ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net

With Reuben Goossens

Maritime Historian

“Save the MV Baragoola Campaign”

Originally built as a Steamer but converted into a Motor Vessel between 1958-61

“News Updates” are at the bottom of the page

Sydney to Manly Ferry MV Baragoola arriving at her berth and has her forward engines working to come to a halt

Photo National Library of Australia

It may be unusual for ssMaritime to commence a campaign to save an 87 year old Ocean going Sydney to Manly Ferry the MV Baragoola. However, having lived in Glebe, being central Sydney, I have spent a great deal of time on the many Sydney ferries including back in the “old days” the MV Baragoola. I know that she has been laid up for a very long time and the authorities certainly have not been of any assistance with giving her a suitable berth for the purpose she was purchased for by a private person who had the world’s best intensions! But you will learn more about that later down this page.

Today this remarkable vessel could be in danger and Australian’s who respect and love our rich maritime history must ensure that the MV Baragoola is obtained and kept safe for our future generations. At the bottom of this page (which coverers her history) I have placed a few ideas of what we can and should do with her, but right now, we need men and women with a vision to come forward with ideas and the funds to obtain her that we may ensure he a future with the idea of restoring this remarkable and historic vessel for our pleasure and that of our future generations!

Please note: I am grateful to a number sites including the Save the Baragoola & information site and others. Much of the information that I show on this page has been gleaned from these wonderful sources and I have even used the format from one as I wished to get this page up and running ad soon as possible. However, I have rewritten and added information myself and that obtained elsewhere. Credits are shown at the bottom of the page. However, I suggest that if you are interested in assisting in saving this most important piece of Sydney maritime ferry history that you visit: www.savethebaragoola.com and support that work to the fullest!

Building the Steamer Baragoola

She was the last of a series of six ferries which were designed by the Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Co. Ltd., and was built in Australia by Mort’s Dock and Engineering Co. Ltd in Woolwich, NSW who also built her engines. Significantly the Baragoola would be the last Manly (ocean going) ferry constructed in Australia for the next 62 years. For interest “Baragoola” is an Aboriginal word meaning “Flood Tide.” Her five earlier sisters were the Binngarra, Burra Bra, Balgowlah, Bellubera and Barrenjoey, the latter of which was later renamed North Head.

The Baragoola was launched on February14, 1922 by a Mrs Hunter McPherson and apparently Baragoola was the eighth Manly ferry built over a period of 35 years and the 41st vessel built by Mort’s Dock and Engineering Co. Ltd. She commenced her deep sea trails on August 11, 1922.

Baragoola seen just prior to her launching

Image from Graham Andrew webpage: www.savethebaragoola.com

SS Baragoola being launched on February14, 1922 – Please Note the “G” in BARAGOOLA tends to look like a “C”

See the image below

Photo National Library of Australia

Note: the “G” of BARAGOOLA looks more like a “C”. Although if you look very closely

you can see that it is meant to be a G at the bottom of what only appears to looks like C from a distance!

As soon as she had completed her fitting out and speed trials, at which she achieved a good 15 knots, she was delivered to her owners on August 31, 1922 and she commenced services.

Engines

Baragoola's original engines were three cylinder triple-expansion steam engines, supplied and built by Mort's. They deliver 1,300 horsepower and drove her at a maximum speed of 15 knots. The steam to drive her was supplied by two boilers. As built, she was (like her sisters), a coal burner. In the 1930's an attempt was made to trial her on burning “pulverised coal.” This had the unwanted effect of covering the ferry and her passengers in coal dust and was soon abandoned. For a short time in 1939 she was converted to burn tar but was reverted back to coal as tar became too expensive during World War 2.

Historic photo - Circa 1930

Author’s collection

In December of 1958 she was returned to Mort’s to be fitted with new engines that were originally destined for one of the older ferries. Just over two years later Baragoola returned to service being powered by four brand new English Electric seven cylinder diesel electric generators driving efficient electric motors at her bow and stern. At her trials she operated at a good 17.8 knots and would have a service speed of 16 knots.

A new appearance

As built Baragoola looked identical to her elder sisters having a closed in lower deck and completely open promenade deck. However, the Baragoola became the very first of the Manly ferry fleet to have her promenade deck enclosed in 1930/31. This refit also extended the crew accommodations behind the two wheel-houses.

