SAGAS OF THE EARLY DAYS by WINDSOR LANG.
Courtesy of TROVE Northern Star, Saturday 1 February 1947
Decline of the Steamer – Advent of Railway
STEAMER BRINGS FIRST RAIL COACH TO COAST
AS the district progressed so did the steam-boat trade thrive, until it reached its zenith in the years between the mid-90’s and the close of last century. The coming of the rail service in 1894 marked the decline in the ocean-going traffic with the river. On the other hand, Byron Bay’s ocean service improved, but the extension of the railway service in the district down to the 30’s of this century, together with the shipping position during the 1939-45 war, have had a weakening effect on the steam traffic from that port. Incidentally Mr. Andy Callaghan’s brother, Captain Dan Callaghan, skippered the steamer “Greyhound” when she brought the first railway carriages (two first class) for the newly-introduced rail service.
I have been told that a steamer crossed the Richmond bar in 1847. When I discussed this information with one who knew very much of the early history of the river he suggested that this boat had probably made a trial trip much in the same way that the “King William IV” had made her trip to the Clarence in 1839, but study of the contemporary conditions of the settlement would indicate that such a visit was highly improbable.
Mr. James Ainsworth, who lived on the river in 1847, stated that he was uncertain whether the first steamer to cross the bar after 1842 was the “Thane” or the “Rainbow.” Authentic records show, however, that a definitely-established steam trading service was first supplied by the “s.s.Rainbow,” of 75tons, in 1863. This was a paddle-wheeled vessel with very little power, practically none against a head wind, most certainly none if that head wind were very strong. The lack of power to battle against a gale was evidenced when she was wrecked at Trial Bay on May 2, 1864, after 10 months’ service to this river. Mr. W. H. Rankin, first National school teacher at Lismore, and Mrs. Rankin were amongst the drowned in that disaster.
For some years all the steam-boats trading along our coast were paddle-wheelers, of light tonnage and little power. Each was provided with sails so that the vessel could make use of the supplementary power offered by the wind.
From Mr. Cousins’ notes we learn that the “s.s.Rainbow” was “bar-bound” for eight days in August 1863. This condition of being bar-bound for long periods was quite common amongst all types of craft, sailing or steam. Mr. Andy Callaghan, now living at Pimlico, and who was a small boy at the time, told me that about 75 years ago, 50 schooners and other sailing craft were bottled up in Mobbs’ Bay for six months owing to the condition of the bar.
In September, 1864, the “s.s.Wallabi” replaced the “Rainbow” in the trade. Just prior to this the “s.s.Thane” commenced to trade here by 1869 other vessels such as “s.s.Agnes Irving,” “Susannah Cuthbert,” “s.s.Helen MacGregor,” and “s.s.Amphitrite” were engaged in the river trade. These were followed soon by the steamship “Examiner,” “New Zealand,” “Wiamia,” “Highlander,” “Culloden,” “Tinonee,” “Anson,” and “Platypus.” Whilst most of these vessels belonged to the “C. and R.R.S.N. Coy,” several were operated in the timber-carrying interests of the owners only, and not engaged in general trade. Towards the latter years of the 70’s, Messrs. G. and B. Nicholl had the “s.s.Lismore” engaged in the general trade here.
This boat went ashore on the North Spit on May 9, 1885, and her wrecked hull today lies embedded in the sand within 100 yards of the Lighthouse Hill, about a quarter of a mile from the sea front, the bow protruding seven feet out of the sand, and resting in the midst of a forest of young honey-suckle trees, some of which reach to a height of 20 to 25 feet.
A few years prior to her wreck, when this vessel was about to cross in over the bar, she bumped the sands of the bar so heavily that her master, Ben. Alley, was afraid that she had started her plates and sprung a leak. The sea was not rough, so instead of proceeding in over the bar crossing he took her round and nosed her on to Shelly Beach.
Here all her cargo was discharged, and carted by Mr. Tom Lewis and his team up and over the steep Lighthouse Hill, and around to Shaw’s Bay. This transport by land was some feat because but a pretense of a road connected the two places mentioned. The whole of the cargo, some of it destined for Lismore, and for Casino, was safely transhipped. The “Lismore” was backed off the beach under her own power, and the crossing safely negotiated.
Another G. and B. Nicholl boat was the “Bonnie Dundee.”
Soon after Mr. W. T. Yeager with the steamers “Oakland” (Captain Ben Alley) and “Wyoming” (Captain Dan Callaghan) introduced a general trading service on the river. These boats, at the same time, served his own timber interests. In the “90’s” the “s.s.St. George” was added to the fleet.
Mr. Yeager had purchased the “St. George” and the “St. Dennis” in England at the same time, but sold the “St. Dennis” before she was placed in the river trade. I remember hearing Mr. Yeager, and my father, who was Mr. Yeager’s Woodburn agent, discussing some irritations caused by certain consignees of the cargo for freight.
“It would take a saint to please them,” said my father.
“Exactly why I brought out the latest boat,” replied Mr. Yeager.
Eventually, the C. and R.R.S.N. Coy. was reformed into the N.C.S.N. Coy., and, in course of time, its steamers “Wyrallah”, “Coraki”, “Rosedale”, “Fernmount”, “Macleay”, “Tomki”, “Electra”, “City of Grafton”, “Duranbah”, and “Myee” all appeared on the scene. The “s.s.Kallatina”, belonging to the Clarence River service made at least one trip to this river.
Other vessels belonging to this shipping line were the steamers “Brundah”, “Poonbar”, “Tintenbar”, “Cannonbar”, “Coombar”, “Wyangarie”, “Coomera”, “Bellinger”, “Bonalbo” and “Nimbin”, (lost during the 1939 war, probably through enemy action). Corrigan and Coy. traded here with the steamers “Kiltobanks”, “Friendship”, “Maku”, and “Tay 1.” J. Bourke and Sons traded with the “Porpoise”, “Adonis”, and “Adonis”, and “Palmer”.
William Collins traded with Brisbane employing the “Lady Musgrave” and “Pyrmont”. Some years earlier the late Captain Thomas Fenwick using the “Emma Pyers” and “Sarah Fenwick” had endeavoured to work up a profitable trade between the Richmond and Brisbane, but like those who followed his lead in later years he had to abandon the effort, as a worthwhile service could not be established. Other sea-going steamers belonging to Thomas Fenwick’s fleet were the “Ballina”, “Marion Fenwick”, “Cairo”, and “Union”.
The N.C.S.N. Coy’s “City of Grafton” was a roomy, paddle-wheeled steamer with a fine hurricane deck. She was unable to navigate the North Arm because of her paddle-wheels, so that Coraki became the river terminus of her journey. She used to be moored at Coraki over the weekends.
Current gossip credited the local Sergeant of Police with using her wheel-house as an observation post, employing the skipper’s glasses in “spotting” the traffic passing along the main thoroughfare, Richmond Terrace, which runs parallel to the river front. From this post he was able to keep three hotels under close observation whilst on the lookout for any Sunday trading.
(To Be Continued.)