port of echuca discovey r centre · b7 outrigger barges, ... system, a communications system, and...

74 Murray Esplanade, Echuca Victoria.T (03) 5481 0500 E [email protected] www.portofechuca.org.au

TeacherssupporT pack

Port of EchucaDIScoVErY cENtrE

FoundaTion To YEar 12

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Something old, Something new...T1 About this Teacher Support Pack 4

PorT oF ECHuCa audio PrESEnTaTionS

A1 Port of Echuca features a choice of 4 audio visuals in conjunction with the Murray Darling Basin Commission 5

GEnEraL inForMaTion

G1 “All aboard .... It’s full steam ahead” 6

G3 Steam power........how does it work? 8

G4 The Murray River 9

G5-6 Echuca Moama, Rich River Country 10

ECHuCa PaddLESTEaMErS and BarGES

B1 P.S. Pevensey 12

B2 P.S. Adelaide 13

B3 P.S. Alexander Arbuthnot 14

B4 D26 Barge 15

B5 Ada Barge 16

B6 Barges and their cargo 17

B7 Outrigger Barges, Insider Barges 18

B8 Boat Building 19

B9 Restoration and life of P.S. Success 20

B10 Words used for parts of a Paddlesteamer 21

THE PorT PrECinCT

P1 The Port Precinct 22

P2 The Customs House 23

P3 The Bond Store 24

P4 The Star Hotel 25

P5 The Bridge Hotel 26

P6 Hotels 27

P7 Cobb and Co. Timeline 28

riVErBoaTS and raiLWaYS

R1 Riverboats and Railways 29

R2 The Echuca Wharf 30

R3 The Port of Echuca, the hub of river transport 31

R4 Echuca Station and the Wharf 32

R5 The Timber Industry 33

R6 Evans Brothers Sawmill, the milling process and the log winch. 34

FurTHEr inForMaTion

F1-2 Learn more about the Murray-Darling Basin and Water 35

F3-4 Activities 38

F5 Resource List 40

F6 Links 41

F7 Acknowledgements 42

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ABOUT THIS TEACHER RESOURCE PACK Welcome to our Teacher Resource Pack, designed to provide teachers with the necessary information required to create a unit of work about Port of Echuca and for student project use.

The Port of Echuca is delighted to offer this pack online to enable teachers and students to download the booklet and support material in the classroom and on student PC’s.

Units of work are based on the Australian Curriculum. We trust that this booklet will have wide appeal for our schools visiting from many other states and countries. Key areas of study are humanities, and societies and environment; however a browse through this booklet will bring to mind its suitability to other subjects as well, such as reading and comprehension pages, and statistics of river floods and droughts to encourage numeracy and comparisons.

We offer students a variety of packages featuring the wharf walk, guided tours and paddlesteamer cruises as well as the Kids Trail activity, new to the Port of Echuca. Our informative one hour guided tours showcases our unique history, featuring the Echuca wharf and historic Sawmill, P.S. Success restoration and the Star Hotel underground bar and secret tunnel.

Echuca Paddlesteamers and Murray River Paddlesteamers offer one hour cruises departing daily from the Echuca Wharf and Riverboat Dock. As Echuca has the largest collection of steam powered paddlesteamers in the Southern hemisphere, it is recommended that students experience steam travel first hand. Combined Discovery Centre Guided tours and paddlesteamer cruises are available for the ultimate experience.

To find out more about the Port of Echuca, please contact our Education Officer on (03) 5481 0500 and be sure to visit the Port of Echuca Discovery Centre website www.portofechuca.org.au

Teachers Support Pack - T1

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PORT OF ECHUCA AUDIO PRESENTATIONS Port of Echuca is proud to provide an audio visual experience that will increase the learning possibilities for students and visitors alike.

audio TiTLE ConTEnT ConTEnT ProVidEd BY

Port of Echuca Audio Visual: [standard audio visual used with all groups when they participate in a guided port tour of Port of Echuca].

Port of Echuca’s audio visual presentation has been revised and enhanced with new images to make this standard audio more entertaining and informative. The audio features:

• Henry Hopwood and James Maiden and how they founded the townships of Echuca/Moama.

• The growth of the Port of Echuca into Australia’s largest inland port in the 1800’s.

Port of Echuca: using archival material and historical facts about Echuca/Moama.

Port Of Echuca Audio Presentations - A1

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“ALL ABOARD.......IT’S FULL STEAM AHEAD.” The Murray Valley region has always been a beautiful, unique and prosperous region. The Yorta Yorta nation knew this and has lived in harmony with the environment for generations. This region provided everything they needed, and the tribe was rich in culture, numbers, and power. They recognised the importance of the river, as a transport system, a communications system, and they were aware of the spirituality of the river. In the early 1830’s when European settlers ventured this far, some of them realised the full potential of the region, especially the area where the river ‘dips’ south and becomes the closest point of the Murray River to Melbourne. One of these entrepreneurs was Henry Hopwood, who saw the potential of the isthmus between the Murray and Campaspe Rivers, and was able to realise that potential by building a township between the two river crossings. Henry worked to establish a town which eventually had a major influence on the development of the great inland river system.

When he died in 1869, he left a thriving town where nothing had existed 16 years earlier. You will learn more about the life of Henry Hopwood when you watch the audio visual. The Victorian Railways saw the potential for opening up the markets of the Riverina and further north, through Echuca, so made the decision, in 1864, to establish a rail link between Bendigo and Echuca, at a time when rail transport had only been used in the colonies for 10 years.

This decision led to the Wharf being built in 1865. It was owned and operated by Victorian Railways and eventually developed into a huge concern turning over 240 paddlesteamers in one year, and handling goods valued at 2,256,435 pounds in 1890. The wharf was extended three times, and steamdriven cranes were added to hasten the job of load handling. You can read about more the wharf on the fact sheet. (Refer Page R2)

For many years Echuca was the main shipbuilding centre for the river transport industry. Some of the boats built in Echuca, such as the Adelaide and Oscar W still operate on the Murray today.

As the ship building industry grew, so did the demand for red gum as a durable timber for wharf piles, railway sleepers, and building materials.

In its hey day, Echuca supported 8 sawmills and several more in the surrounding districts. Photos of the time bear witness to the amount of tree felling which occurred along the banks of the Murray River.

Echuca survived two depressions and two World wars. The railway link, which had been the factor which led to Echuca playing a major role in the economy of three colonies, was also responsible for Echuca’s decline. Pastoralists of the Murray-Darling River Basin soon had access to an extensive rail and road network, which eventually became more economically viable than using the outmoded and sometimes unreliable river transport. Population declined, and the wharf fell into disrepair.


General Information - G1

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The central business district of Echuca moved away from the river and became centred around Hare Street. Other industries moved into town. Victorian Railways continued to do basic maintenance on the wharf. When Melbourne suffered a severe shortage of firewood during World War 2 the wharf was demolished by two thirds of its length to what we see today.

Victorian Railways continued to maintain the wharf until the early 1950’s when the City of Echuca took over that responsibility. The wharf at that time was surrounded by near derelict buildings and was a popular swimming spot for local children. Fortunately the local historical society initiated action to help prevent any further deterioration of the Port precinct and, eventually, in 1971, a Port Restoration Advisory Committee was set up. Using Government grants and borrowed money, the City of Echuca purchased the Bond Store and the Bridge Hotel and re-planked the wharf. In May 1974 the Port of Echuca opened for business, charging 20 cents entry to the wharf and the Bond Store. In 1975 the Bridge Hotel was also included in the Port ticket.

Since then the Port of Echuca has had many other attractions added to its list of attributes. The paddlesteamer Pevensey was bought in 1973 and became the first of the Port’s paddlesteamers to return to her original place of work, this time carrying passengers, instead of bales of wool.

The Pevensey was to eventually star in the mini series, ’All The Rivers Run,’ filmed in the Port precinct during the summer of 1982-1983. The much smaller, but equally strong paddlesteamer Adelaide had been bought in 1960 with funds raised by the Echuca Apex Club and, from 1963, was statically displayed in the Hopwood Gardens. In 1984 she was returned to the Murray where she now carries passengers on cruises and demonstrates her ability to tow barges, when required. The youngster of the Port paddlesteamers the Alexander Arbuthnot, was bought by the Port and returned to the Murray River in 1994.

Here at Port of Echuca we have preserved the atmosphere and the environment of the Port during the 1860s to early 1900s when Echuca was the vital and vibrant centre of the river trade. The original lighting, gutters and wharfs-side artefacts help transport you back in time. You will see horse drawn vehicles and you will hear the call of the paddle steamers on the river. Port of Echuca is a genuine working steam port. You can watch the shipwrights and engineers at work restoring anything from paddlesteamers to huge steam engines.

The atmosphere of the past will make your visit a great learning experience.

QUESTIONS1 What is the name that the local Koori people go

by?

2 In what time period did Europeans come to the region?

3 Who saw the potential of this land and established the town of Echuca?

4 Who owned and operated the wharf in the old days?

5 When did Port of Echuca open as a museum and tourist destination?

6 What is the name of the mini-series made here in Echuca in 1982-1983?

7 Which of the Port’s paddlesteamers was the main star in the series?


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STEAM POWER......HOW DOES IT WORK? Have you ever wondered how steam power works? Just how does the steam we see rising from a kettle or a saucepan provide power to a paddlesteamer, a traction engine, a mill or a locomotive along a railway track?

