that terminus immediately became a hive of
steam-boat activity. Boats were built as fast as the yards could turn them out and lines of steamers began to ply regularly between Echuca and Albury, and to the Murrumbidgee. The Jane Eliza, Cumberoona, Beechworth, and Lady Darling were fitted up as crack passenger boats, and ran a regular
weekly service. The Wagga Steam-ship Company ran boats between Echuca and Wagga. The old stern
-wheeler Victoria, skippered by the noted "Gus" Pearce - that inimitable "Yank," that should surely
have been a millionaire, but was always broke - was one of the regular traders.
Echuca remained a booming port for many years. Boats were coming and going day and night, bringing in wool and timber, and taking out general cargo. This town, with its 50 "pubs," was one of the
busiest in Victoria, and the three punts were going all through the 24 hours, crossing teams with
loading to and from the Edward and other districts. Nearly every hotel had its dancing saloon,
with girls galore, and high living and "high jinks" were the custom. Money flowed like water, and
free fights between the bullockies and the steamboaties was an acknowledged part of the fun.
Taken altogether life in Echuca in those days was decidedly fast and furious. But when the railways were extended to Deniliquin, Albury and Hay, all the "kick" was knocked out of Echuca.
From being an important hub of Victorian trade, its glory departed until it was said that "hotels
were given away with a packet of tea," and the town settled down, became respectable, and went to
church on Sunday.
The rivalry between the opposition liners running between Echuca and Albury was very keen —
almost as great as that of the river palaces on the Mississippi. It was all excitement; the arrival of
the Melbourne train at night; the bustle of the boats' officers; the blowing of whistles to get all
hands on board - and then the line was let go for the race of 301 miles to Albury, and another race
back downstream. This was the weekly routine. The Cumberoona was a great favorite on this trip.
She was skippered by Jim Mace. She afterwards became the property of Whyte, Council and Company of Adelaide and was finally wrecked at Christina's rocks, on the Darling.
Another of the "cracks" in these races was the Jane Eliza, which was afterwards to give the first
irrigation water to Mildura.
Another old river identity, Captain William Davies (better known as "Bill Davies"), built a sternwheel boat, which he called the Pride of the Murray, in the early sixties, and opened a regular service between Echuca and Wentworth, later building the Trafalgar and the Rodney. The Rodney
was seized, and burnt, near Moorara, by the shearers of Polia and Moorara sheds, in 1894. The
Pride and the Traf (as they were known) became a part of the regular life of the river, and they
were regarded as being as inevitably punctual as the sun. They remained regular tenders until the
building of the Swan Hill, and, later, of the Mildura railways, made the business unprofitable, and
the boats were taken off and sold. The Trafalgar in still running on the lower Murray, as is the old
Victoria.
Changed conditions have brought big changes on the river. Although steam-boats are still plentiful
between Mildura and Murray Bridge, on the rest of the rivers they are almost forgotten. A steamer
coming into Albury or Wagga nowadays would be as great an attraction as a Wild Went show !
The day of the steamer will come again, however. When the rivers are locked, and more land is
thrown open, there will be millions of bags of wheat to carry from the farms of Riverina to the
ocean ships at Goolwa. But it will be different steamers that will carry it - powerful tugs, with big
barges. The old romantic days of the steamboat, when making a trip to Brewarrina or Wagga was
like taking a trip to England, when there was no Game Act, no fishing regulations, no ranger to
interfere when you went shore to cut wood - have passed ! The world was wide and free then.
There were no strikes, and no haggling over the basic wage; work was a pleasure, and the river
was a good place to work.
The names of a few other old skippers should be recorded - John Tate, James Tinks, Robert Anderson, Ben Atkins, George Pybus, John Keir, Alfred Hart, Harry Hart, Robert, John, and George
Grundy, J. Nutchey, R. Porter, Sam Williams, Charley Hill, W. Wolter, F. Toomer, Joe Dose, John
Innes, Davie Bowers, George Dorwood, Joe Page, G. Puller, Charley Cantwell, Willie Dixon,
Adam Johnston, Thomas Freeman, W. Miers, S. Shetliffe, A. Summon, and George Pickhills. The
great majority of the old river brigade have crossed the bar, and in a very few years the rest must
surely pass from human ken.
Junction Rally 2010. 13 paddle boats show their sterns. Can you name them ?
A classic pose Monument depicting Captain John Egge
in a classic pose. The likeness was taken from one of the
few photos of him. The monument sits on the Wentworth
wharf, overlooking the Darling River in the town that
John with his wife Mary, made their home in 1859.
