Conference Paper

Author

Cook, Bob

Title

Restoration of steamship William the Fourth : past to the future of a historic replica

In

From the Past to the Future: 18th Australian Engineering Heritage Conference 2015 [Newcastle]

Imprint

Engineers Australia, Barton, Australian Capital Territory, 2015, pp. 226-230

ISBN/ISSN

9781922107435

Url

https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.697194015983800

Abstract

William the Fourth was constructed in 1831 as a revolution in transport for the colony at Sydney. It was the first Australian-built combined sailing ship and coal-fired paddle steamer built for the coastal trade to the growing settlements up and down the coast. It operated successfully till 1861 when it was sold and sailed to Hong Kong.

In 1984 a local group conceived construction, near the location of the original ship's construction, of a faithful fully operational replica as a bi-centenary project. With $1.5million of bi-centenary and public funding the paddle-steamer participated in Australia Day celebrations on Sydney Harbour on 26 January 1988. A shortfall of funding by the community owned vessel resulted in the replica being transferred into joint ownership by Newcastle and Port Stephens Councils in 1991. The replica ship operated in Newcastle and other sheltered waters on the NSW coast for 14 years until a boiler tube failure put it out of service in 2001.

After considerable debate and due to extent of work required Council decided to dismantle and dispose of the ship.

A group of long-term volunteers decided that it could be fully restored and with diesel propulsion added the ship could operate successfully as part of the new waterside Maritime Museum. After several years of negotiation Council transferred ownership to 'William the Fourth Inc.' in 2008. This community group has slowly raised $180,000 of cash and over $300,000 of in-kind support to bring the ship into operation again under diesel power.

The 3-year restoration including installation of turbo-charged diesel in addition to the existing steam machinery will take it from the past to a new future.

Related Published resources

isPartOf

• From the Past to the Future: 18th Australian Engineering Heritage Conference 2015 [Newcastle] (Barton, Australian Capital Territory: Engineers Australia, 2015), 230 pp, https://search.informit.org/doi/book/10.3316/informit.9781922107435. Details