All steam engines require heat and water to produce the steam which drives the engine. The timber goes into the firebox in the engine to heat the water in the boiler. The boiler is often surrounding the firebox and is usually long and round in shape. The boilers of our traction engines are very easy to identify, so is that of the mill engine and the paddlesteamers.

Once the fire has boiled the water in the boiler, we say the engine is steamed up and ready to go. The steam is sent to the pistons.

Each piston is connected by an arm to the paddle-shaft, in the case of a paddlesteamer. When steam pressure builds up, it passes through a hole in the front of the piston, pushing the piston backwards. This moves the arm back, and turns the paddle-shaft part of a revolution.

When the piston gets to the back, a slide valve operates, closing the hole at the front, opening another at the back. Steam pours in there, pushing the piston forwards again. This goes on over and over, turning the paddle wheels, making the boat move forwards.

The Engineer has to stoke the fire, and control the amount of steam created. A steam gauge is used to help regulate the amount of steam available to turn the paddle wheels.

At the Port of Echuca we have many different steam engines for many different purposes; the basic principles are the same for each engine. Water and heat generates steam power to create forward motion.

QUESTIONS1 Port of Echuca has the largest collection of what in

Australia?

2 What is the person who operates a steam engine called?

3 Can you explain some of the basic principals of steam power?



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THE MURRAY RIVEREchuca is situated on a bend in the Murray River, which is the closest part of the river to Melbourne. The word Echuca means meeting of the waters, in the local Koori language. This was a very appropriate description of what happened in 1870 when the three rivers flooded, wiping out the fledgling town of Moama, and nearly wiping out Echuca. The river peaked at 96.19 metres above sea level. Two tributaries join the Murray near Echuca, the Goulburn, seven miles (9.6 km) east and the Campaspe close to the town itself. This leads to a grand “meeting of the waters” in times of high river.

Once the railway line was put in from Melbourne to Echuca, the wharf at Echuca became a vital link between the Murray-Darling River Basin, and world markets. The Murray River is 2560 kilometres long. Its most lengthy tributary is even longer at 2,720 kilometres. The Murrumbidgee, a tributary of the Lachlan, is 1,568 kilometres long. These three rivers became highways into the outback, providing not only access to world markets, but also a form of communication for outback Pastoralists.

THE riVEr in FLoodEchuca Wharf was built at three different levels, so work would not be interrupted during high river. In the 1870 flood the river was just below the top level of the Wharf, however the river spread out over the countryside for kilometres.

The most memorable floods measured at the Echuca Wharf. a.H.d. (australian Height datum)

1870 96.19 metres

1867 95.34 metres

1916 94.79 metres

1975 94.79 metres

1993 94.77 metres

1956 94.57 metres

1974 94.51 metres

1917 94.50 metres

1889 94.35 metres

1906 94.32 metres

2010 92.60 meters

2011 93.14 meters

The most devastating droughts were in the following years;

1865 – 1866

1877 – 1880

1895 – 1902

1912 – 1914 (Lowest river level on record)

1937 – 1945

1982 – 1983

1994 – 1995

1999 – 2010

When you come to the Wharf make sure you go down to the bottom level and see the flood heights marked there. You can see the A.H.D measurements from the car park to the north of the Wharf. The measurements are easily accessible to the public, as when the river is in flood, many members of the public like to keep track of river rises


SUGGESTED ACTIVITY

1Look at the years when floods occurred. Is there a pattern occurring? Graph the years for droughts in one colour, and the floods in another colour. Is there a connection between the floods, and the droughts?

2What has happened to the river since the worst drought on record occurred in 1914, when the river very nearly dried up between Swan Hill and Mildura?

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ECHUCA MOAMA; RICH RIVER COUNTRY The Murray Valley region has always been a beautiful, unique, and prosperous region. The Yorta Yorta nation knew this, and lived in harmony with their environment for generations. This region provided everything they needed and the tribe was rich in culture, numbers and power. They recognised the importance of the river as a transport system, as a communications system and they were aware of the spirituality of the river. In the early 1830’s when European settlers ventured this far, some of them realised the full potential of the region, especially the area where the river ‘dips’ south and becomes the closest point of the Murray River, to Melbourne.

1838 Arrival of the first overlanders/explorers.

1842 – 1848

Pastoral settlement of sheep runs either side of river, near Echuca – Moama.

1846 Maiden’s Punt, and Maiden’s Inn built in Moama, by James Maiden.

1849 Henry Hopwood, a pardoned convict arrived in the Echuca district.

1853 Henry Hopwood started his first business; a punt crossing.

1864 The railway line was extended to Echuca from Bendigo. This was only 10 years after railways had been introduced into Australia.

1864 Echuca became a borough and the first municipal government in the region.

1865 The Echuca Wharf was built.

1872 The wharf had its busiest year, when 240 paddlesteamers were handled.

1874 Wharf extensions carried out.

1873 – 1876

Wool imports at the Port of Echuca exceeded 2 million pounds.



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1879 More wharf extensions carried out.

1884 More wharf extensions carried out.

1890’s Financial depression caused the decline of red gum industry and steamer trade.

1901 Federation occurred and brought relief from customs duties for all border residents.

1920’s Increased growth after World War One.

1953 Echuca celebrates its centenary.

1960 Purchase of the P.S. Adelaide by the Apex Club and the Historical Society.

1963 P.S. Adelaide became a static display in the Hopwood Gardens.

1965 Echuca had a population of 6900. The former borough became the City of Echuca.

1973 The newly formed Port of Echuca Authority purchased P.S. Pevensey.

1974 The Port of Echuca opens as a tourist attraction. Entry was twenty cents.

1982 -1983

Filming of ‘All The Rivers Run” starring Sigrid Thornton & John Waters saw. The Pevensey temporally renamed The Philadelphia.

1985 P.S. Adelaide refloated as an operational paddlesteamer.

1989 P.S. Alexander Arbuthnot purchased by the Port of Echuca Authority.

1994 The City of Echuca merged with other municipalities to form the Shire of Campaspe.

1996 Tourist Information Centre opened in the old wharf pumping station.

2000 The hull of the P.S. Hero relaunched 126 years after its original launch.

2001 The centenary of Federation celebrated with the Source to The Sea.

2003 Echuca celebrates 150 years since Henry Hopwood settled at the present site of Echuca and 150 years of steam navigation on the Murray River.

2011 P.S. Pevensey celebrates her 100th Birthday.


SUGGESTED ACTIVITY

1

Research an event in Echuca’s history using this Teacher Resource Pack, the library and the suggested websites at the back of this book. Once you have researched your topic, write and illustrate a newspaper article as if myou are living in those times.

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ECHUCA PADDLESTEAMERS AND BARGES

P.S. PEVENSEYdate built: P.S. Pevensey was built as a barge in 1910 and

later turned into a paddlesteamer in 1911.Place: P.S. Pevensey was built at the Moama Slipwayowners: Permewan Wright & Co. Ltd.

Tonnage: 130, P.S. Pevensey can also carry 120 tons of cargo on board.

Length: 111 feet 5 inches (33.42 metres).Beam: 23 feet (6.9 metres).draft: 2 feet empty, 4 feet 6 inches when fully loaded,

this is approximately 0.6 metres when empty and 1.35 metres when fully loaded.

Horse power: 20 h.p.Engine type: The engine was built by Marshall & Sons of

England. It is a 2 cylinder steam engine No 55721.Construction: P.S. Pevensey is built out of iron and timber.

Fuel: P.S. Pevensey runs on 1 ton of red gum wood per hour when it is fully loaded.

Speed: P.S. Pevensey can travel 8 miles per hour, which is around 12 km per hour.

Engine type: The engine was built by Marshall & Sons of England. It is a 2 cylinder steam engine No 55721.

How did it get its name?

P.S. Pevensey is named after a sheep property on the Murrumbidgee River called Pevensey Station.

What job did it do?

In the old days P.S. Pevensey carried 120 tons of cargo. Pevensey collected bales of wool from station properties and brought them to the Echuca wharf. At the Port of Echuca the wool was loaded onto trains and taken to Melbourne for shipping overseas.

How did it do its job?

Beneath the front and back decks there are large spaces called holds, in which the cargo is stored. The cargo can be piled so high that it is up to the wheelhouse. Pevensey can carry 815 bales of wool and a total of 2000 bales when barges are towed along behind. The Pevensey’s barge was called Ada. A tow line (rope) is attached to the front of the barge and then tied to the tow post at the top of the paddlesteamer. This enables the barge to be towed along behind.

What happened to the boat?

When the river trade ended the Pevensey was tied up at Mildura. It came to Echuca to be restored in 1973.

What does it do today?

Today trucks carry cargo, so P.S. Pevensey works as a tourist boat at the Port of Echuca. The Pevensey is able to carry 100 people on each cruise.

What is so special about the Pevensey?

The Pevensey is special because it is an authentic mpaddlesteamer with its original steam engine. Today the Pevensey is known to people all over the world for its role as “Philadelphia” in the Australian television mini-series ‘All the River Run’, made in Echuca in 1982-1983.


Paddlesteamers - B1

FACT SHEET For more

information visit:www.portofechuca.org.au

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P.S. ADELAIDEdate built: The Adelaide was built in 1866.Place: The Adelaide was built in Echuca.owners: J.C. Grassey and Partners, later the boat was

bought by the Murray River Sawmill Company at Echuca.