Sculptor, Lynne Edey with the John Egge work
Ref: Riverine Herald 1/5/1877 LAUNCH OF A NEW STEAMER On Saturday a new steamer was
launched for the Murray trade. The vessel has been built to the order of Mr. James Laing for the Murray
trade by Messrs. Air and Westerguard. The following are the dimensions of the boat - Length 85 feet, over
-all beam 10 feet, depth of hold 5 feet 1 inches. She will trade above Albury. The cabins and upper works
will be made portable, so as to get the steamer through the bridge at Albury, which has hitherto proved
the barrier to vessels trading further than that port. The machinery will consist of engines with 9½ inch
cylinders, working up to 80lbs, which have been imported by David Munroe, Melbourne, to the order of
Mr. Laing. The steamer is of red gum, flat bottomed, but having a counter stern, and modeled in all respects like a keel-boat. Her carrying capacity will be about 80 tons. The appointments of the boat will be
the same as those of the Rob Roy, belonging to the same owner, and she will be under the charge of Captain Patterson. The new vessel had been about ten weeks on the stocks. The launch took place shortly after
two o'clock, and it was very successful. The christening was performed by Miss Laing, daughter of the
owner, who named the steamer the Agnes, by breaking a bottle of spirits upon her bows as she slid off the
ways. Three cheers were given, and the boat was soon drawn up and moored alongside the bank. The
health of the owner and success to the Agnes was drunk by the visitors to the launch before dispersing.
Ref: Observer (Adelaide) 24/9/1927 Mrs. Bock's Experiences On the Murray.
Interesting and sensational incidents on the River Murray have been associated with the life of Mrs.
Mary Evelyn Bock; of Claypans, and, in spite of advancing years, she retains a vivid recollection of her
experiences during more than 50 years' residence at Mannum.
Born at Bowden-on-the-Hill in 1852, Mrs. Bock was the oldest child of Mrs. Mary and Mr. Thomas
George Randell (brother of Capt. W. R. Randell, of Murray fame). Mr. Randell conducted a, store at
Bowden, which was surrounded with scrub at that date. On removing to Mannum in 1882 he opened the
first store and post office there (situated in Main street). It is interesting to record in passing that at that
early date, Mannum received a daily mail from Mount Pleasant.
The girl of 10 years played with aboriginal companions, whose parents held corroborees on the site of
the present Mannum punt yard and under the willows skirting the west bank of the river. Mrs. Bock
related how her mother saved the life of a young lubra by her timely intervention in a dispute between
blacks who had been supplied with drink by whites. The lubra was safely escorted, into Mr. Randell's
house, the natives venting their spleen by hurling spears at the house.
When the new store was opened only three other houses stood in Mannum; the Bogan (now Mannum)
Hotel, then the residence of Capt. W. R. Randell, and two other dwellings. Mrs. Ben Baseby also had a
residence situated at Port Mannum. Teams camped near the township on their journeys between
Adelaide and Wilcannia and other centres.
Mr. Randell replenished his store by taking three horses and a van to Adelaide weekly.
At the age of 17 Mrs. Bock's mother died, leaving the daughter to "mother'' six brothers and three
sisters (all of whom are still living, five brothers and three sisters in Australia, and one brother in
Kansas, U.S.A.).
In 1875 Mrs. Bock was married at Highercombe, Houghton, to Capt. Charles Claus Bock, a native of
Gluckstadt, River Elbe, Germany (who held the fifth master mariner's certificate issued for River
Murray traffic), and who had arrived in Mannum about 1869. Mr. Bock, with two or three companions,
had deserted his ship at Port Adelaide, and were hidden by Mount Pleasant residents in a reaper while
the police were searching for them. During the 1870 flood Capt. Bock ferried passengers over the
swollen river, through the window of the Bogan Hotel, landing his fares on the counter
Strandings and Snags. Mrs. Bock journeyed several
thousand miles on river trips with her husband, often in the
capacity of cook. . For several years Capt. Bock
commanded the steamer Pearl, and afterward was captain
and owner of the Golconda. On the former boat Mrs. Bock
travelled as far upriver as Bourke (N.S.W.). Twice she was
stranded on board with her husband and the crew, through
low rivers, on the first occasion, for six months at Louth
(N.S.W.). The barge Leviathan, being attached on that trip.
Added to the danger, snags constantly caught the barge and
impeded progress and the boatmen were finally caught by
the low river.
Her husband died in 1919, and Mrs. Bock, for health
reasons, has lived at Claypans since 1924. Of a family of
four daughters and three sons, three daughters. Mesdames
W. E. Towill and G. J. T. Ashton, and Miss P. E. A. Bock
(Claypans), and one son, Mr. A. V. Bock (Mannum) survive;
One son, Pte. Charles Heinrich Bock, of the 10th Battalion,
A.I.F., who died of pneumonia while on furlough, was the
first soldier from the Mannum district to make the supreme
sacrifice during the Great War,