Category: Uncategorized

Yongala sinks in cyclone 23/3/1911

Adelaide Steam
Adelaide Steam
Adelaide Steamship lost with all passengers and crew SS Yongala

First class saloon for Townsville.

1. Mr Matthew Rooney
2. Mrs Katherine Rooney
3. Miss Lizzie Rooney
4. Miss Ethel Amy Uhr, Matron, Townsville hospital
5. Miss Jean Buxton, Nurse, Townsville hospital
6. Mr John James Elsdale
7. Mrs Annie Eileen Elsdale
8. Mr Rudolph August Stach
9. Mr Francis Fothergill Viney
10. Miss Mary Josephine Carroll
11. Miss Mona Kathleen Shannon
12. Mr Willie Lin
13. Ms Emily Ada Davis
14. Mr John Campbell
15. Mr Ernest Greenfield
16. Mr Clifford James Hardin O’Brien

For Cairns

17. Mrs Charlotte Louisa Davids
18. Mrs Alice Minna Murray
19. Master Ian Sheppard Murray
20. Miss Alister Sheppard Murray
21. Miss Jean Alexander Murray
22. Miss Ailsa Mary Murray (Infant)
23. Mrs Mary Ann Linedale (Maid)
24. Mr Stephen Symons Reath
25. Mrs Margaret Frances Reath
26. Mr William James Fulton
27. Mr Albert Sutherland Dette
28. Mr T Parton
29. Mr S Manwaring
30. Miss Mary Annie Woodward
31. Mrs Hanora Gertrude Magee

Second class for Townsville

32. Mr O F Thompson
33. Mr Charles Manbey
34. Mrs Mary Ann Manbey
35. Mr W Barklay
36. Mr Octagavina Carrasco
37. Mr Jose Sareras
38. Mr Walter Francis Breckenridge
39. Mr Ernst Schneider
40. Mr Richard Thomas Coade
41. Mr Walter George Coade
42. Mr James John Sutherland
43. Mr Fraser Sutherland
44. Mr William Smith

For Cairns

45. Mr James Dempsey Jolly
46. Mr David Davies
47. Mr Pianta, Antonia
48. Mr W H Griffiths
49. Mr E E Parkhurst

CREW

50. Mr William Knight
51. Mr Richard Williams
52. Mr Harry Harden
53. Mr D Cameron
54. Mr George H Jarvis
55. Mr A F Hamilton
56. Mr John Donaldson
57. Mr Claude Miller
58. Mr A Lawrance
59. Mr E Mawby
60. Mr G A Harris
61. Mr W D Millar
62. Mr E McKenzie
63. Mr J Roberts
64. Mr S W H Emerson
65. Ms A S English
66. Ms M Lambrick
67. Ms S Andrew
68. Ms A Rentoul
69. Mr J H Shipton
70. Mr G H Reid
71. Mr J Elliott
72. Mr V Cross
73. Mr D Morrison
74. Mr J W Sullivan
75. Mr J Ward
76. Mr J Craig
77. Mr J Finlay
78. Mr A O Armstrong
79. Mr J E Costello
80. Mr F J Wingrove
81. Mr R W Cooks
82. Mr A P W Gordon
83. Mr G H Fox
84. Mr J West
85. Mr R Robertson
86. Mr W H McPherson
87. Mr J Gemmell
88. Mr P McAdle
89. Mr P Rankin
90. Mr T Howard
91. Mr W Houston
92. Mr W D Murray
93. Mr F E Voight
94. Mr A Uggddahl
95. Mr H Todd
96. Mr F Medcalf
97. Mr J Diamond
98. Mr J Grumbledon
99. Mr J Narrie
100. Mr C A Davison
101. Mr A Lillico
102. Mr J F Gallagher
103. Mr E A Rickson
104. Mr J A Reich
105. Mr G Goldsmith
106. Mr J Calvin
107. Mr O V Nelson
108. Mr J McGinnis
109. Mr E O Jones
110. Mr W Boylan
111. Mr R Woods
112. Mr H C Gale
113. Mr E H Freeston
114. Mr P Walsh
115. Mr J Johnston
116. Mr J MacDonald
117. Mr V R McDougall
118. Mr W Paton
119. Mr J L McNamara
120. Mr C S Doyle
121 Mr H Lewis
122 Mr S Donachie

A Few facts about the Floria

Principal Particulars
REGISTERED A 48
O.N. 136381
Year Built 1914
Propulsion Sail ( fitted with auxilliary motor after 1943)
Materials
Hull, Timber Carvel plank Oregon
Ribs, Tea-tree
Stringers, Spotted gum
Keel and Deadwood , Spotted gum
Original deck, Oregon
Masts & spars , Oregon
Builder, Furuta Tsugitaro on Thursday Island
Net Tonnage , 16 tons
Registered Length , 46′ ( 14.02 m)
Registered Breadth , 13’01″( 3.90m)
Registered Draft , 5’6″ (1.71m)
Port of registry: Sydney 1914 -1943
Owners 1920 -1943 Wyben pearling Co.
Post war – Commonwealth diving experiments into hookah versus helmet diving Techniques operators Rebuilt 1956 Shotaro Tachibana Registered Pearls Pty Ltd Thursday Is.
Sold to DAIA Islander Industry Board
2002 recovered by divers of Maritime Archaeological Soc of Far North Qld.
Raised from 18 metres of water in Cairns Harbour the vessel was donated to the Cairns Maritime Museum for display and conservation .