Tonnage: 58Length: 76 feet (22.8 metres).Beam: 17 feet (5.1 metres).draft: 2 feet 4 inches, which is around 0.7 metres.Horse power: 36 h.p. The Adelaide has two single cylinder 18

horse power engines, one on either side of its large boiler.

Engine type: The engines were built in Australia by Fulton and Shaw.

Construction: The P.S. Adelaide is made out of wood and this makes it the oldest wooden paddlesteamer still operating on any river in the world.

Fuel: Red gum logsSpeed: The P.S. Adelaide is known to be one of the fastest

paddlesteamers on the river. This is because it has powerful engines and large paddlewheels. The Adelaide is capable of travelling at 12 miles per hour, which is about 16 km per hour.


The boat could have been named after Queen Adelaide, however this is still to be confirmed. Adelaide was also a popular ladies name in those days.

What job did it do?

The original owners used the boat to bring wool to Echuca and ladies into town to do their shopping. When the Adelaide was purchased by the Murray River Sawmill Co, it began its long life as a logging steamer.


The Adelaide towed four empty barges upstream to the Barmah forest to collect the red gum logs. The logs that were being transported were tied with chains to logs that stretched across the deck. The cargo then hung down in the water. The Adelaide would then bring the load home to the mill at Echuca.


In 1957 Murray River Sawmills started to use trucks to transport the logs. The Adelaide was sold and went to South Australia. In 1960 the Adelaide came home. It remained in the river until 1963 with dedicated people adjusting the ropes daily as the river rose and fell. This was an important but tiresome task, which prevented the unused boat from tilting hazardously on the bank. Long before Port restoration began the answer to the problem came when it was raised by a series of locks and placed in the Hopwood Gardens. The Adelaide remained in the gardens for 21 years. Restoration finally began there in 1980 and in 1984 the Adelaide was refloated.

The Adelaide was re-commissioned in October 1985 by H.R.H. the Princess of Wales during a Royal visit to celebrate Victoria’s 150th Anniversary.


The Adelaide operates at the Port of Echuca as a passenger boat carrying 49 passengers per trip. On special occasions the Adelaide tows one of its four original barges, the D26.

What is so special about the adelaide?

The Adelaide is special because it is the oldest wooden paddlesteamer still operating on any river in the world. The Adelaide is also 100% Australian made.

Paddlesteamers - B2

FACT SHEET For more


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P.S. ALEXANDER ARBUTHNOTdate built: The Alexander Arbuthnot was built in 1923.Place: Built at Koondrookowners: The Arbuthnot Sawmill at Koondrook owned the

Alexander Arbuthnot.Tonnage: 46Length: 76 (22.8 metres).

Beam: 15 feet 3 inches (4.57 metres).draft: 2 feet 3 inches, or about 0.67 metres.Horse power: 10 h.p.Engine type: The engine was built by Ruston & Hornsby of

England and was once used in an earlier boat called the Glimpse.

Construction: The Alexander Arbuthnot is built out of wood.Fuel: Red gum logs.Speed: 6 miles per hour, this is around 10 km per hour.


The Alexander Arbuthnot is named after the man that founded the Arbuthnot Sawmill at Koondrook.

What job did it do?

The Alexander Arbuthnot was built to work at the sawmill. The boat’s job was to tow barges carrying logs from the nearby forests to the mill.


The Alexander Arbuthnot towed empty barges to the forest to collect logs.

The barges were then towed home to the mill so that the logs could be cut up into lengths of timber.


The Alexander Arbuthnot worked at the mill until the 1940s.

The boat was then sold to charcoal producers at Barmah. The boat eventually sank and it was volunteers from Shepparton that raised it, in 1972, for use at the International Village theme park. In 1989 the Alexander Arbuthnot was bought by the Port of Echuca for further restoration.


Today the Alexander Arbuthnot carries 47 passengers per trip at the Port of Echuca.

What is so special about the alexander arbuthnot?

The boat is special because it is the last paddlesteamer built as a working boat on the Murray River.


Paddlesteamers - B3

FACT SHEET For more


15


D26 BARGEdate built: 1926Place: Echucaowners: Murray River Sawmill Company, Echuca.Tonnage: 58Length: 76 feet (22.8 metres).Beam: 17 feet (5.1 metres).draft: 2 feet 4 inches, which is around 0.7 metres.Horse power: 36 h.p. The Adelaide has two single cylinder 18

horse power engines, one on either side of its large boiler.

Engine type: The engines were built in Australia by Fulton and Shaw.

Construction: The P.S. Adelaide is made out of wood and this makes it the oldest wooden paddlesteamer still operating on any river in the world.

Fuel: Red gum logsSpeed: The P.S. Adelaide is known to be one of the fastest

paddlesteamers on the river. This is because it has powerful engines and large paddlewheels. The Adelaide is capable of travelling at 12 miles per hour, which is about 16 km per hour.


The boat could have been named after Queen Adelaide, however this is still to be confirmed. Adelaide was also a popular ladies name in those days.

What job did it do?

The original owners used the boat to bring wool to Echuca and ladies into town to do their shopping. When the Adelaide was purchased by the Murray River Sawmill Co, it began its long life as a logging steamer.


The Adelaide towed four empty barges upstream to the Barmah forest to collect the red gum logs. The logs that were being transported were tied with chains to logs that stretched across the deck. The cargo then hung down in the water. The Adelaide would then bring the load home to the mill at Echuca.


In 1957 Murray River Sawmills started to use trucks to transport the logs. The Adelaide was sold and went to South Australia. In 1960 the Adelaide came home. It remained in the river until 1963 with dedicated people adjusting the ropes daily as the river rose and fell. This was an important but tiresome task, which prevented the unused boat from tilting hazardously on the bank. Long before Port restoration began the answer to the problem came when it was raised by a series of locks and placed in the Hopwood Gardens. The Adelaide remained in the gardens for 21 years. Restoration finally began there in 1980 and in 1984 the Adelaide was refloated.

The Adelaide was re-commissioned in October 1985 by H.R.H. the Princess of Wales during a Royal visit to celebrate Victoria’s 150th Anniversary.


The Adelaide operates at the Port of Echuca as a passenger boat carrying 49 passengers per trip. On special occasions the Adelaide tows one of its four original barges, the D26.

What is so special about the Pevensey?

The Adelaide is special because it is the oldest wooden paddlesteamer still operating on any river in the world. The Adelaide is also 100% Australian made.

Paddlesteamers - B4

FACT SHEET For more


16


ADA BARGEdate built: The Ada was built in 1899.Place: The Ada was built at Echuca.owners: Permewan & Wright, Murray Shipping Co

(Permewan & Wright reformed in 1919). In later years the Ada worked for the Evans Brothers’ Red Gum Sawmill.

Tonnage: The Ada weighs 75 tons however it can carry a further 350 tons of cargo.

Length: 111 feet 5 inches (33.42 metres).Beam: 23 feet (6.9 metres).draft: 18 inches when empty and 5 feet when loaded.

That is 0.45 metres when empty and 1.5 metres when full.

Horse power: The Ada is a barge and therefore has no engine. It is towed by the paddlesteamer in front.

Engine type: None.Construction: This barge is built out of iron and wood.Fuel: None.Speed: The Ada travelled along the river as fast as the

boat that towed it. The Pevensey could travel at 8 miles an hour, which is about 12 km per hour.


The Ada was named after a lady.

What job did it do?

The Ada is a barge that was used to carry wool from station properties on the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers to the Port of Echuca.


The Ada was connected to the paddlesteamer by a tow line (rope) that went from the front of the barge to the boat’s tow post. The barge was towed empty from Echuca to the farm where the wool was to be collected. Once the Pevensey and the Ada arrived at the farm the wool was ready to be loaded.

The bales of wool were rolled on board from small wharves oroff the riverbank into the barge. The greasy heavy wool was placed at the bottom with the lighter bales at the top. The bales were stacked in several layers with a rope being tied around each layer. The ropes did not go from one side and then up and over the entire load because if the cargo became unbalanced it could roll over causing the barge to sink. A barge in danger of tipping over would only lose a few bales if tied correctly. A tarp protected the load from the weather.


The Ada was sold by the Murray Shipping Co to the Evans Bros. Sawmill in the late 1930s. Sawmills frequently bought the old wool barges and used them to carry logs and cut timber upstream against the current. Two bulkheads were removed to enable the logs, which were long in length, to be placed inside. In later years road transport was used to carry the logs and the Ada, along with other barges Whaler and Impulse, were left up on the riverbank opposite the sawmill. The Ada was purchased by Port of Echuca in 1974 and in 1979 it was refloated out from among the trees.


Today the Ada is on the slipway on the N.S.W. side of the river. It currently needs restoration.

What is so special about the ada?

The Ada is special because, like the Pevensey, it is made out of half iron and half timber. The wood is on the bottom part of the hull and the iron is around the top. When the boat and barge are loaded the weight makes them sit lower in the water. The iron above the waterline stops the leaks, whereas dry timber above the waterline was known to take in water which damaged the cargo.


Paddlesteamers - B5

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BARGES AND THEIR CARGO

Paddlesteamers traded along the Darling and Murrumbidgee rivers as far north as the Queensland border and brought their cargoes of wool along the Murray to the Port of Echuca. Echuca flourished as a trading port and a thriving ship building centre.

The paddlesteamers, which were sometimes referred to as the ‘Clydesdales of the Murray’ often towed barges behind them which doubled the size of the cargo they could bring to Echuca. These barges were attached to the paddlesteamers at the towpost, which was always situated at the centre of gravity of the paddlesteamer. The barges were towed behind the paddlesteamer, a bit like a semi trailer behind a prime mover.

