Steam Tug ''Wattle'' is a steam-powered
tugboat
A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, su ...
undergoing refurbishment in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, Australia.
The tugboat was constructed at
Cockatoo Island Dockyard
The Cockatoo Island Dockyard was a major dockyard in Sydney, Australia, based on Cockatoo Island. The dockyard was established in 1857 to maintain Royal Navy warships. It later built and repaired military and battle ships, and played a key role ...
during the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
as a project to keep shipyard apprentices employed.
The tugboat was built with a
rivet
A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed, a rivet consists of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end. The end opposite to the head is called the ''tail''. On installation, the rivet is placed in a punched ...
ed steel hull, but
welding
Welding is a fabrication (metal), fabrication process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by using high heat to melt the parts together and allowing them to cool, causing Fusion welding, fusion. Welding is distinct from lower ...
was used on the bulkheads and fuel bunkers for the first time in an Australian shipyard.
[ The vessel was the first Australian tugboat to be built with an oil-fired compound steam engine.][
On completion in 1933, the tugboat was offered to the ]Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...
(RAN). Named ''Wattle'' and operated by a civilian crew, the vessel was primarily used for warship towing and manoeuvring, and was also employed as a target tower.
The RAN marked the tugboat for disposal in 1969, and she was purchased by a Sydney-based syndicate, who operated the vessel on tourist cruises around and outside Sydney Harbour
Port Jackson, consisting of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers, is the ria or natural harbour of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The harbour is an inlet of the Tasman Sea (p ...
. The syndicate kept ''Wattle'' operational until 1977, then sold the ship to a Melbourne-based company, who towed ''Wattle'' to Port Phillip
Port Phillip (Kulin languages, Kulin: ''Narm-Narm'') or Port Phillip Bay is a horsehead-shaped bay#Types, enclosed bay on the central coast of southern Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. The bay opens into the Bass Strait via a short, ...
in 1979. The tugboat continued to be used for tourist cruises around the bay until 2003, when it failed survey
Survey may refer to:
Statistics and human research
* Statistical survey, a method for collecting quantitative information about items in a population
* Survey (human research), including opinion polls
Spatial measurement
* Surveying, the techniq ...
and had to be withdrawn from service.
''Wattle'' was initially moored at Victoria Dock while money was raised to refurbish the ship, then was relocated to Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour in Hong Kong separating Hong Kong Island in the south from the Kowloon Peninsula to the north. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on South China Sea were instrumental i ...
during the Docklands redevelopment. In 2007, the Sorrento Steam organisation and the Bay Steamers Maritime Museum joined the project: the former using the restoration of ''Wattle'' as a stepping stone towards their own plans to restore steam trams in Sorrento
Sorrento (, ; nap, Surriento ; la, Surrentum) is a town overlooking the Bay of Naples in Southern Italy. A popular tourist destination, Sorrento is located on the Sorrentine Peninsula at the south-eastern terminus of the Circumvesuviana rail ...
. In 2009, the tugboat was removed from the water and placed on blocks in a temporary shipyard in the Docklands precinct. The intention is to bring the vessel back to survey standard and resume passenger operations.
''Wattle'' was listed by the National Trust
The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...
as being of national historic significance on 16 June 1993.[ According to the National Trust, ''Wattle'' is the only surviving small harbour steam tug in Australia, and one of only twenty-two worldwide.][ It is also one of only eight Australian-built steam-powered ships of any kind remaining.][ In addition to multiple 'firsts' in construction, the vessel serves as an important example of Depression-era shipbuilding and the transition of technology occurring at this time.][
]
In popular culture
The vessel was used in the highly popular and long-running 1970s and 1980s Channel 10 television serial ''Prisoner''. ''Prisoner'' details the lives, struggles and plots of the prisoners and guards ('Screws') in Wentworth detention centre, a high-security women's prison in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The ''Wattle'', with name proudly displayed on a donut life preserver, was in episodes 641 to 643. The plot line was that trainee officers had arranged for work release for four prisoners at a time, under the captain's instructions and guarded by a senior officer. The idea was to learn ship-maintaining skills and get 'fresh air and sunshine'.
The leader of the female prisoners, 'Top Dog' Rita Collins, plans to use the temporary freedom to kill her rival, a guard called Ferguson, or the Freak. In episode 642 the ship has its inlet valve sabotaged by Rita, who is familiar with all engines and drifts for a time.
There are numerous excellent film shots of the ship – looking as it was at the time in its role as a day cruiser. One particular segment set to music is of value to researching its appearance circa 1985.
References
External links
S.T."Wattle" Home Page
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wattle
Steam tugs
1933 ships
Tugboats of Australia
Ships built in New South Wales
Museum ships in Australia