The PS ‘Weeroona’ was a paddle steamer, built by A & J Inglis Pointhouse, in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1910.
” . . . At Glasgow on Wednesday the new excursion steamer which is being built for the Port Phillip Bay summer trade was successfully launched.
The Weeroona, as the new vessel has been named, will, when completed, be one of the finest excursion boats afloat . . . “
” . . . In external appearance she will follow on the lines of the Hygeia and the Ozone. She will be propelled by three cylinder surface-condensing, diagonal engines, working on three cranks, which will reduce vibration to a minimum ; is to have a speed of from 18 to 20 knots an hour, and should cover the distance between Port Melbourne and Queenscliff in one hour 45 minutes . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Geelong Advertiser’ – Article “New Bay Steamer – The Weeroona Launched” – published 10 Jun 1910
Paddle Steamer – PS ‘Weeroona’
Gross Tonnage: 1,412
Net Tonnage: 623
Length: 310 ft 6 in (94.64 m)
Beam: 36 ft 2 in (11.02 m)
Draft: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)
Engines: A & J Inglis, steam propulsion – 517 nhp
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Timeline:
1910 → the paddle steamer PS ‘Weeroona’ was built by A & J Inglis Pointhouse in Glasgow, Scotland – Yard No 290 for ‘Huddart Parker Ltd’, Melbourne
Geelong Advertiser (Vic) – 10 Jun 1910
8th Jun 1910 → the PS ‘Weeroona’ is launched
2nd Mar 1911 → the Captain of the Weeroona charged . . .
” . . . Yesterday at Port Melbourne court, Stuart Patrick, captain of the paddle steamer Weeroona, was charged with having carried 28½ passengers in excess of the number allowed by the board . . . “
” . . . The offence was alleged to have taken place on the occasion of the fruiterers’ picnic on 1st February, the “tally” by four constables detailed to count the passengers totalling 1955½. The vessel had a licence for carrying 1927 . . . “
” . . . Captain Patrick said he kept a strict tally of the tickets, and the total number carried was 1917, being 10 under the complement. He considered it impossible for the police to count accurately under the system they adopted. The bench (Messrs. Armstrong and Crichton, J’s, P.), said there was no check on the count made by the constables, and, in the circumstances, the case would be dismissed, without costs. The officers of the vessel had adopted a proper system of checking the tickets, which was preferable to the uncorroborated individual count made by the police. If two constables were placed at each gangway, there would be some corroboration . . . “
Source: Excerpts – ‘Age’ Melbourne – Article “Overloading Bay Steamers – Captain of Weeroona Charged” – published 3rd March 1911
Argus (Melbourne) – 27 Aug 1934
7th Jan 1912 → the PS ‘Weeroona’ collides with the PS ‘Ozone’:
” . . . On Sunday a collision occurred at Sorrento between the paddle steamers Weeroona and Ozone. The Weeroona had berthed at the pier, and the Ozone was warping up to the pier when the bow struck the stern of the Weeroona breaking away the after bulwarks, and slightly denting two of the steel plates in the overhang. The Ozone was not much damaged. The collision is considered to have been caused by a gust of wind catching the Ozone after she had stopped, and before the mooring lines were made fast. The collision appears to bear out the contention that the Sorrento pier is much too small to provide absolutely safe conditions for a large number of passengers to disembark from two vessels at the same time . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Bendigo Independent’ – Article “Ozone and Weeroona Collide” – published 11th January 1912
2nd Jan 1913 → “The Mishap to the Weeroona”
” . . . The mishap that occurred to the Weeroona when nearing Port Melbourne, after a Bay trip on Thursday, was referred to at a meeting of the Marine Board yesterday. In a brief report Engineer-Surveyor Shaw, who made an inspection of the Weeroona, detailed the damage done, and mentioned that the repairs would be completed by to-day, when the vessel would take up her usual running. The board decided to ask the Department of Parts and Harbors to try and located the obstacle that was struck by the Weeroona’s paddle wheel.
As indicated yesterday, if prompt action had not been taken by Captain Patrick in putting the Weeroona’s engines astern directly he realised there was danger, a serious accident must have occurred to the motor launch which went alongside to take passengers from the excursion steamer. The Weeroona had drifted a considerable distance after her engines had been stopped, and Captain Patrick, who was on the bridge, could not see the motor launch, and was not aware of its presence. The launch had no right to go alongside the steamer, and it took up a most dangerous position at the bow end of the steamer, with her bow facing and almost underneath the paddles of the Weeroona . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Age’ (Melbourne) – published 4th January 1913
9th Feb 1918 → “A Woman’s Adventure – under a Steamer’s Paddle Wheel”
” . . . Don’t start the engines ; there is a woman under the paddle wheel !” shouted Senior-constable R. Brown at the Port Melbourne old railway pier on Saturday morning (says the Melbourne “Herald”).
The Weeroona was five yards from the wharf and the captain stood on the bridge with his hand on the telegraph to give the order for full speed ahead. Onlookers on the wharf, seeing the woman right beneath the wheel, which in a moment would be set in motion, stood horror-stricken and women screamed. For a second the captain hesitated with his hand upon the indicator, as if he did not understand the cause of the shouting. Then he raised his hand as a signal that he had heard, and a tragedy was averted. A sailor helped the woman on board, and the wheels thrashed the water into foam as the Weeroona got under way.
Chartered by the Gas workers’ Society, the Weeroona had 1927 excursionists on board, and there were 400 disappointed intending passengers left behind. With the band playing and flags fluttering, the vessel presented such a pleasing aspect, however, that some of those who were left behind decided to make a final effort to get aboard.