Barges were all locally built from red gum, using the same basic design, however modifications were made according to the load which they carried most frequently. Often a paddlesteamer used the same one or two barges its whole working life.

Sometimes barges were turned into paddlesteamers at the end of their working life.

Some shipping companies built a barge and used it for several years until they had made enough money to turn the barge into a paddlesteamer.

he P.S. Pevensey is an example of this, it was known as Barge Mascot, for the first eighteen months of its life. The C24 also became the new Pride of the Murray in the early 1980’s and still operates on the Murray at Echuca. The Murray River Sawmill Company was responsible for building many barges and paddlesteamers. It had a unique way of naming its barges. Four of them are the A11, B22, C24 and the D26. These were the ones the P.S. Adelaide towed.

To understand their names, the B22 was the second barge built by that company, and it was built in 1922, while the D26 was the fourth barge built in 1926. Both of these barges are here at the Port of Echuca.

Our third barge is called the ‘Ada’, built at Echuca in 1899.

Paddlesteamers - B6

18

OUTRIGGER BARGES The timber industry was vital to Echuca’s development as a busy river port. The red gum logs in the nearby forest proved to be valuable as a ship building material and, at the height of the river trade days, eight sawmills operated in the area, providing numerous shipbuilders with material to build paddlesteamers and barges.

Red gum timber had different properties from any other hard wood timber, in that it would not float, so the sawmillers at the ’top end’ of the Murray River could not log the timber and float it down to where it was needed.

Instead they created outrigger barges, which would safely transport the felled red gum to the sawmills for processing. They could only use them for travelling to a destination downstream.

THiS iS HoW THEY WorkEd:Half a dozen long logs were laid across the boat, from port to starboard. These acted as the outriggers, so it was necessary for them to protrude over each side a long way.

The barge master then had to attach as many logs as possible to each end of the outriggers by chain. Sometimes up to forty logs were carried this way. Once loaded and balanced, the barge was towed by a paddlesteamer to the sawmill.

The D26 worked for many years being towed behind the P.S. Adelaide. You can see both these vessels today, tied up at the wharf at the Port of Echuca.

Make sure you walk out on to the wharf and see the D26, still set up as an outrigger-logging barge. The Adelaide used four barges, the A11, B22, C24 & D26.

INSIDER BARGES The other main commodity transported on the river system was wool. Obviously there was a need for a different style of barge to cart wool bales, which needed to be safe, and dry, on their long journey down the river system. An insider barge was built with “flat bottoms, from which the sides rose vertically, rounding into huge bluff bows and wide sweeping sterns.” (Marshall, p.45.)

In later years boat builders used a combination of metal and timber. The ‘iron siders’ had wooden hulls under the waterline and iron plating above. Iron gave the barges more structural strength, which they definitely needed and prevented leakage, as the loads they carried were enormous. The barge was steered by a bargemaster, who often rode on top of the load, steering from above.

At the Echuca wharf, 20 railway trucks were needed to carry away the wool brought down the Murray by the Pevensey and her two barges.

The Ada barge is a good example of an ’iron sider’ insider barge, and is on display at the Moama Slipway. These barges originally carried wool but in later years they were used to carry logs. Insider barges were sometimes needed to carry logs upstream against the current from the forest to the sawmill at Echuca. Two insider barges which were used for this purpose are the Ada and the Impulse which are on the river bank at the Slipway site.

While you are at the Port, look at the different styles of barges displayed. You will also see interesting photos, in the cargo shed, of barges at work.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITY

1

Choose a boat or barge from the previous pages. Learn about it and its important features such as how big it is, what type of engine, what it was used for, how it did its job and what it does today?

In a group discussion, compare the information looking for similarities and differences.


Paddlesteamers - B7

19

BOAT BUILDINGBoat building was an important industry in Echuca, mainly due to the endless supply of superior timber in the nearby Barmah, Moira and Perricoota forests.

Until 1867 there was no slipway available for boat building so enterprising shipwrights built boats where ever they could access a river bank which had a suitable slope and shape.

An early locally built paddlesteamer was the P.S Kelpie. It was built by James Symington in 1864, on the Moama bank of the Murray, near where the Iron Bridge is today. The Marine Board closely supervised the building of every paddlesteamer, no matter where it was built. The following boats were built in the following years.

1865 Henry Leonard built P.S. Waradgery in Victoria Park.

1865 Smith & Banks built P.S. Beechworth.

1865 Duncan & Bower built the P.S Murrumbidgee.

1866 George Linklater built P.S. Adelaide for Grassie and Officer, pastoralists

1866: Johnson & Davis built the original P.S Pride of the Murray, which was a stern wheel paddlesteamer.

In 1867 Donald & Dutch built the first slipway, which made boat building a much more centralised and organised industry.

By 1895 there were 105 paddlesteamers and 110 barges registered on the Murray network, 54 of the paddlesteamers and 65 of the barges having been built at Echuca or Moama.

Since 1972 the Port of Echuca employed a shipwright and currently has one shipwright and an apprentice working full time on boat building projects. The paddlesteamers restored at the Port are:-

P.S. Pevensey 1975 – 1978

P.S. Adelaide 1980 – 1984

P.S. Enterprise 1987 –1988

P.S. Alexander Arbuthnot 1990 –1993

P.S. Hero 1998 – 2007

Barge Ada. 1980

Barge D26. 1988 – 1990 Before you leave the Port, visit the current boat building project and see our tradesmen at work, just as they did in previous centuries.

QUESTIONS1

Slipways made it easy to lower boats into the water. How were boats built before there were slipways?

2Who built the first slipway in the region?

3What is a shipwright and why does the Port need these people?

4By looking at the statistics above, on average how long does it take to restore a paddlesteamer or barge at the Port?

Paddlesteamers - B8

20

P.S. SUCCESS - RESTORATION AND LIFE WHaT joB did iT do?In the old days the P.S. Success towed barges of sawn red gum, wool and other cargo along the Darling and Murray rivers, as well as running as a passenger boat from Swan Hill to Mildura during 1915-16.

WHaT HaPPEnEd To THE BoaT?The Success ended her working life in 1957 and was put up on the bank at Ned’s Corner Station, 80km west of Mildura. In 1996 the Pollard Family (owners at the time) donated the vessel to the Riverboat Historical and Preservation Society of Mildura, who arranged it to be moved to the Old Mildura Homestead site for restoration. However, additional funds were required to proceed with hull renovations. Becoming increasingly difficult for the volunteers to handle, the group approached the Shire of Campaspe to take ownership of the Success for further restoration.

WHaT doES iT do TodaY?The PS Success hull now rests at the Port of Echuca Discovery Centre. As a full restoration would require a budget in excess of $800,00 and sufficient funds have not been raised, it is planned to utilise the PS Success as a working exhibit to showcase shipwrighting skills. If funds become available in the future, a full restoration is intended.

WHaT iS SPECiaL aBouT THE SuCCESS? The Success was the last paddlesteamer to carry wool along the Darling and Murray rivers in 1956.

Quick Facts1

Size: 82’7” x 16’5” x 6’

2Horse Power: 25 h.p.

3Engine: The original engine was built by McCall & Anderson of Melbourne. At an unknown date a 14 h.p. twin cylinder Ruston Proctor was fitted.

4Composite Hull: inch red gum planks on angle iron frames. Carvel built with counter stern and straight stem.


Paddlesteamers - B9

21

WORDS USED FOR PARTS OF PADDLESTEAMERSTErMS uSEd For BoaTS

Bow The front of the boat.

Stern Back of the boat.

Hull The bottom of the boat where wool is often carried.

Wheel house The wheel house is where the captain stands to steer the boat.

Cabin The cabin is where the crew sleep after a hard days work.

Steam engine A steam engine makes the boat go and burns wood and uses water to do this.

Paddle wheel Two paddle wheels are turned by the engine to move the boat along.

Paddlesteamers - B10

P E V E N S E Y

Hull P E V E N S E Y

l

Tow Post

Wheel house Paddle box

�ag

Paddle wheel

whistle

cabin

steam engine bow stern

Paddle box The paddle wheel can be found inside the paddle box.

There is one on each side of the boat.

Whistle Each paddlesteamer has a loud whistle for the captain to toot to let the other boats know when it is leaving or arriving at the wharf.

Tow post Boats use the tow post to pull barges with wool or logs along behind. Most paddlesteamers towed two barges, sometimes even as many as four.

Flag There is often a flag flown on the paddlesteamers, it is called the Murray River Flag.

22

THE PORT PRECINCT Port of Echuca fell into a state of disrepair after World War Two. The Victorian Railways had responded to a need for firewood in Melbourne in the early 1940’s by demolishing most of the Echuca Wharf, cutting it up and sending it to Melbourne by railway!

The Echuca Historical Society recognised the heritage value of Murray Esplanade, and the City of Echuca applied for grants to buy up the buildings which line the Esplanade. They then embarked on ‘Port of Echuca Restoration Project’ and gradually restored the wharf and nearby historic buildings, thus preserving Echuca’s unique historical assets. You will notice that this also encouraged a restoration of old buildings in High Street.

