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George Rennie (ship)
Encyclopedia
The George Rennie was a steel hulled ship scuttled in the lee of Hawking Point, Magnetic Island
, Queensland
, Australia. It was built in 1885 in Middlesex
as a 151 gross ton paddle steamer
. In 1896 the vessel was purchased by Howard Smith and Company who converted it into a lighter
. Howard Smith and Company used the vessel to transport coal to from anchorage at West Point to Townsville
harbour. It was scuttled in 1902 to serve as a breakwater for a small jetty in the bay. The remains of the ship can still be seen at low tide from Picnic Bay
beach.
Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island is an island offshore from the city of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. This mountainous island in Cleveland Bay has effectively become a suburb of Townsville, with 2,107 permanent residents. The island is accessible from Townsville Breakwater to Nelly Bay Harbour by ferry...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia. It was built in 1885 in Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
as a 151 gross ton paddle steamer
Paddle steamer
A paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...
. In 1896 the vessel was purchased by Howard Smith and Company who converted it into a lighter
Lighter (barge)
A lighter is a type of flat-bottomed barge used to transfer goods and passengers to and from moored ships. Lighters were traditionally unpowered and were moved and steered using long oars called "sweeps," with their motive power provided by water currents...
. Howard Smith and Company used the vessel to transport coal to from anchorage at West Point to Townsville
Townsville, Queensland
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census...
harbour. It was scuttled in 1902 to serve as a breakwater for a small jetty in the bay. The remains of the ship can still be seen at low tide from Picnic Bay
Picnic Bay, Queensland
Picnic Bay refers to both a bay on the south-east corner of Magnetic Island and the island's main town. At the 2006 census, Picnic Bay had a population of 360....
beach.