PS ‘Murray’

PS Murray

Excerpt of Article “Gippsland Shipping” published in the Gippsland Times – 16 Dec 1948

The paddle steamer PS ‘Murray’ was commissioned to be built in Glasgow, Scotland by the ‘Gippsland Lakes Navigation Company’ prior to 1867.

Captain S Patrick was sent to Glasgow to supervise the construction and once complete, steam the vessel directly to the Gippsland Lakes in Victoria, Australia.  

The PS ‘Murray’ was a shallow, 228 ton, 11 knot paddle steamer designed specifically for the typically shallow waters of Gippsland’s lakes and rivers.  She featured independent reversible paddles which allowed for efficient turns in shallow waters.  She afforded cabin accommodation for twenty passengers, as well as for another fifty steerage passengers.

1874 saw the PS ‘Murray’ – the agent being Mr Edward Bull – steaming from Port Albert to Sale

” . . . If it were not for the Murray and her enterprising skipper, Port Albert would at present be in a social state of coma.”

– Source:  Sale Times c 1875

PS Murray c 1874 - Small

PS ‘Murray’ enjoying the safe, calm waters of Reeve’s River c 1874

In the May of that very same year, the PS ‘Murray’ was involved in a collision with the paddle steamer PS ‘Kangaroo’ on the Yarra River in Melbourne.

It appears that the PS ‘Murray’ was stranded two times at the challenging and ever changing bar located at the natural entrance to the Gippsland Lakes – in 1877 and in 1881.  She continued service following these incidents however records beyond 1881 are elusive . . .

View other important events in the history of Gippsland’s Steamers . . .

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