Before they could be intercepted, a party of 14 men and six women made for the side of the pier and made flying leaps for the sponson, the platform which runs fore and aft of the paddle box. It was a 5 ft leap, but they all landed safely, with the exception of a woman, who fell into the water immediately beneath the paddle wheel.
When she was hauled out of the water she looked thoroughly dejected, but as the vessel was under way she had to continue the voyage . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Barrier Miner’ (Broken Hill) – published 13th February 1918
16th Apr 1936 → the PS ‘Weeroona’ ran aground:
” . . . The bay excursion paddle steamer, Weeroona, went aground at Port Melbourne today as she was being turned between Station and Town Piers before being tied up for the winter. The vessel is berthed with her bow to sea in winter to alleviate any buffeting she may receive from westerly gales. At 7.30 a.m. today she was backed from Station Pier, where she berthed last night at the conclusion of this season’s run. The boat swung in an eliptical course toward Town Pier and the bow caught on a sand bank. The tide was ebbing quickly. Ropes were thrown on to Town Pier, and with a powerful launch pushing the bow, and the ships’s winches pulling on the stern ropes she was pulled off by 8.30 a.m. . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Riverine Herald’ Echuca – Article “Accident to Bay Steamer – Weeroona Aground” – published 16th April 1936
16th Feb 1940 → the PS ‘Weeroona’ saves stranded Officers after their R.A.A.F. Amphibian Plane caught fire and sank:
” . . . Two R.A.A.F. officers had a lucky escape in Port Phillip Bay to-day when they were picked up by the paddle steamer Weeroona after their amphibian ‘plane had caught fire and sunk.
There were squadron Leader D. A. Connelly and Pilot Officer R. H. Thompson, both of the Point Cook seaplane squadron.
The incident provided a thrill for more than 1000 trippers who were aboard the Weeroona. When they were about eight miles off Port Arlington the ship’s master, Captain G. H. Gray, saw smoke on the water. He altered his course and hove to about 100 yards from the wreckage. The ship’s boat was lowered and the two airmen, clad only in khaki shirts and shorts, were picked up.
The official report of the incident issued by the Minister for Air (Mr. Fairbairn) stated that while Squadron Leader Connelly was instructing Pilot Officer Thompson on alighting on the sea the engine caught fire. The amphibian at the time was on the water preparatory to taking off, and when they failed to overcome the flames with a fire extinguisher, they abandoned the aircraft . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Examiner’ (Launceston) – Article “R.A.A.F. Amphibian Catches Fire on Alighting – Officers Picked Up by Paddle Steamer after Plane Sinks” – published 16th February 1940
Kalgoorlie Miner (WA) – 6 Aug 1945
Aug 1943 → acquired by the US Army for WWII war service:
” . . . Manila, Aug. 5. – Bristling with guns and less one stack, the Weeroona, a paddle steamer now being used by the American forces in the Philippines, is very unlike the excursion vessel which, for more than 30 years, made picnic trips between Melbourne and Queenscliffe and Sorrento. Partly modernised, the vessel is being used as a floating hotel or staging camp for American army transport personnel, with accommodation for 365 men.
The Weeroona was commissioned the Americans in August 1943, and, after seven months’ use in Sydney, was towed to Brisbane and Milne Bay, later steaming under her own power to Hollandia. She was towed to the Philippines last February . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Kalgoorlie Miner’ – Article “Melbourne Paddle Steamer – now in use in Philippines” – published 6th August 1945
14th Nov 1945 → the PS ‘Weeroona’ arrived in Sydney following her time serving the US army:
” . . . Sydney: After having been three days adrift among reefs off the North Queensland coast, with a crew of 36, the old Melbourne paddle steamer Weeroona arrived at Sydney today.
It is understood she will be refitted to re-enter the Port Phillip Bay excursion service. The Weeroona completed her service in the US Small Ships with an exciting voyage from Manila to Sydney. The voyage lasted a month and three days. A call was made at Manus (Admiralty Islands). Because no coal was available in Manila, one boiler was converted to oil fuel, and the others were altered to take fresh water. As a result the Weeroona was towed by a US tug.
At noon on November 5, the tug broke down when a strong south-easterly wind was blowing with a heavy swell. The tug got to windward of the Weeroona, and in an effort to prevent a collision the master, Captain F. R. Meyer,m assisted by Captains C. K. Purdy and Lambert Ingram, who were taking passage with him, set a sail made from two tarpaulins. Captain Meyer tried to make the Weeroona drift faster than the tug. However, the tug hit the ship and damaged the starboard side. The bulwarks of the tug then became caught under the paddlebox sponson and she was in danger of capsizing. It took three days to repair the engine-room damage, with the Weeroona wallowing in the heavy seas. The men feared she would break to pieces as they were in dangerous waters studded with reefs. However, when the damage on the tug was repaired the Weeroona was taken in tow just as she was drifting rapidly towards a reef, and was drawn to safety . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Telegraph’ Brisbane – Article “Adventurous War Job; Old Paddle Steamer Home” – published 14th November 1945
Sydney Morning Herald – 30 Jun 1950
” . . . The old Melbourne paddle-steamer Weeroona photographed on arrival in Sydney Harbour after a nightmare trip back from service with the United States small ships at Manilla. She was three days adrift among reefs off the North Queensland coast . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Townsville Daily Bulletin’ – Article “Paddle Steamer back from Pacific Service” – published 27th November 1945
1951 → the PS “Weeroona’ was scrapped . . .
Additional Resources: Websites: ‘The Clyde Built Ships’
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