| Type : |
Steel screw steamer |
| Launched : |
17/06/1908 |
| Builder : |
Mort's Dock Woolwich, NSW |
| Gross : |
442 tons |
| Dimensions : |
59.00 x 9.00 x 3.25 (metres) |
| Passenger capacity : |
1448 |
| Speed : |
13 knots |
Burra Bra
was the second of the 'Binngarra'
type Manly
ferries built for the Port Jackson company.
Built by Mort's Dockyard and Engineering Company at Woolwich, her yard
number
was 33. She ran her engineer's trials on 26th October 1908 following
her
fitting out.
She was launched on the 17th of June, 1908 and was the biggest steamer
on the
harbour at the time with a length of 59 metres.
Identical machinery to Binngarra's
was fitted - a set of triple expansion steam
engines, with two steel navy type boilers and a single donkey boiler.
She was
fitted with electric lights, automatic pumps and an electric telegraph.
She ran at a respectable 14 knots on her trials (some sources say 13.5
knots);
in service this was rarely achieved with 13 knots being her usual
speed. She
was also the largest capacity vessel at the time of her launch, capable
of
carrying 1448 passengers in fair weather.
Like her earlier sister and the four following ones, she had an open
top deck.
At the time she was built, she was amongst the largest vessels
constructed in
In service at the time of her launch, her running mates were
Like other steamers, as well as carrying passengers on regular commuter
and
excursion trips, she also had other roles. The newspapers of the day
carry
advertisements for Burra Bra
hosting concerts, orchestras, military bands and
similar. Later in her life she would star as the flagship of the
Catholic Eucharistic
Congress. In 1928, she was painted white, festooned with flags and had
two
large crosses fixed to her sides. She was used to take crowds to the
Eucharistic Congress being held at St Patrick's College in Manly. At
her bow
she carried the Sacred Host on a small altar. The following day, she
was back
in service in her usual Port Jackson colours.
Burra Bra was not immune to
the every day mishaps that occurred to ferries on
the harbour; her first mishap happened on the 12/3/1910 when she ran
afoul of
military searchlights between the heads during rough weather. The
lights
blinded the captain who slowed the vessel in the rough seas -
passengers
described the trip as quite frightening with waves crashing over the
ferry and
little headway being made. However, the Manly company described it as a
"minor mishap". On the 30th of October the following year she broke
down whilst crossing the heads due to a valve fracture. Bellubera took aboard
her passengers in calm conditions and took her under tow. The event was
described by passengers as 'exciting'. On this occassion the vessel was
repaired within half an hour and went back into service for her next
scheduled
run.
In April 1912 during heavy weather off Middle Head she rescued two men
after
their sailing boat capsized and sunk.
Her only serious accident occurred on the evening of 19th July 1923
when her
engines failed approaching Manly wharf. She continued on and ran ashore
causing
general consternation amongst passengers. All 400 passengers were taken
off via
the rear deck after the stern was winched in towards the wharf. All 400
passengers on board went off via a plank and had cleared the boat
within 15
minutes. After determining that there was no damage, Burra Bra was hauled out
by Barrenjoey.
Other incidents included a tangle with the Governor-General's launch 'Express'
in 1922 and a removal from service for repairs in June 1923 after being
hit by
heavy seas and sustaining damag. In late December 1928 she slammed into
the seawall at
Circular Quay (a perennial favourite for ferries) dislodging the stone
wall,
buckling the footpath and destroying the iron railing - no damage was
done to
the Burra Bra, testament to
the strength of the Manly vessels.
She acted in the role of flagship for several of the Head of the River
events
(eventually Bellubera
replaced her in this role and she was simply another
spectator boat). As well, in 1929 she was flagship for the annual
Pittwater
Regatta, carrying passengers from the harbour to the river for the
event.
By the early 30's she was starting to wear out and ever-increasing was
being
used for events (regattas, concerts etc.) rather than as a commuter
vessel. By
this time the company had three new vessels (Baragoola, Curl Curl and Dee Why)
and the usefulness of the older Burra
Bra was in question. In 1930 her older
sister, Binngarra, had
already been retired and the writing was on the wall. By
1937 the company was actively seeking a buyer for the vessel, but with
the
Great Depression in full swing, no interest was generated. Withdrawn
from
service, she was used as a spare boat with an uncertain future and
finally
withdrawn from service in 1940. Then, in November of 1942, she was
requisitioned by the Royal Australian Navy (and ultimately bought
outright).
Heavily modified, she operated in a target and training role. Burra Bra was
taken to the shipyards of Poole & Steel Ltd.,
However, she was to gain a further lease on life as she was deemed
useful to
supply steam to vessels under refit. She was towed around the harbour
and
secured to the vessel needing steam.
The end was not far off though, in November 1947 she was offered for
sale by
auction and was sold to Stride's, a scrap metal dealer. Scrapping
commenced in
1950 and proceeded haphazardly for several years, finally being
completed in
the late 1950's.