Paddle Steamer Enterprise

Enterprise in motion

The Paddle Steamer Enterprise is the largest working exhibit at the National Museum. Launched more than 130 years ago, she is one of oldest working paddle steamers in the world.

As part of the Museum's collection, the Enterprise illustrates the paddle steamer's role in Australia's history to many thousands of visitors each year. Its story is also being preserved for future generations.

History of the PS Enterprise

The Enterprise has worked as a cargo ship, floating store, fishing vessel, houseboat and showboat.

Launched in 1878, the Enterprise was built in Echuca of river red gums. These trees, which once lined the Murray River, provided a ready source of hardwood for both building and powering paddle steamers. The tannin from a handful of eucalyptus leaves thrown into the boiler also prevented the interior walls from corroding.

The Enterprise is known as a 'shallow drafter', because there is very little of it sitting below the water line — a mere 75 centimetres. This made it suitable for dealing with the varying water levels of the river system. In 1879 it managed to steam through the year, despite falling water levels.

View the PS Enterprise's Certificate of British Registry (PDF 4mb)
Shows a detailed history of ownership from 1878 to 1973

View the PS Enterprise's specifications and statistics (PDF 14kb)

Life on board the Enterprise

In years gone by paddle steamers were home to many families, including the Creagers. Augustus Creager bought the PS Enterprise in 1919 and raised his young family on board while working as a fisherman. From the 1930s he was assisted by his wife Hilda, who was one of the few women at the time to hold a commercial fishing licence.

Over the years a number of adjustments were made to the boat, including the building of a new galley with a wood stove and a new master bedroom. The steam hose from the boiler was used to heat water drawn straight from the river for bathing, washing and cleaning the decks.

Growing up on a boat

Many aspects of life for the Creager children would have been different to a childhood spent on land. Imagine having to walk on a gangplank instead of a footpath to reach your front door.

Living on the water did have its hazards for the Creager children. As toddlers, each of them fell overboard at least once. Mrs Creager displayed great calm and presence of mind by watching the trail of bubbles from the child and reaching into the water to rescue her offspring when he or she came to the surface!

Although the family lived on the boat, it was moored for most of the time. This allowed the children to attend school, and Augustus to maintain a shed on the bank for his motor vehicles and tools. The Creagers also had a vegetable garden and a goat for milk.

The spirit of Enterprise

The 1970s saw renewed interest in steamboats and their history. In 1973 enthusiasts Graeme Niehus and his father Bru restored the PS Enterprise and steamed her on the Murray. They quickly found others who shared their passion and, later that year, held steamboat races at Echuca with fellow boat owners.

To fund the Enterprise's trip from Lake Alexandrina to Echuca, commemorative bottles of wine from Angove wineries were sold along the way. The Enterprise was pitted against the PS Etona, which won the race by five boat lengths.

Still steamin'

In 1984 the PS Enterprise was acquired by the National Museum of Australia. It was restored in Echuca, before being moved to its new home on Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra. Some people argue that the paddle steamer should be returned to the Murray–Darling river system to maintain its historical connection to place. However, it serves an important role at the Museum.

Since its arrival at the Museum, the Enterprise has carried not just its working crew but a number of special guests. Some of these include:

• Governor General Bill Hayden and his wife Dallas in 1989
• Paul Keating as Federal Treasurer in 1989
• Steve Ashton and Howard Raggatt of Ashton Raggatt McDougall, the architectural firm responsible for design of the Museum's Acton building
• Peter Pigott, the author of the Pigott Report, which played a significant role in the Museum's development.

A unique role bestowed upon the Enterprise came about in 1993, as part of the Royal Australian Navy Maritime Pageant. The Enterprise was recommissioned as HMA PS Enterprise for 4 December 1993 only and was given permission to fly the Navy's White Ensign for the day. To mark the occasion, the Museum's plucky paddle steamer carried as guests the then Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral MacDonald, then Governor General Bill Hayden and then Chief of Defence Force, Admiral Beaumont.

Paddle steaming collection

The National Museum holds various objects associated with the PS Enterprise and the broader history of paddle steaming in Australia.

This includes early river charts, hand-drawn by captions as they travelled along waterways. The charts were typically drawn on starch-filled linen. The starch made the fabric rigid and easier to draw on. Some charts were more than a metre long and were rolled at both ends, allowing only the relevant section to be viewed at a time.

Apart from the Enterprise vessel, the Museum holds hundreds of items linked to the steamer and the Creagher family. The acetylene lamp pictured was used from around the early 1900s to the 1920s and worked by burning the acetylene gas created when water dripped onto calcium carbide blocks. Lamps allowed steamers to travel at night as their broad beams of light illuminated banks and the river.

The volunteers

The Enterprise is staffed by a dedicated crew of Museum volunteers. They ensure the ship is maintained in good working order and that the valuable skills of a bygone era are preserved.

These passionate volunteers dedicate more than 2500 hours of their time each year to maintain the Enterprise.

To qualify as a Master of the PS Enterprise, volunteer crew members must undertake training and show competency in topics including manoeuvring, water navigation rules, vessel stability and hydro-dynamics, machinery, radio procedures, weather (including local effects), first aid and emergency actions.

Canberra home

The Enterprise is permanently moored outside the National Museum on Lake Burley Griffin. The ship is open for inspection each weekend from September to May, normally from 11 am – 3 pm subject to crew availability and weather.

Check the Museum's online calendar for details.

Note: due to lowered lake levels we have cancelled inspections and steamings until further notice.

Australian paddle steaming history

When Captain Charles Sturt first explored the Murray–Darling River in 1830 it was immediately obvious that this inland river system had the potential to open up Australia.

Government officials and pastoralists were inspired by the use of the Mississippi River in America as a water highway for paddle steamers, and thought the same might work in Australia.

River travel allowed traders to transport perishable goods to pastoralists on inland properties. In turn, pastoralists could ship their valuable wool clips to ocean ports for export to the mills of England much faster by river. Before the evolution of steam transport, goods and produce were moved by road, using bullocks and wagons. This was slow and arduous, especially at river crossings. If no punts were available, stock often had to be swum across the river and vehicles floated on casks.

Full steam ahead

The first paddle steamer to successfully ply the Murray–Darling River was the PS Mary Ann in 1853. Within a few years paddle steamers had become commonplace, giving rise to a booming industry based on river trade. Towns such as Mannum, Goolwa, Wentworth and Morgan thrived as ports on the river highway.

However, it was Echuca, with its 1200-metre wharf, that became the undisputed river capital. In 1864 a rail link was established from Echuca to Melbourne. This made Echuca the preferred destination of river trade because goods could reach their destination even faster.

At the same time, the paddle steamer industry was becoming more regulated and organised. Shipmasters now had to pass a test for certification, and the clearing of snags in the river made navigation much easier.

Steaming society

Paddle steamers filled a number of roles on the river. Many towed barges laden with wool, while others served as trading ships. These carried fresh produce, mail and other goods, such as building materials and occasionally even musical instruments, to people living by the river. Paddle steamers also brought news from faraway cities and towns, and their arrival helped ease the tedium of an isolated existence on the land.

The PS Etona provided for the spiritual needs of the river communities, plying South Australian waters from 1899 to 1915. It carried a minister who performed weddings, christenings and religious services, and also had an altar and organ on board.

The improved road and rail systems of the twentieth century largely ended the use of paddle steamers for freight. However, they continued to be used on the Murray–Darling river system as fishing vessels, houseboats and for tourist cruises.

More

Collection database record