The Paddle Steamer PS ‘Tanjil’ was built by Kennedy, Robert & Son, on Yarra Bank, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in 1877.
PS ‘Tanjil’ Aground at Shaving Point, Metung, Gippsland Lakes
The wooden, paddle steamer PS ‘Tanjil’ was built at Yarra Bank, Melbourne by Kennedy, Robert & Son, in 1877. Her specifications were:
Tonnage: 109
Length: 120 ft (36.6 m)
Beam: 16 ft (4.9 m)
Depth: 6.4 ft (2 m)
Engine Builder: Messrs M’Call, Anderson, and Co.
Engine Capacity: 40 hp with the capacity of up to 160 hp
The PS ‘Tanjil’ was specifically designed to operate in the shallow waters of Gippsland’s lakes and rivers. Her maiden voyage was celebrated by a group of thirty gentlemen who travelled on Port Phillip Bay from Williamstown to Queenscliffe – her 40 to 160 horse power capacity engines plowing through the sea and head-wind at a speed of 8 knots per hour. Lighter winds saw the PS ‘Tanjil’ achieve 12 knots per hour.
” . . . She is built for the passenger traffic on the Gippsland Lakes to ply principally between Bairnsdale and Sale. In the cabin she will accommodate 40 passengers, with 16 passengers forward. Besides a fair stock of fuel and water, she till carry 45 tons of cargo, and when fully laden, will only draw 4ft. 6in. The Tanjil is well and faithfully built. The frames are of redgum and box, obtained from the neighbourbood of Seymour. The planking is of Tasmanian bluegum, and the top sides of Kauri pine, with iron knees, and copper fastened throughout . . . “
” . . . This little vessel should prove extremely useful on the lakes, and in all probability will be the forerunner of a fleet of similar boats . . . “
Source: Excerpts – Gippsland Times (Vic) – Article ‘The Steamer Tanjil’ – published 23rd January 1878
The following photo of the PS ‘Tanjil’ at the Latrobe Wharf – showing the Swan Hotel to the left, and the Victoria Hotel to the right – c 1878. Today there are no remains of this once busy wharf and infrastructure:
PS Tanjil at Latrobe Wharf c 1878
Gippsland Times – 29 Mar 1882
” . . . A new holiday resort has been opened by the completion of the Gipps Land Railway. The journey from Melbourne to Sale can be made in about six hours. Three miles from Sale is the Latrobe-bridge, the present head of navigation; and there the steamer can be taken for the Lakes Entrance and Ninety-mile Beach, or for the township of Bairnsdale, on the Mitchell River, points almost equally distant from Sale, and reached by a pleasant trip across the large lakes, and through the straits which connect them. An appropriate opportunity is now afforded to detail more fully than could be done by telegraph the incidents of the progress made two or three days ago across the lakes in the steamer Tangil by the large party of visitors who went down to see the railway officially opened last Friday . . . “
Source: Excerpt – Argus (Melbourne, Vic) – Article ‘The Gipps Land Lakes Trip’ – published 5th March 1878
1883 → By 1883 the PS ‘Tanjil was maintaining a regular service from Sale to Lakes Entrance via Paynesville, transporting passengers and cargo.
Gippsland Times – 31 Dec 1883
Transcript re Gippsland Times article dated 31st December 1883:
” . . . A packet license was also granted to Captain Neilson for the steamer Dargo. A renewal of the license of the stamer Bairnsdale was granted to Captain Neilson, and then transferred to Captain Todd, the present master of the vessel. A renewal of the license of the steamer Tanjil was also granted to Captain Larsen . . .”
1885 → saw the PS ‘Tanjil’ running the Sale to Bairnsdale service as well as connecting at Paynesville for the Tambo River, upstream to Mossiface.
Sadly, whilst moored in Bairnsdale, the PS ‘Tanjil’ was destroyed by fire on the 29th January 1885.
View other important events in the history of Gippsland’s Steamers . . .