Japanese construction

Shotaro TACHIBANA built quite a few luggers we know of, at least fourteen ( list in next paragraph) including HB, which was his last. BANZAI was his first, in 1904. When FLORIA was re-registered in 1956 TACHIBANA was listed as her builder, but her original registration (in 1914) says FURUTA Tsugitaro was her builder, so I expect that is correct. HB is the only vessel built by TAHIBANA that is still in existence.

The luggers that Tachibana built are: BANZAI (1904), FRANCIS PRITT (1908), KOZA (1911), DERIH (1911), ALEXA (1913), LEELA (1913), CATON (1913), DINTON (1913), LEYTON (1913), HESPIA (1914), YATTON (1914) NESTON (1914), ADIANA (1929) and HB (1938). FRANCIS PRITT is the odd one out here, she must have been built as a pearling lugger but wasn’t registered until 1934, when she was bought to be used as a Mission lugger, one of a long line of boats that carried the name of the Archbishop who died in 1903.

Shotaro was born on 22 Nov. 1877 and first arrived in Australia on 24 October 1895 (before the Immigration restriction Act). He was from Koza in Wakayama. He departed in 1939 and his ship-building tools were left at the Bowden Pearling Co. premises on TI.

Another milestone

Meeting held with Wooden Boat Association on 8/11/2016 what a milestone!
Workplace Health and Safety was the chief subject and debate about what constitutes a workplace was volatile, no-one is paid to be there , therefore it is not a workplace. We have public liability insurance but if we have no place, we all lose. So why the debate for safety sake, after a time to reflect and hold harmless the counter argument pundits the executive remain determined to see agreements as to the protocols of protection to adequately cover participants in activities involving tools, being established and submitted to the executive.
Should a contractor enter the area, the situation changes immediately and the area becomes a workplace, with all the associated obligations needing to be met.
A consultant from Queensland Museum is to visit on the 21st or 22nd of this November and will be dressed appropriately to avoid harm and common sense may prevail . Without the Cairns Maritime Museum lease, the Wooden Boat Association would have to seek a new address, a most destructive and expensive step to have to take and as we have all been members at one time or another of each association quite the wrong direction to be taking.
Money matters aside , administration and significance of the CMM collection is the current issue and always has been the association’s driver and purpose.
The threads of history available through significant artefacts tell the human story connecting the past through the present and forward toward the future user.
Timing is paradoxical and always opportunity and threats arise to be seized or rallied upon.
2020 is an opportunity to be considered with the Endeavour Replica visiting FNQ. A 250 year
Anniversary of the original ship calling into a bay on Trinity Sunday 1770 which became known as Trinity Bay but had another name in the dreamtime stories.
In FNQ the Maritime past is rich and peppered with Ships bringing settlers or being Wrecked and Indigenous Rites of passage , ceremony , all representing the spirit of human survival over time in this place.
Cultural tourism products are a sign of a maturing of a regional tourism product and are longer lasting in scope by satisfying the more curious about the events and traditions of the people in the place.
The Pearl Luggers of Far North Queensland Penguin Galton Grafton Pelican Floria Hespia Sedney(Torres Pearl) HB Songton Nadine (Ruby Charlotte) lse Pearl Waitoa Winston Triton
Antonia Anniki just these few represent the crews and families who depended on the highly prized and dangerously deep , natural resource, the humble Pinctada maxima oyster’s shell.
The HB is a visible reminder of these vessels sailing between Cairns and Cooktown , Floria and Antonia in Cairns are considered significant and represent inter generational links and great leaps in technique to harvest the Mother of pearl shell.
Grafton and Galton are intertidal graves ! All have stories and resilience but wooden ships are best kept salty and painted and sailing.

“Cultured pearls grow in the Torres straits again” next time !

Museum matters

Council meeting this morning went the right way towards the catalogue details we need to collect and bring to the table next time.
Any one who thinks they may like to help and discover the extent of the existing collection, as some was lost since it was moved to its present location and by cross-referencing to the earliest catalogue ,we can discover the provinence of that which we do have.
Register your interest at
[email protected]
61 412 752 042