McArdell's Gap c 1857 - 6879 Sth Gippsland Hwy, Sale, VIC

McArdell’s Gap is named after Philip McArdell, an American entrepreneur who, in 1857, built the first paddle steamer, on site, and specifically designed to meet the conditions of Gippsland’s lakes and rivers.  To facilitate his ship building enterprises, he built a slip which today resembles a densely vegetated strip of water extending inland from the river bank.  Whilst travelling along the river banks on the bike and walking track, it suddenly deviates around this thin bit of water and it is not until you study the history that you realise how significant this feature is . . .

McArdell’s Gap

The ‘gap’ was carved into the river bank and actually extends quite a distance inland.  This formed McArdell’s shipyard and slip and is where the paddle steamer the PS ‘Enterprise’ was built, and later launched.  The paddle steamer was built on the banks of the Thomson River in a location a few kilometres south of the township of Sale, where the river sweeps into an almost ninety degree turn.

Some years later the paddle steamer PS ‘Tanjil No. 2’ was also built here.

Before the first bridge was built over the Latrobe River further downstream, McArdell’s Gap was as close as the steamers could get to the township of Sale.

Whilst the PS ‘Enterprise’ was being built, the government commissioned the building of the first bridge across the Latrobe River (just before the junction of the Latrobe and Thomson Rivers).  Though ferociously contested as it was too low to allow for the passage of steamers, the bridge went ahead and hence stopped short, this essential mode of transport.  It took over twenty five years for the government to rectify this error with the construction of the Swing Bridge c 1883.  Another seven years were to pass before the completion of the Sale Canal c 1890.

At long last the steamers connected directly with the township of Sale, where the railway met the water highways . . .

The following article makes for some interesting reading:  Gippsland Times – 28 Jul 1947

Helpful Hints:

– Located some 1.8 km South of Sale – obtain Directions here

– Car Parking available on various service roads – off the South Gippsland Highway

– Other Historical POI’s in Sale

– Museums

– History Tours

– Facilities available at Sale