Murray Esplanade has been restored to look as it did in the 1880’s when the Wharf was at its most productive. There are no overhead electricity wires; the streets are not bitumenised; the gutters are made of wood, and the street is lit with gas, as it was in the 1880’s. Horse troughs line the streets to provide water for the bullock and horse teams which once worked here. Carts and wagons loaded with wool bales are evidence of the bustling active place the Port used to be.

From the 1860’s the town centre was concentrated in the vicinity of the wharf, in High Street, and the northern end of Hare St. The existing buildings reflect the importance of this bustling town in the history of Victoria.

Starting at the southern end of the Port Precinct, at the intersection of Murray Esplanade and Leslie Street, the first building you will notice is the Customs House. It is currently occupied by Murray Esplanade Cellars, but was built by Her Majesty’s Government, in 1884. It was built to a set design by the Victorian Public Works department. (Refer to Page P2)

The next prominent building you will notice on the left-hand side of the esplanade is the Bond Store, currently occupied by Sharp’s Magic Movie House, & Penny Arcade. It was built in 1858 for Morgan & Mackintosh; importers and general merchants, of Melbourne. It was a holding warehouse for bonded goods. (Refer to Page P3)

On the same side of the esplanade, just past the alleyway, you will come across the Star Hotel, which is occupied by The Star; Wine Bar & Café. James Shackell built it in 1863 as a residence. In 1867 Joseph Saloman became the first licensee of The Star Hotel. (Refer to Page P4)

As you walk in a northerly direction you will notice a large imposing building at the end of the streetscape, which is the grandest of all the Port buildings; The Bridge Hotel, built in 1858, by Henry Hopwood. (Refer to Page P5.) The Bridge Hotel currently houses one bar, a restaurant and a café. All these buildings and others in the street have plaques attached to them, which give a brief history of the buildings. Enjoy your stroll through history down Murray Esplanade. Enjoy the sights and sounds. Relax and have a meal, or a coffee, before you embark on the mighty Murray River.

QUESTIONS

1Which group first saw the value in the Port Precinct?

2Can you name any features which make it different to a modern street?

3To what era has the street been restored?


Port Precinct - P1

23

THE CUSTOMS HOUSE In 1851 Victoria became a state. This meant it could have its own parliament, its own laws, and it could collect its own taxes, amongst other things.

Echuca, being situated on the border between two colonies, became a vital link in the collection of customs duties for the Victorian Government, which set aside a ‘Customs Reserve’ marked out as the whole block on which the existing Customs House now stands.The Victorian Government built the Customs House in 1884, and it cost them 825 pounds. The design was a set design used by the Victorian Public Works Department for customs houses along the Murray River, and the South Australian border. The builder was Jonathan Coulson.

There was a simple two roomed wooden customs office built on the Victorian approach to the Iron Bridge, for the collection of Victorian customs duties from travellers using the Iron Bridge.

The Customs House on Murray Esplanade was built to collect Victorian customs duties on goods coming through the wharf. Keep in mind the river, and about one third of the wharf are in N.S.W.

When Federation occurred in 1901, customs duties no longer had to be collected on goods brought over the border, however it wasn’t until 1910, that all border issues were resolved.

The building had been built as an office, and it fulfilled that function for most of its life. The Victorian Railways used it as an office, after 1910, and in 1924, F.J. Lockwood, opened up an accountancy business there.

The Evans family bought it from the Railways, and built a residence at the back of the office for the Lockwood family. Lockwood Accountancy firm left the premises in the 1950’s, but Mrs. Lockwood, continued to live there until 1982. In 1983 the City of Echuca bought the property, and it was used as a Tourist Information Centre, until 1997, when Murray Esplanade Cellars became tenants.

QUESTIONS

1Who built the Customs House and in what year?

2What was the building used for?

3What is it used for today?

4Can you comment on any special features that the building has?

Port Precinct - P2

24

THE BOND STORE This magnificent building was erected by Morgan & Mackintosh, a firm of Melbournebased importers and exporters. They saw the need for a large store to protect goods from the weather, and it was finished in 1859. Remember this was six years before the existing giant wharf was built.

The Bond Store and the Bridge Hotel were the first brick buildings built in Henry Hopwood’s little village on the southern bank of the Murray River. The bricks were made locally, and the building was ‘a hundred feet long and thirty feet to the apex of the roof, it fronted High St, and offered easy access to the river through wide doorways at the back.’ (Priestley, p.49) The design was imposing and decorative, with an unusual round window facing the river. The six-pointed star inside the window appears to have no religious significance. Look out for the words ‘SHACKELL’S BOND’ below this window. It is all that remains of a sign dating back to the 19th century.

Morgan & Mackintosh called it The Hall of Commerce. However by 1860 they had sold out to another importing company, and there followed a succession of owners over the next five years.

Customs duties were introduced in June 1865, and the owner of the Bond Store at that time, James Shackell, built ‘a chamber of offices’ at the wharf end to facilitate the collection of customs duties on goods arriving at Echuca.

He leased the building to a succession of companies, the longest tenant being McCulloch & Co. Forwarding & Shipping agents, who operated out of the Bond Store from 1866 until 1887. In the early 1900’s the building may have been used as a stable for the guests at the Echuca Hotel, across High Street.

By the 1960’s it was used as a workshop by a panel beater, and was in very poor condition when the City of Echuca bought it in 1972 and commenced restoration.

The exterior wall was sand blasted, and 10,000 bricks were used to pave the floor. It was first opened to the public as a tourist attraction in 1974. It housed artifacts and memorabilia of the river trade days in Echuca, which had been collected by the Historical Society. In 1974 the restored wharf and the Bond Store were the only features of the Port of Echuca, and tourists paid twenty cents entry.

QUESTIONS1

Who built the Bond Store and in what year?





Port Precinct - P3

25

THE STAR HOTELJames Shackell was a very prominent citizen in the early days of white settlement of Echuca. He owned the Bond Store. He and his partner Mr. White ran a very successful stock and station agency. James Shackell became clerk of the first Echuca Road Board and between 1883 and 1892 he was Echuca’s member for the Legislative Assembly.

He was also a Justice of the Peace. He built his first house in Echuca on the site of the Star Hotel in 1863 and, in fact, this house could be the existing front room, which has the staircase, which goes down into the underground bar. In 1867, Joseph Salomon bought the house and converted it into a hotel. The advertisement in the Riverine Herald stated ‘to deal with the peculiarities of the Echuca climate, a large underground bar, twelve feet below the surface has been excavated.’ This bar became known as ‘The Shades,’ and you can still visit it today.

There was a succession of licensees over the next twenty years, the last being Jane Pygall, who took over after extensive renovations, which brought the building up to ‘first class order.’

In 1890 when Mrs Pygall bought the building, she changed the name to The Esplanade Hotel. It was described as having ‘three parlours, seven bedrooms, underground ‘The Shades‘, kitchen, bathroom, outhouses, good yard, small stables, and entrance from two streets.’ (Riverine Herald, 30/07/1890.)

In 1897, the State Government decided Echuca had too many hotels. The population was then four thousand, and there were more than sixty hotels in the district licensed to sell alcohol. Every hotel in Echuca had to prepare a case to explain why they should be allowed to stay open. The Star Hotel lost its case, and was de-licensed, along with many other hotels in Echuca. The Star Hotel was in a prime location as a drinking place for all the workers on the wharf.

They took the de-licensing of ‘their’ hotel very badly, and continued to drink illegally in “Shades” the underground bar. It was then that the escape tunnel to the back yard was built; so illegal drinkers could avoid the Police.

It is only recently the Star has had its licence returned, and it operates now as a Wine Bar and Café.

For many years it was a private residence, was used as a boarding house, or an office. The Hipwell family lived there for nearly forty years, and was never aware that the underground bar existed. It wasn’t until the City of Echuca bought the house in 1973, to restore it, that the underground bar was re-discovered.

QUESTIONS1

Who built the Star Hotel and in what year?




Port Precinct - P4

26

THE BRIDGE HOTEL ‘As this is already known to be the best hotel outside of Melbourne, no further comment is necessary.’

These are the words Henry Hopwood used to advertise his new Bridge Hotel, in a newspaper advertisement in 1863, which was only ten years after he arrived at the place first known as ‘Hopwood’s Ferry’.

Henry commissioned the building of his Bridge Hotel in 1857; he ordered 100,000 bricks to be made in one of the local claypits. ‘The design of his new building was quite magnificent. It was to be double storied, of red wine bricks finely tuck pointed in white, with a whitewashed verandah and upper balcony supported on wooden columns along the whole length of the front face.’ (Priestley p.51.)

The Bridge Hotel became licensed in March 1859, and Henry ran the hotel himself, and lived there for the first five years. Henry provided everything for the traveller, no matter who they were. He provided five-star accommodation for the wealthy, or basic accommodation for those just requiring a bed for the night.

There were 42 rooms, 39 of which were available to the public, a two storey wing extended along Murray Esplanade. The hotel got its name from its situation, close to both punt crossings, one on the Murray and one on the Campaspe, both of which Henry owned. The square the hotel looked out on was gazetted as parkland by Henry in the first town plan set out in 1854.

The Bridge Hotel survived the Local Options Hearings of 1897 when many hotels in Echuca were de-licensed. One reason was its position, just across the road from the Police station, (now the Historical Society Museum), and the other was the good service provided by the owners of the period.

The Bridge Hotel was de-licensed in 1916, and operated as a boarding house for many years, and eventually became a private residence, however due to its size, more than one family at a time could comfortably live there.

