Paddle Steamer Enterprise

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 transported 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.

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 there 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.

National Museum of Australia. Photo: Lannon Harley.

Mapping waterways

River charts were hand-drawn by boat captains as they travelled the Murray–Darling river system. The charts were typically drawn on starch-filled linen, the starch making 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.

Image at right: Part of navigational chart of the Murray River from Wentworth to above Danger Island 1885 made by WA Cramsie of the PS Pearl.

The chapel on the PS Etona about 1900. Courtesy: State Library of South Australia SLSA: PRG 1258/1/1047

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.

Launched in 1878, the PS 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 the 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 whole year, despite falling water levels.

Bottle of Angove' s 'Riverboat Red' 1973. National Museum of Australia. Photo: Lannon Harley.

In its time, the Enterprise has worked as a cargo ship, floating store, fishing vessel, houseboat and showboat. During the 1970s it competed with other 100-year-old paddle steamers in a series of popular races on the Murray River.

View the PS Enterprise's Certificate of British Registry (PDF 4mb).

The certificate shows a detailed history of the paddle steamer's ownership from 1878 to 1973. National Museum of Australia.

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 steamboat 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.

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.

Young Jocelyn and Ken Creager at home on the PS Enterprise at its Rufus River moorings about 1933. National Museum of Australia, Creager Family Collection.

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.

Commode used on the PS Enterprise 1920s made by Augustus Creager. National Museum of Australia. Photo: Lannon Harley.

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 goat for milk and a vegetable garden.

Toilet training 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. However, there was no escaping the usual rites of childhood.

This homemade commode, or 'potty', was used by the Creagers to toilet train the children while living on the Enterprise.

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 Grifin 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.

Acetylene lamp from the PS Enterprise about 1910. National Museum of Australia. Photo: Lannon Harley.

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, and its story will be preserved for the benefit of future generations.

The Enterprise is the largest working exhibit at the National Museum, and at 130 years of age is one of oldest working paddle steamers in the world. It is staffed by a dedicated crew of Museum volunteers, who ensure the ship is maintained in good working order and preserve the valuable skills of a bygone era.

A shining light

Paddle steamers used lamps to enable travel at night. Acetylene lamps like this one from the Enterprise were used on paddle steamers from around the early 1900s to the 1920s. These lamps burn the acetylene gas that is created when water is dripped onto calcium carbide blocks. They were ideal for navigating rivers at night as their broad beams of light illuminated river banks as well as the river.

Education resources

Explore flash interactives on the PS Enterprise to find out about how the Enterprise was built and its purpose. Produced in conjunction with The Learning Federation.

Type: Flash interactive
Years: 2–6

Publications

PS Enterprise, by John Clark and David Wardle, August 2003

River Boy, by Anthony Hill, July 2006