Baragoola
Encyclopedia
MV Baragoola is a preserved Manly
ferry
owned by the Baragoola Preservation Association Incorporated and currently statically moored at Balls Head, Waverton
. She was built in 1922 by Mort's Dock
yard and Engineering Company Limited Balmain
in New South Wales
for The Port Jackson and Manly Steamship Company
Limited as SS
Baragoola.
, SS Bellubera, SS Balgowlah and SS Barrenjoey (later MV North Head) built at Mort's for the Manly company. Unlike her five earlier sisters who had been constructed at Woolwich
, she was the only one of her class built at Balmain.
Like her sisters, Bellubera and North Head, she was modified in the early 1930's with a closed upper deck, thus improving passenger amenities. She was also subject to an experiment at the same time where she was modified to run on pulverised coal; this was stopped when it was discovered that the vessel and passengers were being showered in coal dust. She was then the first of the fleet to be modified to burn bunker oil and coal tar.
On August 28th, 1934, Baragoola struck and killed a whale. The event garnered media interest when the disposal of the corpse took nine days and multiple attempts.
Withdrawn from service in 1958, she re-emerged in early 1961 after being stripped of her steam engines and equipped with four English Electric
7SKM diesel electric engines.
In 1974, she was one of two Manly ferries sold to the New South Wales government and remained in service until 1983.
Baragoola (aboriginal for Flood Tide) was regarded as the most popular Manly ferry, this was shown by the large number of people who turned out for her farewell trip in 1983 when she was so loaded that passengers were on the top wheelhouse deck. Apart from Barrenjoey/North Head and Bellubera, no other Manly ferry had a longer career, outlasting the Scottish steamers Curl Curl, Dee Why and South Steyne.
After conversion to diesel her motive power was four English Electric
7SKM diesels generating 600 BHP at 600RPM.
In 2009, following a period of animosity from NSW Maritime
, Mr Ashton offered the vessel for sale by auction and she passed into ownership of a scrap metal merchant.
Baragoola is moored at the old Coal Loader facility at Balls Head Bay
in Waverton next to .
The vessel is listed on the Australian Register of Historic Vessels (HV000409).Baragoola's ARHV entry
Manly, New South Wales
Manly is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Manly is located 17 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of Manly Council, in the Northern Beaches region.-History:Manly was named...
ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
owned by the Baragoola Preservation Association Incorporated and currently statically moored at Balls Head, Waverton
Waverton, New South Wales
Waverton is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Waverton is located 4 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of North Sydney Council.-History:...
. She was built in 1922 by Mort's Dock
Mort's Dock
Mort's Dock is a former dry dock, slipway, and shipyard in Balmain, New South Wales, Australia. It was the first dry dock in Australia, opening for business in 1855 and closing more than a century later in 1959.-Sydney's first dry dock:...
yard and Engineering Company Limited Balmain
Balmain, New South Wales
Balmain is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Balmain is located slightly west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
for The Port Jackson and Manly Steamship Company
Port Jackson and Manly Steamship Company
The once famous Port Jackson and Manly Steamship Company was a publicly listed company that operated the iconic Manly ferries in Sydney Australia in the late 19th and 20th Centuries...
Limited as SS
Ship prefix
A ship prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a civilian or naval ship.Prefixes for civilian vessels may either identify the type of propulsion, such as "SS" for steamship, or purpose, such as "RV" for research vessel. Civilian prefixes are often...
Baragoola.
Concept and construction
Baragoola was the sixth ship of the Binngarra type (the former five being SS Binngarra, SS Burra BraHMAS Burra Bra
HMAS Burra Bra was an anti-submarine training vessel and target tow of the Royal Australian Navy during World War II. She was built by Mort's Dock and Engineering Company, Woolwich, New South Wales and launched on 17 June 1908 for the Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Company to service the Manly to...
, SS Bellubera, SS Balgowlah and SS Barrenjoey (later MV North Head) built at Mort's for the Manly company. Unlike her five earlier sisters who had been constructed at Woolwich
Woolwich, New South Wales
Woolwich is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Woolwich is located 11 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Hunter's Hill....
, she was the only one of her class built at Balmain.
Service history
Baragoola entered service for the first time on the 3rd of September 1922 for the Manly company and operated on their Circular Quay to Manly route as well as regularly advertised cruises on Sydney Harbour.Like her sisters, Bellubera and North Head, she was modified in the early 1930's with a closed upper deck, thus improving passenger amenities. She was also subject to an experiment at the same time where she was modified to run on pulverised coal; this was stopped when it was discovered that the vessel and passengers were being showered in coal dust. She was then the first of the fleet to be modified to burn bunker oil and coal tar.
On August 28th, 1934, Baragoola struck and killed a whale. The event garnered media interest when the disposal of the corpse took nine days and multiple attempts.
Withdrawn from service in 1958, she re-emerged in early 1961 after being stripped of her steam engines and equipped with four English Electric
English Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
7SKM diesel electric engines.
In 1974, she was one of two Manly ferries sold to the New South Wales government and remained in service until 1983.
Baragoola (aboriginal for Flood Tide) was regarded as the most popular Manly ferry, this was shown by the large number of people who turned out for her farewell trip in 1983 when she was so loaded that passengers were on the top wheelhouse deck. Apart from Barrenjoey/North Head and Bellubera, no other Manly ferry had a longer career, outlasting the Scottish steamers Curl Curl, Dee Why and South Steyne.
Motive power
As a steamer, Baragoola was powered by a three cylinder triple expansion steam engine with characteristics of 18", 28", 47.5" and 27" cylinders developing 1300 IHP. She had two marine horizontal multitubular (navy type) boilers. She was fitted with electro hydraulic steering equipment after World War 2 which replaced her earlier chain steering.After conversion to diesel her motive power was four English Electric
English Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
7SKM diesels generating 600 BHP at 600RPM.
Retirement
Following her withdrawal, she was sold to Bob Hyde for use as a floating university, an enterprise that never took off and following which she was laid up at Rozelle Bay until 1988 when she was again sold, this time to David Ashton of Waterview Wharf.In 2009, following a period of animosity from NSW Maritime
NSW Maritime
NSW Maritime was an agency in the Government of New South Wales, Australia. NSW Maritime was the State Government Authority responsible for marine safety, regulation of commercial and recreational boating and oversight of port operations...
, Mr Ashton offered the vessel for sale by auction and she passed into ownership of a scrap metal merchant.
Restoration
In March 2010, Baragoola was sold to the Baragoola Preservation Association Incorporated, a not for profit organisation who have undertaken the task of restoring the Manly veteran. Restoration to an operating condition is proceeding as of 2011.Baragoola is moored at the old Coal Loader facility at Balls Head Bay
Balls Head Bay
Balls Head Bay is a bay located to the east of the Waverton Peninsula and the west of Berry Island, on the north of Sydney Harbour.Previously known as Oyster Bay, Sugarworks Bay and previously Kerosene Bay. is located within the bay....
in Waverton next to .
The vessel is listed on the Australian Register of Historic Vessels (HV000409).Baragoola's ARHV entry