The ''Narara'' was a wooden carvel

screw steamer A screw steamer or screw steamship is an old term for a steamship or steamboat powered by a steam engine, using one or more propellers (also known as ''screws'') to propel it through the water. Such a ship was also known as an "iron screw steam shi ...

built in 1900 at

Jervis Bay Jervis Bay () is a oceanic bay and village on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia, said to possess the whitest sand in the world. A area of land around the southern headland of the bay is a territory of the Commonwealth of Australia ...

, that was wrecked when it sprang a leak while carrying general cargo between

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

and the

Hawkesbury River The Hawkesbury River, or Hawkesbury-Nepean River, is a river located northwest of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Hawkesbury River and its associated main tributary, the Nepean River, almost encircle the metropolitan region of Sydney. ...

and was lost at 2 ml SE off Little Reef Newport near, Barranjoey,

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

on 29 May 1909. The vessel commenced her runs from Sydney Harbour to the Hawkesbury River in January 1900 and continued on this run till the time of her final 1909 sinking. During 1903 the vessel was burned to the water line and sank at its mooring only to be refloated and rebuilt and started back on the same run.

Description and construction

The ''Narara'' was a wooden vessel, and was built at Jervis Bay In 1900 she was long, broad, and deep her owners were Messrs D.A. Mitchell and T.H. Johnston She has traded regularly between Sydney and the Hawkesbury River ever since she was placed In commission. She was insured for £1,250 The Sydney Morning Herald Monday 31 May 1909
/ref> A photo of the SS ''Hawkesbury'' and SS ''Narara'' at the junction of the Colo and Hawkesbury Rivers in 1904 can be found her

Ship service history

Early career

The SS ''Narara'' commenced her runs from Sydney Harbour to the Hawkesbury River on or about 16 January 1900 and was described she “can get along at a good speed.” At about the same time The SS ''Narara'', owned by the Gosford Steamship Company was described as

Presently running two weekly trips on the river on behalf of the Hawkesbury Steam Navigation Company, The ''Narara'' is a recently built boat, and is an excellent cargo vessel.

The vessel soon became a part of the small local community as indicated when its ships engineer Mr Greentree taking part in local sculling races at the time

A boat race between Mr John Greentree and Mr Samuel Morley was pulled on the Sackville, New South Wales, Sackville course, 2 miles, on Saturday of last week, for a stake of £10, when Jolly Jack was the victor. The SS ''Narara'' followed the scullers, and on the banks of the river were many spectators. It is probable that the same two will meet again in a few weeks for a larger stake.

While in 1902 and 1903 the vessel became involved in some cases before the courts when Helen Ashwin Mitchell wife of Frederick Newton Mitchell, of

Lower Portland Lower Portland is a rural suburb near Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lower Portland is located 80 kilometres northwest of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of The Hills Shire (east of t ...

, Hawkesbury River sought to sue the Sydney Harbour Trust Commissioners for the sum of £200 as damages as when the steamer ''Narara'' landed at Russell's wharf on 14 January 1902 a heavy door or hatch suddenly swung open and knocked Mrs Mitchell down as she was passing along the footway, and inflicted serious injuries. The court found in favour of her, but assessed the damages sustained by her at £50. Yet in May 1903 Samuel James Crosland, 23 was found guilty and was fined £15, in default four months imprisonment for having stolen from the steamer ''Narara'' two silver watches and one gold chain, valued in all at £6, the property of David Austin Mitchell (the owner of the vessel). When Samuel Crosland was arrested he admitted having taken the watches, and he said he had hidden them behind some sacks on the wharf. The chain, he stated, had been pawned at a shop in George Street West.

1903 fire and sinking

At midnight of Sunday 23 August 1903 the ''Narara'' was burnt to the water line and sank. At the time it was described as

The river steamer ''Narara'' trading between Sackville and Sydney and owned by Messrs Mitchell and Johnston was burned to the water’s edge at midnight on Sunday and being scuttled sank at her moorings in Sackville Reach She had only arrived from Sydney the night before and contained a cargo of goods for settlers In the vicinity The crew were asleep below and had just time to escape with what they had on. The origin of the fire is unknown. The vessel which insured had lately been overhauled. The steamer ''Hawkesbury'' was at one time burned to the water s edge and sank, and on another occasion sank after striking a rock within a short distance of where the present disaster occurred.

Approximately a month later

The small steamship ''Narara'', a well known trader between Sydney and the Hawkesbury River, which a few weeks ago was almost completely destroyed by fire and sank in the Hawkesbury, has been raised and left yesterday in tow of a steam tug for Sydney She will be repaired here, and will again enter the Hawkesbury trade.The Sydney Morning Herald Wednesday 23 September 1903
/ref>

Shipwreck

On the night of 28 – 29 May 1909 there was a very heavy fog from Midnight till daylight, The ''Narara'' a left Sydney as usual at about midnight on Friday with a cargo for the Hawkesbury with the ship's company numbering seven hands all told. There were no sensational incidents connected with the wreck. Everything went well until the ''Narara'' had completed half of her journey at the Marine Court of Inquiry. The master of the vessel, Frederick Petersen, gave evidence that:

When the disaster occurred he was on the way to the Hawkesbury with-a mixed cargo. The only persons on watch were the engineer, a fireman, and himself. He cleared the Heads at about 1.30 a.m., and steered about north. He did not set any compass course, as it was a bright night. There was a light westerly breeze and smooth sea. When in the middle of Narrabeen Bight the engineer came on deck, and reported that the vessel was making water. Witness replied, "What nonsense; put it all on, and let's get in, anyhow." He made no examination, but he was called by the engineer again ten minutes afterwards. He then went down to the engine room and found water up to the engineer's waist. He had the crew called, and the boat was got out, the engines being stopped. By the time they got it in the water, steam was too low for the engines to be started again, and the steamer was therefore abandoned. She went down at about 4.30 a.m. They were about a mile and a half off the land. The crew landed at Barranjoey at about 8 o'clock. He could give no reason for the steamer making water as she did.

The engineer, Ephraim Greentree, in his evidence said:

That the water was a foot or 18 inches over the floor when he first noticed it. He told the captain about it, and put on the pumps. The captain told him to let him know if the water gained on them. In ten minutes the water was up to his waist. The captain then ordered the dock pumps to be started, but the water gained on them too quickly for them to do any good, and the steam went down. The steamer, since her last overhaul, had not made any water. He had not felt her strike anything.

Wreck site

The steamer ''Narara'' foundered about a mile and a half off the land; off Little Reef, south of Barranjoey, with Barranjoey Lighthouse, about 1½ mile distant and the vessel foundering in deep water close to Little Reef

References

External links

Australian National Shipwreck Database

Australian Shipping - Arrivals and Departures 1788–1968 including shipwrecks

{{Navbox shipwrecks of New South Wales, Wrecksnorthsydney Shipwrecks of the Northern Sydney Region Ships built in New South Wales 1900 ships 1901 – World War I ships of Australia Coastal trading vessels of Australia Wooden steamships of Australia Maritime incidents in 1903 Maritime incidents in 1909 1909 in Australia Shipwrecks in the Tasman Sea