Steam Tug Wattle
Encyclopedia
Steam Tug Wattle is a vessel
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
which is currently out of survey. She was launched in 1933 as a tug in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. She ran commercial cruises around Melbourne and surrounding areas. She suspended her marine commercial service in 2003 and is currently located in No. 2 Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria, Australia.
Construction
The S.T. Wattle was built in 1933 at Cockatoo IslandCockatoo Island, New South Wales
Cockatoo Island is the largest island in Sydney Harbour in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Located at the junction of the Parramatta and Lane Cove rivers, Cockatoo Island is a former imperial prison, industrial school, reformatory and gaol. It was also the site of one of Australia's biggest...
dockyard in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It was setup as a project to keep the dockyard's apprentices in work during the depression. The project was named Codeco.
Navy service
When she was completed, the Australian Navy took this small tug for work around the naval dockland. She was renamed Wattle and was manned by a civilian crew, and carried out duties around the harbour.Preservation
The Wattle was recognised by the National TrustNational Trust of Australia
The Australian Council of National Trusts is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage....
, and machinery onboard was kept exactly as it was made, after being restored to pristine condition. She ran cruises around Port Phillip Bay. Finally, she suspended commercial service in June 2003.
For a period of time, the Wattle was moored at Victoria Dock, near the Docklands Stadium whilst volunteer members attempted to raise the required funds to get Wattle back into survey. The Wattle has been moved to No. 2 Victoria Harbour due to the new construction work going on to redevelop Melbourne Docklands
Melbourne Docklands
Docklands is an inner city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia occupying an area extending up to 2 km west of and adjacent to Melbourne's Central Business District . Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne...
and fundraising is still progressing.
Sorrento Steam
During the latter part of 2007, a group of ten Melbourne-based businesspeople formed an organisation called Sorrento Steam P/L, a syndicate of vintage steam and Australian steam heritage enthusiasts, that has entered into close collaboration with the Bay Steamers Maritime Museum. The authentic and extensive restoration of the Steam Tug Wattle, and its return to active seafaring Steam, form part of Sorrento Steam's plans for reinstating the early 1900 Sorrento Steam Trams. The scheme is also aiming for the introduction of a heritage paddle steamerPaddle 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...
capable of ferrying large numbers of steam enthusiast visitors from Melbourne to Sorrento and back.