Koondrook's Paddle Steamer History

The history of Koondrook is heavily influenced by the timber industry, which started to emerge in the 1870s as early settlers took advantage of nearby red gum forests. The first wharf, completed in 1882, was a vital trading point for river boats along the Murray River. The Kerang-Koondrook Tramway, which opened in 1889, linked the area to the Melbourne railway network and its port. The first paddle steamer to be built in Koondrook was PS Emily Jane in 1881, with a total of 14 vessels constructed. They not only hauled timber to the mill but conducted trade and carried produce and passengers along the river and its tributaries. Each paddle steamer and barge had a personality and story of their own, often living multiple lives and being transformed over time.

 

PS Emily Jane 

The iron hull paddle steamer Emily Jane was the first paddle boat to be built in Koondrook. The Emily Jane was built in 1881 by J. Webb for Thomas Buzza and named after his wife. This was to replace the first Emily Jane built on the Goulburn River in 1875. Emily Jane was a hawking vessel which carried goods for retail sale along the river. Emily Jane had a team of dressmakers on board. Customers were measured for clothes when the vessel stopped on her way upstream and the items delivered when she returned.

At the time Border Customs between that States was still in place. The Emily Jane being owned and registered in New South Wales could trade along the Darling River without hindrance. She could also trade in any town on the northern side of the Murray, but when she moved into Mildura for some mechanical work the Victorian Customs office sealed her shop and stores to prohibit any illegal sale of items that had not paid a Victorian tax. The Emily Jane was burnt to the waterline on December 24, 1899 at Avoca Cutting, near Wentworth.

The Glimpse was launched as a hull in 1882 and completed in 1883. Bervin Robert Wilson of Koondrook was both builder and owner of the vessel. Although just a small vessel the river reports show that she was kept busy carrying produce like wheat, hides and skins, chaff and wool.

A New Boat
June 20, 1882 - Kerang Times and Swan Hill Gazette
The dull routine of Koondrook was somewhat varied on Wednesday last by the launch of Mr Wilson’s new boat. Quite a number of people from Koondrook and the surrounding district assembled to witness the launch, and wish success to the boat and the enterprising proprietor. About 3 o’clock, all being in readiness, the ropes were cut away, and away she glided down the well greased ways. The proverbial bottle of wine was broken and the boat christened the “Glimpse”.Mr Wilson may congratulate himself on having one of the prettiest models on the river; a boat that reflects great credit on her builder. After the launch Mr Wilson invited all assembled to drink success to his new venture, an invitation which was willingly responded to.

Story of Glimpse Steamer
From River Boats by T. Mudie
Bervin and Clarence Wilson were the sons of an old Eureka Stockade man who had been one of the first to discover gold at Buninyong (Ballarat) and who became landlord of Hopwood’s Bridge Hotel at Echuca. Bervin built the Glimpse on the bank of the Murray, near the hotel he was running at Koondrook; he then gave up pub-keeping and went on the river in partnership with his brother. Although both the Wilsons became skippers later on, neither of them had a ticket when they launched the Glimpse in 1883, so they took C.P. Johnson on as their skipper. One of their first voyages was up to Yarrawonga. On the way down, on Sept 14th, eight miles above Boomanoomano, the Glimpse stuck hard on a snag that was hidden two feet below the surface, the ripples it created being hidden by those raised by a high wind. The accident happened in mid-stream. Clarrie Wilson, who was mate, grabbed a blanket and rushed to try and stop the hole, but he couldn’t find it. By then there were two feet of water in the stokehole, so her nose was run on a sand bank, where she went down, leaving her bows above water. Sheerlegs were erected, and next morning they hove the vessel up. The two foot hole was patched, the hull baled out, and the Glimpse went on down to Tocumwal to load wool. Bervin Wilson is said to have written a number of songs of life on the rivers, but none of them survived.

A Murray steamer destroyed.
January 25, 1886 - Kerang Times and Swan Hill Gazette
The steamer Glimpse, owned by Mr. B.R. Wilson was destroyed by fire on Monday night. While the steamer was passing up the river a few days ago with a barge load of wheat, the paddle shaft broke, disabling the vessel and rendering it necessary to put her into the river bank. The Rothbury, afterwards took the boat and barge in tow with the intention of taking them on to Koondrook, but during the voyage the shaft of the former vessel also broke, the final catastrophe by which the Glimpse was totally lost occurred a few miles below Koondrook during the absence of the owner who had left for Sandhurst to arrange for the necessary repairs. The mate it seems, who was in charge, had occasion to go ashore, leaving the boat apparently quite safe, but on his return, she was ablaze and after burning to the water’s edge, sank. The Officer succeeded in saving the cash box, but everything else was lost.