Hi List, I have just been updating the Paddle Steamers page on the AUS-NSW-WEST website. Lori has sent me a humungous heap of boats, and they are so fascinating I just had to post a couple here that she sent. The rest can be seen by going to http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~surreal/NSWW/ and from there to Paddle Steamers. Thanks Lori Linda Barraclough Briagolong, Victoria, Australia e-mail [email protected] Listowner AUS-NSW-WEST http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~surreal/NSWW/ ========================================= The paddle steamers could only run about 8 months of the year - the Darling depended on the unpredictable rainfall in Queensland. Consequently the Darling was either in flood or drought. Barges on the Darling were towed by a short line of about 50 feet long because of the many bends in the river. JANE ELIZA - had the longest trip ever recorded when she took 3 years to go from Goolwa to Bourke during a drought. At Bourke the floodwaters came and it took only two weeks for her to return to Goolwa towing 3 barges of wool. THE TARELLA - built specifically for the Darling trade 1897, a passenger steamer capacity 20 passengers. She was lit by electricity which was making great changes along the Darling and other rivers. Imagine the sight of an electricly lit steamer who's light could be seen for miles, as opposed to the oil lamp, as the steamers made their way up river. Due to the strength of the Darling flow, steamers were only allowed to go up river at night time - not down river. Some skippers would disobey the rules, of course. In 1918 The Tarella, with her deckhouses changed from her passenger carrying days, now carried wool and wheat from the Darling, M/bidgee & Murray to Goolwa SA. THE ARIEL - steamed up the Darling in a flood in 1870 - water went down and she was left high and dry - miles away from the actual river. One steamer was found some 60 miles away from the river when flood waters receded. The Ariel was later rebuilt as the Kelvin. STURT - Sank at Brewarrina Rapids with a travelling theatrical company on board - no casualties. THE WAVE - skipper Lloyd Surry boasted he would carry anything. He had a travelling circus on board going from Brewarrina to Bourke when the Wave sank . Imagine all the animals ( lions tigers elephants etc ) swimming in the Darling! THE VEGA - barge Vega was towed by the Invincible for much of her career. In 1956 she was towed by the Success up the Darling to flood bound Para Station to pick up a cargo of wool. Value of wool 75k pounds! All went well until they got back to the Murray before Mildura. The engine of Success broke down and the flood current took Success, Vega and cargo (320 tons) down stream out of control. The Vega crashed into a flooded tree and tore it out of the ground. Both vessels smashed into other trees until eventually were held fast by still more trees. The engine was repaired and they again set off for Mildura. Only 3 bales of wool were damaged! THE WANNERA - began her life as a barge in 1900 at Echuca and named TP for Thomas Permewan of Permewan Wright & Co - the largest ship owner on the rivers. In 1911 she was converted to a steamer. She was one of the last boats to go up the Darling to Wilcannia. BUMBOATS - many people had small hand driven side-wheelers known as 'bumboats' - the occupants turned the paddle wheel by a crankshaft. These little craft were used on the rivers by fishermen, shearers, hawkers, tinkers, travelling photographers and others. These were the fore-runners of the modern houseboats which can be hired by holiday makers along the rivers today. PS RODNEY - carried non union shearers during the shearers strike 1894. Unionists set fire to her at Moonara Station on the Darling. The Pride of the Murray and the Trafalgar also carried non-union shearers. The Pride of the Murray brought the prisoners from Wentworth Jail to Albury - 850 miles. JHP - launched 1866 sank between Hay and Balranald Oct 1868. Raised and sank twice more. Dismantled in 1879. Other steamers on the Darling and M/bidgee ( & the Murray): Pevensey, Invincible, Tolarno, Canally, Gemini, Wandering Jew, Jandra, Hero, Mannum, Ruby, Marion, Kookaburra, Pyap, Maggie, Corrong with the barge Pelican, Enterprise (both mostly M/bidgee ). Moira, Fairy.