In 1937 the Evans family bought the Bridge Hotel, and used it as a residence, and an office, due to its close proximity to their sawmill across the road. The City of Echuca bought the Bridge Hotel from the Evans family in 1972. The building was fully restored, and opened to the public as a tourist attraction in 1975. Since then it has variously been used as a booking office, museum, restaurant, café and wine bar.

QUESTIONS1

Who built the Bridge Hotel and in what year?





Port Precinct - P5

27

HOTELS‘In the expansive days of the river trade, Echuca had all the virtues and vices of a busy seaport. Its sixty odd hotels catered for a cosmopolitan population. Rivermen from all over the river network were good customers, to be sure; so too were selectors, sleeper-cutters, timbermen, bullockies, shipwrights, squatters, customs men, shipping agents, brewery workers, coach drivers, fell-mongers, stevedores, flourmillers, and foundrymen.’ (Morris p. 75.)

These workers worked hard and played hard, and during the 1880’s and 1890’s there were over sixty hotels in the licensing district to choose from. All the reputable hotels provided paid entertainers, and staged quite elaborate floorshows to attract the most customers. Noah’s Ark, a large hotel in Hare Street, which had a back bar onto Nish Street, had a bowling alley, and provided competitions and organised tournaments. Here are some of the hotels in business before the Local Option Hearings, held in 1897, when hotels had to submit a case to say why they should stay open, as the leading citizens decided there were just too many hotels in Echuca.

After the Local Option Hearings of 1897, many of these hotels were closed down, however some of them are still operative today, and are highlighted in the list below.

Murray Esplanade

• The Star• The Bridge• The Steam Packet• The Criterion• The Murray• The Belvedere• The Full & Plenty• The Oddfellows• The American

Warren Street

• The Wheatsheaf• The Saleyards (now the Cock & Bull)*

High Street

• The Shamrock• The Rainbow• The Echuca• The Duke of Edinburgh• The Town Hall• The Commercial (now Nik`s Tavern)*

Echuca East

• The Pastoral• Cricketers’ Arms• The Horse & Jockey• The Riverine• Tara’s Hall

Hare Street

• The Palace (now the Dock)• The Council Chambers• The Union Club• The Exchange (now the Harvest)• Post Office Hotel• The Victoria• The Cumberland• The Daylesford• Noah’s Ark• The Caledonian

anstruther Street

• The Bacchus Marsh• The Golden Fleece• Murray Bridge

Pakenham Street

• The Niagara• The Crown• The All Nations

nish Street

• Back bar of Noah’s Ark

annesley Street

• Back bar of Noah’s Ark• The Rodney• The Terminus• Carrier’s Arms• Freemasons

Port Precinct - P6

28

COBB & CO. TIMELINE Horse drawn vehicles were an important part of pioneering Australia and Australian life. One of he most famous names in Australian folk lore is Cobb & Co.

1853 Cobb & Co established in Melbourne by Americans Freeman Cobb, John Murray Peck, John Lamber & James Swanton.

1854 The first Cobb & Coach delivered passengers, mail & luggage to the Victorian goldfields on 30th of January.

1861 Cobb & Co sold to James Rutherford & associates.

1862 Routes were opened into NSW to meet transport needs to the goldfields. The headquarters was moved from Victoria to Bathurst in NSW. On the 26th of June 8 coaches pulled by 52 horses, two feed wagons & additional horses arrived in Bathurst. The factory employed 40 men.

1865 Cobb & Co expanded into Queensland.

1868 Cobb & Co lines from Bathurst were servicing Sydney, Orange, Forbes, Grenfell & Sofala.

1870 Cobb & Co harnessed 6,000 of their 30,000 horses each day. Their coaches were traveling over 45,000kms each week, making them one of the largest coach companies in the world.

1876 The railway reached Bathurst. As the rail expanded Cobb & Co served as a feeder service to the rail heads, delivering passengers & mail to be transported by the railways.

1882 The Bathurst factory introduced the 8 hour working day.

1888 Cobb & Co operations ceased in Bendigo, Victoria.

1893 Bathurst coachworks relocated to Charleville, Queensland.

1897 The last coaches ran in NSW.

1911 James Rutherford died in Queensland. Prior to his death he had ordered 3 motor vehicles which began to replace the coaches.

1920 The Charleville factory closed.

1924 Last Cobb & Co coach ran from Yuleba to Surat.

1929 The Cobb & Co partnership was dissolved.

1947 The State Highway No 21 was named the Cobb Highway. It runs from Moama through Deniliquin, Hay, Booligal, Ivanhoe to Wilcannia.

Today horses and carriages are again part of life in the historic Port of Echuca precinct. Billabong Carriages operate daily carriage rides and they are available for schools & other groups to utilize during their Port visit.

Billabong Carriages currently have four carriages in operation including two wedding carriages. Different types of carriages that you are likely to see are;

The Cobb & Co Stagecoach - This is a replica of the coaches used by Freeman Cobb & Co in the mid 1800’s. The Cobb & Co coaches were to become the most efficient & reliable mode of transport service of that time.

The Surrey - A smaller carriage used by well to do families and aristocracy as a vehicle to travel in & around town and may be drawn by one or two horses.

All Billabong Carriages are installed with hydraulic disc brakes to ensure customer safety. Billabong Carriages brings another interactive service to compliment the Port of Echuca in an educational step back in time. To make a carriage ride a part of your schools excursion contact Port of Echuca Education Officer on 03 5482 4248. For further information on Billabong Carriages see www.billabongranch.com.au


Port Precinct - P7

29

RIVERBOATS AND RAILWAYSThe river trade opened up the Murray-Darling River Basin, creating Australia’s busiest inland port at Echuca. Some Melbourne entrepreneurs saw the need to link the river with the city, to allow goods from the Riverina to reach city markets, and in 1852 the Melbourne - Mt. Alexander (Castlemaine) & Murray River Railway Company was formed. The idea of a rail link to the city excited the small population at Echuca, who saw the potential for their town. The Melbourne - Mt.Alexander & Murray River Rail Company however went broke before they laid a sleeper. The Victorian Government who saw the potential of opening up the Riverina markets took up the idea.

The first railway line to the Murray was finally completed on the 17th September 1864, at Echuca. ‘When the Echuca line was finished in 1864, it was only ten years since the first rails had been laid in Victoria, so that there was still novelty in the sight of a steam train.’ (Priestley, p 65)

The rail link combined with the riverboats to make Echuca of first class importance, and for nine years there was no challenge to Echuca’s supremacy on the Murray. Optimism built up by land sales, and the railway gave the town a spectacular thrust forward. By the end of 1864, Echuca’s population had trebled to nearly one thousand.’ (Priestley p 66)

At the beginning of 1865, an imposing railway station of brick with corner stones and window sills of Terrick’s granite was rising on the towns’ southern horizon.’ (Priestley p. 67) The railway line ran on to the banks of the Murray River, where goods were off loaded at small landing platforms erected by individual forwarding agents. The Victorian Railways finally started work on a government wharf, in the middle of 1864. It would be extended five times and eventually it would be 332 metres long. (Refer to Page R2.) It would be the focus of the river trade of the Darling Murray River Basin, and it would make a major contribution to the economy of the colony of Victoria.

QUESTIONS1

What year did the railway come to Echuca?

2What happened to the population after it arrived?

Riverboats & Railways - R1

30

THE ECHUCA WHARF In 1864 the Victorian Railways decided to build a railway line to Echuca by the Murray River so the trains would connect with the Murray-Darling river system.

• The wharf was started in 1865, and was built of local red gum timber milled from local trees.

• 1872 was the busiest year, with 240 paddlesteamers being cleared from the wharf in that year.

• By 1879 the wharf had to be extended and sheds and cranes were added.

• When final extensions were completed in 1884 the river trade had started to diminish. The final stage extended the wharf to 332 metres long, with 2 cargo sheds for holding goods, and 5 two ton steam operated cranes, and one 10 ton steam operated crane, operated by a hydraulic pump station, now the Tourist Information Centre. When the depression of the 1890’s started Echuca was hit hard. Banks and shipping companies based here crashed. The river trade days were over, the population of Echuca declined, and the wharf fell into disrepair.

• During World War Two, in response to a firewood shortage in Melbourne, Victorian Railways started to demolish the wharf to its existing length of 75.5 metres, less than one quarter of its original length.

• In 1952 the City of Echuca took over the responsibility of maintaining the wharf.

• By 1971 Council had acquired 2 government grants and had a committee in place to manage the restoration of the Port Precinct. The aim of this body, now the Port Authority, is to undertake development compatible with maintaining the historical integrity of the precinct. Visitor appreciation is such that the area is now recognised as one of Victoria’s most significant tourist attractions.

QuESTionS

How long was the wharf in the old days?

How long is it today?

Why is it shorter today?



31

PORT OF ECHUCA:THE HUB OF RIVER TRANSPORTThe railway line built directly from Melbourne to Echuca opened up the ‘Riverina’ area to world markets. It made rural N.S.W., Queensland and central Victoria less remote. This encouraged squatters to move into these regions and take up a selection of land. Echuca developed as the centre to service outback properties, as well as to deliver the farmers’ exports to world markets. Below are some figures, which show the fluctuations of the activity at the Port of Echuca, once Australia’s busiest and largest inland river port.

