 PS Adelaide (July 2021) | |
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg) Australia | |
| Name | Adelaide |
| Owner | J.C. Grassey and Partners(first owners) |
| Route | Murray River, Australia |
| Builder | George Linklater |
| Laid down | 1866 |
| Home port | Echuca,Victoria (Australia) |
| Status | Tourist vessel |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Paddle steamer |
| Length | 75 ft 9.5 in (23.10 m) |
| Beam | 17 ft 0.7 in (5.20 m) |
| Draught | 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) |
| Propulsion | Steam |
| Notes | Data compiled from several sources[1][2][3] |
PSAdelaide is the oldest wooden hulledpaddle steamer still operating anywhere in the world. (Hjejlen from Denmark is older and has sailed since 1861.[1] It is the world's oldest original coal-fired paddle steamer[4]). It is now moored at the Echuca Wharf and used for special occasions.
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PSAdelaide was built by George Linklater atEchuca in 1866 for J.C. Grassey and Partners.[2] It was used by the original owners to transport wool to Echuca from nearbysheep stations. It was also a part-time passenger boat, bringing the ladies into town to do their shopping. TheAdelaide was purchased by the Murray River Sawmill Co in 1891 (from D Blair, at a cost of ten shillings per each of his 64 shares),[5]: 18 and used as logging steamer.
Capt. William Thompson served as skipper of the PSAdelaide from 1890 to 1912, prior to succession to foreman at the Murray River Sawmills.[5]: 21 Capt. Charles 'Swan' Anderson (1871–1942) served as captain of theAdelaide from 1912 to 1939 (once captain of the PSMelbourne).[5]: 22 In 1938, it cost £9 10p to hire the vessel. Employees of the Murray River Sawmills were employed on board a steamer for a season of five to six months a year, and within the mill for the remainder of the year.[5]: 28
From 1900, the Murray River Sawmill adopted the practice of name their barges by ordinal letter and number of year built. This resulted in the construction of the A11, B22, C24 (later thePVPride of the Murray), and D26 barges. When sold toParinga in 1958, the PSAdelaide towed Barges A11 and B22 toMildura (the A11 was eaten by white ants, and sank to the bottom of the Murray River where it remains).[5]: 29
The PSAdelaide was modified several times during her first seventy years; the deckhouses were rebuilt twice, the hull was replanked twice, and in 1924 the paddleboxes were converted to a more conventional square design.[6]: 4–5 Adelaide operated as a logging steamer until 1958, before being sold to the South Australia Sawmill Company and leaving Echuca forParinga.[3] TheAdelaide left Echuca on Wednesday 24 September 1958, headed forParinga, nearRenmark, South Australia. The purchasers, A B Rowe and Sons, intended to use the vessel in connection with a mill they planned to establish near Paringa. TheAdelaide (under the command of Capt. Norm Collins) towed two barges laden with firewood for the journey. The vessel's only incident was recorded as a near-miss atNyah; under darkness theAdelaide only narrowly missed the new bridge upstream of the village.[5]: 50–51
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Around 1959, the Echuca Apex Club began the first interest in providing a tangibile sign towards its towns' previous involvement in the steamer and logging industries (signified by the placement of a log buggy in the Hopwood Gardens).[5]: 53 The PSAdelaide was purchased by the EchucaApex Club, with help from the Echuca Historical Society in 1960, the vessel returned to Echuca, beginning her journey from Paringa on Friday 14 October 1960, under the direction of two skippers: Capt Norm Collins (of Mildura) and Capt. Les Telley (ofWoorinen). The PSAdelaide made a triumphant return to Echuca on Saturday 29 October 1960 (slightly after two years since departure).[5]: 56–57
On Saturday 9 May 1964, currentGovernor of VictoriaSir Rohan Delacombe unveiled a plaque on the site of the PSAdelaide in the presence of some 300 people, celebrating the handing over of the former steamer to Echuca's Mayor, Cr W A Lynch from Barry Beehag (President of Echuca's Apex Club). The Echuca Council guaranteed in June 1981 to preserve the PSAdelaide in the Hodwood Gardens, opposite the Bridge Hotel, Echuca. However, this was soon reversed in 1984 when the council opted to refloat the vessel in the Murray River.[5]: 58–59 In 1980, the Echuca City Council received a $150,000 grant from the State Gold Lottery funds, and restoration works began in December 1980. Work was interrupted in 1983 when shipwright K Hutchinson was seconded to caretake thePSPevensey during filming ofAll the Rivers Run. TheAdelaide was re-introduced to the waters of theMurray River on Sunday 4 March 1984, at 5:20pm.[5]: 70–71
By March 1985, the paddleboxes of the vessel had been re-shaped to become semi-circular. At 11:30am on 10 September 1985, the PSAdelaide left her port under her own steam for the first time in 25 years.[5]: 75 With restoration completed in 1985, theAdelaide was re-commissioned by thePrince andPrincess of Wales. Following four weeks of refurbishment, the PSAdelaide returned from a prolonged hiatus to regular passenger service from the Port of Echuca over the Queen's Birthday long weekend in June 2021.[7]
TheA11 barge was the first logging barge built by Murray River Sawmills in 1911. Though originally sunk atMildura, A11 was raised in 1994 and moved to nearby Bruces Bend.[8]
TheB22 barge was constructed with a length of 24.9m and a beam 5.1m.[9] Though recovered from Mildura to Echuca in 1980, the barge is considered to be beyond repair (having sunk again in the mid-2010s[10]).[5]: 32
TheC24 barge sunk at the end of her working life, theC24 rotted and sank into the bank near theMoama slip. In 1972, Max Carrington purchased the wreck for $100, and refloated the vessel (with restoration beginning in 1973). Following renewal of some hull planks, addition of two decks of accommodation, installation of the paddlewheels of thePS Hero, and the addition of a diesel engine, the vessel was launched as thePVPride of the Murray in 1976.[6]: 62 In 2022, thePV Pride of the Murray was purchased by Outback Pioneers and relocated toLongreach, Queensland for cruising on theThomson River.[11]
The fourth barge built by Murray River Sawmills, theD26 barge (built 1926) was saved in 1987, when bought by theEchuca Council at the request of itsShepparton owners. While located at Mooroopna (nearby to Shepparton), theD26 had undergone some restoration work to her hull, though funds nor skill were available to complete her restoration. TheD26 was refloated by Kevin Hutchinson inEchuca onAustralia Day, 1990.[5]: 30
Adelaide was one of the fastest paddles steamers on theMurray River.[1] The original engine of the PSAdelaide is a twin-cylinder 30 horsepower nominal steam engine (featuring 14 inch bore and 36 inch stroke), made by Fulton & Shaw (built inMelbourne, Victoria).[5]: 78 The boiler of theAdelaide was replaced twice, the last time in 1936 or 1938. This replacement boiler is a Buchanan & Brock boiler, also built in Melbourne.
36°07′15″S144°44′50″E / 36.120868°S 144.74735°E /-36.120868; 144.74735