Ballina
Tragedy struck on the night of the Boxing Day races in 1918 while s.s. Ballina was tied up at the Ballina wharf. There being no accommodation to be had in town, several men including the Engineer with his wife and children, were sleeping on board. In the early hours of the morning, without warning, the boat heeled over and started taking on water. All but two of those on board were saved, with two men drowning; James Butler and Arthur Thurgood who were sleeping below decks.
The inquest into the deaths found that the Ballina was in good condition and repair. The most likely cause was the steamer being jammed under the piles of the wharf during a stiff southerly blow. As the tide rose, she heeled over and took on water leading to her sinking.
Lismore
Courtesy of TROVE Northern Star Saturday 30 October 1880
THE PUBLIC WHARF.- On her last trip from Sydney, the steamer Coraki opened by discharging her cargo at the new public wharf, just erected in this township which, when the approaches are fully completed, will be found a great public convenience, seeing that the goods are now deposited upon a planked wharf, instead of being dropped into the mud and scrambled for…
Coraki
Oakland
Other wharves and jetties