YEar iMPorTS in PoundS EXPorTS in PoundS no. oF BoaTS CLEarEd

1872 1,495,610 101,640 240

1873 2,086,121 27,072 195

1880 2,502,750 231,574 145

1881 2,278,248 236,166

1885 1,350,044 349,212

1889 2,340,363 172,293

1890 2,256,435 164,675 74

Reference: Priestley, Susan Echuca: A Centenary History. Page 124. Jacaranda Press 1965.

When you visit Port, look at the sign on the exterior wall of the Cargo Shed, near the south door.

On this board you will see that 1872 was the busiest year.

QUESTIONS

1Can you suggest a reason why imports in the year of 1873 had more value than the previous year?

2In 1883, the final extensions were finished to what length?

3Explain why loading platforms were provided at different heights?


32

ECHUCA STATION AND THE WHARF Once the line was completed to the Murray, ‘in the following years passengers averaged ten thousand trips every twelve months to and from Echuca. Total receipts on the Murray line went up by 50,000 pounds, once the Echuca extension had been completed’. (Priestley p.64.) Echuca was lucky to have two stations, one in Sturt Street, and a terminus at the wharf. The town’s prosperity and future development was focused on these two rail areas.

The wharf was a busy bustling work place. Both the wharf and the railway station were owned and operated by Victorian Railways. Steamers would telegraph, the Wharf master, who was in charge of all wharf transactions, with the approximate time of their arrival at the wharf. The wharf master had to organise workmen to unload the steamers and their barges, and have the goods on the train and off to Melbourne as soon as possible.

Railway management was a complex job. Goods from one boat were frequently spread among twenty railway trucks, consequently there were five railway lines operating out of the Echuca wharf.

Although early steamers mainly carried wool they also took a few passengers. The public had access to the edge of the wharf and boats by way of an overhead footbridge, similar to the one you see here today. It allowed people to leave Murray Esplanade and walk over the top of the five railway lines to reach the steamers.

All arrivals and departures were at the whim of the level of the river. The wharf master’s job was to coordinate all wharf activities safely and to the satisfaction of the forwarding agents who used the wharf to transport their goods. It was a very responsible job. The wharf master lived in a house in Leslie Street, next to the customs house. He was never off duty.

QUESTIONS

1How many passenger tickets were sold to travel on the Melbourne/Echuca line each year?

2What did the wharf master do?

3What was a main item that the boats and trains carried?



33

THE TIMBER INDUSTRYFifty kilometres upstream of Echuca is the world’s largest red gum forest. One hundred and fifty years ago it was relatively untouched, however many white settlers saw the huge potential for the use of red gum timber for ship building, railway sleepers and building generally. Unaware that forestry was an unsustainable industry, they set about exploiting these resources.

The properties of red gum timber are unusual. It is a dense hardwood, which burns slowly and reaches a very high temperature. It swells when wet and creates a water-tight hull. It does not rot if kept continually moist, so is ideal for the construction of wharves, piers, and boat hulls, mine timbers, road paving.

In the Echuca district, many entrepreneurs saw the strong connection between the red gum forests nearby and the rail line to the Murray, and foresaw the development of Port of Echuca as the largest inland Port in Australia.

By 1875 there were seven busy saw mills operating in the district which employed 400 men, and cut 400,000 super feet of timber each week.’ (Coulson, p.83) Some of these companies were:

• Amos & Macintosh • McCulloch & Co

• Blair & McGrouther • Edward Whitely

• Henry Luth • Evans Brothers Red Gum SawmillJacaranda Press 1965.

The logs were felled in the forest and dragged to the riverbank by horse teams or bullock teams or on a log buggy, similar to the one in Murray Esplanade. Once there they were loaded onto barges or paddlsteamers and taken by paddlesteamer to the sawmill, where the timber was processed, then sent by train or paddlesteamer to where it was needed. Port Melbourne and Geelong piers were built out of red gum timber from James Macintosh’s mill in Echuca East.

Victorian railways continued to be one of the biggest buyers of red gum timber, right up to the 1930’s. They needed red gum for sleepers, bridges, wharves, piers, and buildings.

Today there are no sawmills operating in Echuca the last was Murray River Sawmills, which originally operated as Blair, McGrouther & McCulloch. However the Evans Brothers Sawmill, situated at the end of the wharf, operated up until 1980. The mill later became a tourist attraction called the Red Gum Works, continuing to cut timber until it was taken over by the Port of Echuca as a display.

QUESTIONS1

Can you name the sawmill site that is located within the Port of Echuca precinct?

2What are the characteristics that make red gum unique?

3 What were the uses for this timber?

4 Generally how many people were employed in the timber industry in the region?

5 Name the mill that still operates in Echuca today?


34

EVANS BROTHERS REDGUM SAWMILL Richard James Evans, originally of England, established a Sawmill at Barman in the 1890’s. In 1923 he relocated the mill to the north end of the Echuca Wharf and it was called the Evans Bros. Echuca Red Gum Sawmill.

This new site proved more economical due to its position at the railhead and being centrally located in the heart of Echuca. The paddlesteamers Melbourne (built 1912) and Edwards (built 1875) operated at the mill. Logs were brought from the surrounding forests using the outrigger barges, Impulse (built 1885), Alison (built 1907), Clyde (once a paddle steamer, built in 1884) and insider barges J.L.Roberts (1894), ADA (1899) and Whaler (wooden construction).

On average 1.3 million super feet of red gum went through the mill each year. Of this amount 48-50 per cent was successfully recovered saleable material. The Victorian Railways purchased 75 per cent of the red gum for railway sleepers and the remaining timber went to local timber yards, for private sale and firewood. The mill also cut Murray pine, a light wood ideal for house frames and floor boards.

On February 22, 1959, the mill caught fire and was destroyed. The Evans family decided to rebuild, and after a lot of hard work and dedication from all concerned, the mill was running again. From that time onwards, it was powered by electricity.

In its heyday the Evans Bros. Mill was very much a family concern with it being owned and managed by three generations of the Evans family. The mill employed 18 workers and operated until the1980s.

Only briefly was it in the hands of other owners before the construction on part of the site of a tourist-oriented building known as the Red Gum Works. The area is now part of Port of Echuca.

THE MiLLinG ProCESS and THELoG WinCHIn order to bring the logs from the barges up to the mill a winch and log skid was used. The log skid was comprised of a series of logs that lean up against the riverbank, on which the logs are pulled up using cables from a steam winch. Once the logs

were winched up to the mill they were placed on trolleys and secured to the Vertical Breaking Down Saw. In a series of forward and backwards motions the first cuts were made. The heart and edges were removed and as much timber as possible was recovered. At the number one Saw Bench the timber was cut to the correct sizes, while another bench cut the wood that was of lesser quality. The Docking Saw cut it to length ready for sale.

The log skid can still be seen along the river bank to this day and a new project to reinstate the original steam log winch is currently underway.



35

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MURRAY-DARLINGBASIN & WATER- our MoST PrECiouS rESourCE

SoME iMPorTanT FaCTS aBouT THE MurraY-darLinG BaSin • The Murray River is part of the Murray-Darling Basin.

• The basin includes the three longest rivers in Australia; the Murray River, the Darling River and the Murrumbidgee River.

• The Murray-Darling Basin covers an area of 1, 0610, 469 square kilometres and stretches through five states of Australia: QLD, NSW, ACT, Victoria and South Australia.

• The Murray-Darling Basin contains around 30,000 wetlands which are important breeding grounds for 35 different fish species.

• At least 35 endangered species of birds and sixteen endangered species of mammals call the Murray Darling Basin home.

• The Murray-Darling Basin is vital to Australia’s agriculture as it provides 75% of all water used to irrigate crops grown in Australia, and 41% of our country’s commercially grown crops are within the basin itself.

• The Murray-Darling basin provides the drinking water for over three million people, with more than a third of these live outside the basin region.

• The region plays a vital role in Australia’s tourism and recreation. There are many challenges involved in caring for the Murray-Darling basin.

WHaT arE THE CHaLLEnGES?Unfortunately the Murray-Darling basin faces some difficult challenges. The waters within the Basin are being spoiled; some native fish struggle to survive, wetlands are drying up and increased salt levels in the water makes it difficult for plants to grow. Challenges facing the Murray-Darling Basin are: the need to improve the quality of the water, finding ways of sharing the water for the long term, keeping the river system healthy and management of the land to provide continued economic growth while taking care of the environment.

WaTEr - our MoST PrECiouS rESourCEWater is our most precious resource and never have Australian’s been as aware of this fact as they are currently. Drought has ravaged Australia impacting upon the lively hoods of rural Australian’s and affecting the water catchments that supply our major cities water supplies. Water restrictions have become part of daily life in most parts of Australia. The Murray River begins in the Snowy Mountains and relies on thawing snow and rainfall to create its flow. Due to the unpredictability of rainfall in Australia, the river is regulated to meet the needs of the population.

WaTEr uSEWater form the Murray and our other great rivers is used for agricultural purposes including: dairy, wool, meat production, growth of cereals, grains, cotton, wheat, citrus and stone fruits, viticulture and vegetables for the domestic and overseas markets, tourism industry and domestic water supply needs.

WaTEr QuaLiTYWater quality is affected by turbulence of the rivers flow, rain and run off and by one of the biggest and most talked about factors in the Murray Darling Basin - salinity. It is a naturally saline environment as salt comes from the weathering of rocks, from ground waters that add to the rivers. However the problem of salinity has increased as a result of human activities. Regulation of the Murray River has inevitably slowed it flow water this being a contributing factor in increasing salinity. As agriculture is the livelihood of many Australians and is a vital part of our economy; the challenge is to manage the land to provide continued economic growth while taking care of the environment.

Further Information - F1

36

WETLandS and EnVironMEnTA wetlands can be described as an area that is permanently or temporarily covered by fresh, brackish or saline water and are known as; lakes, swamps, bogs, lagoons, creeks, marshes, and billabongs, a word that has become part of Australian folklore. Wetlands can vary greatly from one another in terms of size, depth of water, still or flowing water, proximity to rivers, water quality, and vegetation. There are many types of wetlands, both natural and artificial. The Murray- Darling Basin has as many as 30,000 wetlands which are important breeding grounds for 35 different fish species located and at least 35 endangered species of birds and sixteen endangered species of mammals.

For all the information you will need for your project on the Murray Darling Basin; visit the official website of the Murray Darling Basin Authority www.mdba.gov.au.



37Further Information - F2

38

STUDENT ACTIVITY 1 WHo WaS aLEXandEr arBuTHnoT? • Where did he live?

• What did he do for a living?

• Who was his sister, and how is she remembered.

• What work was the A.A. designed to do?

• How many people can the A.A. carry?

• What horsepower does the engine of the A.A. have?

• Why were horses used to describe the power of an engine?

• What word is currently used to describe the power of an engine?

The Alexander Arbuthnot works out of Port of Echuca, but the boat hasn’t always worked here. The A.A. has worked a variety of jobs, but with the decline of the river trade it became idle and sunk. Restoration began in 1989 by our Port shipwrights. Today the A.A. can do five passenger cruises a day, 7 days a week. Capable of carrying a maximum of 47 passengers, it has a draught of 0.67 metres, which means the boat only needs 67 centimeters of water in the river to be able to navigate. The Alexander Arbuthnot is 22.8 metres long and 4.5 metres wide. The A.A. is made entirely of red gum and has a 10 horse power steam engine.

THE STorY oF aLEXandEr arBuTHnoTThe Arbuthnot family built the Alexander Arbuthnot in 1923, in Koondrook. The family operated a Sawmill there, so the A.A. was built as a logging boat and named after the sawmill owner. Her 10 H.P. engine allowed her to tow a fully laden barge, and sometimes it would have been the barge Allison (Arbuthnot). When the saw milling industry down sized, she worked for charcoal burners in the Barmah Forest. Unfortunately she became neglected, and lay derelict for many years, until the Rotary Club of Shepparton restored her in 1972 to use in the International Village they were creating. In 1989 they sold the A.A. to the City of Echuca.

LiFE on Board THE a.a.The crew of the A.A all has certain jobs to do. It usually takes 3 or 4 people to get the paddle steamer moving. The Captain steers the boat, and is in charge, and tells the rest of the crew what to do. The Engineer stokes the boiler, and makes sure there is enough steam and that the engine is in good working order. The Deckhand is in charge of the deck, which includes all ropes, ladders and poles which are kept on the deck. They are responsible for making sure everything works safely.

HOW OBSERVANT ARE YOU?

1 Can you name 2 boats we pass on the cruise?

2 Can you name 2 other paddle steamers we pass on the river?

3 How many different species of birds can you see?

4 How many different styles of boats can you see?



39

STUDENT ACTIVITY 2 HorSinG around aT PorT oF ECHuCaWhile visiting the Port of Echuca precinct and enjoying your carriage ride can you find the answers to the following questions.

B T S r u H T a B P o T S

u H d u d M i o L H r T B

S L r T r n G S a a E S E

H i o a B G u r C P G E S

r a F T E E n o k C a r T

a M r d S E n a S E G S E

n L E E S E o d M T G T L

G a H S G E M S i a u a B

E Y T r H n H a T G L T a

r o u a C o a C H E o i i

S r r E V i r d a T o o L

i S r E G n E S S a P n E

H C G o L d F i E L d S r

QUESTIONS1

Ask the driver on your trip to point out the old Cobb & Co changing station. What does it now house?

2 On a harness horse the bridle has a different name. What is it called?

3

Listen to the horse’s hoof beats. Ask the driver what beat the walk & the trot have.

Can you hear it?

The walk..........................................

The trot..............................................

aches

Bathurst

Bendigo

best

blacksmith

bogged

bushrangers

cart

coach

danger

driver

gate

farm

goldfields

hames

harness

harsh

horse

late

luggage

passengers

reliable

rest

royalmail

roads

rut

Rutherford

sound

station

step

stop

tool

track


40

RESOURCE LIST The books which have an asterisk are for sale at the Port of Echuca Gift Shop, and can be bought by emailing us on port@ portofechuca.org. Some of the other titles may be out of print, but are available at the Echuca Library.

Echuca-Moama; on The Murray * Helen Coulson - Hyland House, Melbourne , 1995.

Echuca-Moama; Murray river neighbours Helen Coulson - Sunnyland Press, Red Cliffs, 1979.

Paddlesteamer adelaide * Helen Coulson - McCabe Prints, Wangaratta, 1985

Murray darling Paddleboats* Peter Plowman – Rosenburg Publishing 2005 ISBN 9781877058370

The Wheels Still Turn; a History of australian Paddleboats Peter Plowman - Kangaroo Press, Sydney, 1992

australian riverboats, a Pictorial History * Peter Christopher - Axiom Publishing 2006

Paddlesteamers & riverboats of the river Murray * Peter Christopher - Axiom Publishing 2000.

Ships of the inland rivers* Ronald Parsons - Gould Books, Gumeracha 1996

recollections of Squatting in Victoria Edward M Curr - Rich River Printings, Echuca 2001.

Barmah Chronicles G.M Hibbins - Lynedoch Publications. Richmond, 1991

Paddleboats of the Murray-darling river System Brian Marshall - Mercury Publishing Company, Burwood, 1988

riverboats Ian Mudie - Sun Books, Melbourne 1961.

a different river Gwen Painter - Hyland House, Melbourne, 1993

The river Trade; Wool & Steamers Gwen Painter -Turton & Armstrong Publishers. Wahroonga 1987

river Boat days, on the Murray, darling, Murrumbidgee Peter. J Phillips - Lansdowne Press, Melbourne, 1972.

redgum & Paddlewheels, australia’s inland river Trade Peter. J. Phillips - Greenhouse Publications, Collingwood, 1980.

The Murray river Amanda Button & Bill Bachman Australian Geographic. 2000

Echuca: a Centenary History Susan Priestley - The Jacaranda Press, Brisbane, 1965.

The Murray, a river & its People Paul Sinclair - Melbourne University Press, 2001

The Murray river’s Paddlesteamers & Bullockies Frank Tucker - A.E.Press, Melbourne, 1985.

Squatters Merchants & Country Gentlemen Geoff Waters - Riverine Herald, Echuca. 1992.

Echuca Moama Sketchbook * David Williams - Echuca Offset Printers, 1991.

river Murray Charts * Maureen Wright - B.J & M.A. Wright, Burra, 1997.

dVdall The rivers run 1 Crawford Productions 1984.

all The rivers run 2 Crawford Productions. 1987.

‘a Grand old Lady’ * Vic. T.V. 1991

riverboats remembered dVd National Sound and Archive Library 1995



41

LINKSIf you would like to do further research about Echuca and the Murray River you will find information on the following web sites;

1. www.portofechuca.org.au

This is Port of Echuca’s official web site. It will tell you about what is happening at Port of Echuca, and bookings can be made for cruises and guided tours. Contact us today.

2. www.mdba.gov.au

This is the website for the Murray Darling Basin Authority.

3. www.echucamoama.com

This is Echuca Moama Tourism’s site.

4. www.visitvictoria.com.au

This is Vic. Tourism’s official site; you need to do a search for Echuca.

5 www.murray-river.net/homepage.htm

This is a very comprehensive site which covers the history and geography of the Murray River. It is based in South Australia.

6. www.slv.vic.gov.au

This is the official site of the State Library of Victoria. If you go to the Pictures Catalogue, and do a search for Echuca you will find 346 pictures of Echuca, which you can download.

7. www.pictureaustralia

If you do a search on this site you will find 515 pictures of Echuca, which you can also download.

8. www.howstuffworks.com/

This site gives a good explanation of how steam engines work. You need to do a search first.

9. www.peterplowmanbooks.com

This is author Peter Ploughman’s own website featuring the many books that he has written. Books can be purchased online including latest paddlesteamer book ‘Murray Darling Paddleboats’.

10. www.heritage.vic.gov.au

This site has photos of all the Heritage sites in Victoria, which includes many buildings in Echuca.


42

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many thanks to the following people and their organisations, who helped with information, finance, support and encouragement:

• Margert McMullen - Author and researcher of this original document.

• Tracey Burton, Echuca Collage

• Rob Hogan, Echuca 208 Primary School

• The staff of Port of Echuca.

• Shire of Campaspe.

• Sandra Volk, Murray Darling Basin Commission.

• Helen Coulson, Port of Echuca Authority member.

• Kezia Ross, Education Officer at the Kyabram Fauna Park.

• Mark Brown, TRIP Co-ordinator, VECCI.

• Judy Greer, Assistant Principal of Kyabram Secondary College.

• David Holmes, S.O.S.E teacher, Echuca Secondary College.

• Echuca Historical Society.



43

NOTES


4474 Murray Esplanade, Echuca Victoria.T (03) 5481 0500 E [email protected] www.portofechuca.org.au


Port of EchucaDIScoVErY cENtrE

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