She is being completed from her refit in 1931

Photo G.E. Crane

Later other changes would be made during a refit and although they were minor, the most notable would be the shortening of her original slim tall funnel to a shorter and thicker funnel following receiving her diesel-electric engines in 1961.

Passenger seating on Promenade Deck forward

Photographer unknown - *See photo notes at bottom of page

A fine Postcard of the MV Baragoola

Author’s collection

Today MV Baragoola retains that same look, just as she has had for some 80 years. Baragoola was also the first Manly ferry to lose the distinctive bottle green colour scheme that had branded the fleet for nearly a century when, in 1974, she was painted in the blue and white of the PTC. The new colour scheme didn't exactly improve her looks, being described by one observer as having the look of an Italian fishing fleet.

A postcard with a photo of her taken during her blue and white years

Author’s collection

Her lower passenger deck seen in her latter years

Sent in by Jonathan Thurston of the UK, but Photographer unknown

*See photo notes at bottom of page

Specifications.

Baragoola’s number: 150182.

Built by: Mort’s Dock and Engineering Co. Ltd in Woolwich, NSW. Australia.

Launched: February 14, 1922.

Tonnage: 498 gross tons, 339 net tons.

Dimensions: Length 199.5ft - 60.45m.

Breadth: 34.Ift - 10.4m.

Draught: 12.2ft - 3.71m.

Engines original: Mort’s triple-expansion Steam. 1960 - Diesel electric.

Screws: Single - fore & aft.

Speed: Steamer: 14 Knots service/15 during trials –

Electric Motors: 16 knots service speed

Hull: Steel.

Superstructure: Wood and steel.

Passenger capacity: 1512 passengers

A Black and white study of this popular ship

Postcard – author’s collection

Baragoola’s Promenade Deck

Sydney Ferries publicity photo

Misadventures

Baragoola has mostly an uneventful life during her service on the Manly run. However, she did have the odd encounter.

On December 24, 1926 she collided with the Kosciusko just off Kirribilli Point. Baragoola sustained little damage; however the Kosciusko suffered extensive damage. Later, during the enquiry, the Marine Court found that the master of the Kosciusko had been at fault. On September 12, 1927 whilst the French 70 passenger cargo liner Ville d’ Amiens was anchored in Athol Bight and a lifeboat was being used as a tender to transfer people ashore. During one of these operations the Baragoola ran down a lifeboat. The accident threw five people from the lifeboat into the harbour, one required hospitalisation, but only for shock. Fortunately no deaths resulted from this incident.

The French Messageries Maritimes passenger cargo liner, SS Ville d’ Amiens

Author’s collection

I have been told that the Baragoola holds the dubious “record” of hitting the strangest object in the harbour when on August 28, 1934 she hit a whale. The ferry sliced into the whale & almost came to a halt due to the impact, no damage to the Baragoola, but the same could not be said of the poor whale. After the collision near the Heads, the whale swam off towards Flagstaff Point, trailing a wake of blood in its path. After being spotted following an erratic path, observers lost sight of the whale until three days later, when the carcass surfaced near Old Mans Hat. It was towed out to sea, but by evening had drifted to within a kilometre of Bondi Beach. The whale was then towed out to around five kilometres off the coast, but by next morning, it was drifting back towards The Heads. The carcass was again towed well out to sea, however, two days later it was back again on the rocks at South Head. Again, it was towed out to sea, this time nearly 18 kilometres. A report at the time had the Harbour Master saying “We'll get rid of it this time if we have to take it to New Zealand.” But next day, it was back, this time stranding at the entrance to Botany Bay. On the 5th of September, the whale was towed around 25km out to sea & finally, after 9 days, was never seen again. The whale certainly would not let Sydney forget too quickly what had been done to it!

In addition to the above, Baragoola on two occasions managed to overshoot her berth at Circular Quay during her career. Both times saw her collide with the footpath but fortunately, little to no damage was done. This is a perennial pastime for ferries; in days past the ferry was simply backed (or pulled) out and went about its business. These days if this occurs a full accident and safety investigation is held.

Times are’a’changing

In 1973 the Opera House was opened and a week later the Baragoola was nearly lost. She had just come from being refitted and she began taking on water faster than it could be pumped out. She limped into the Quay, unloaded her passengers and was rushed off to Balmain ferry workshops. Only the attentions of the local fire brigade prevented her from sinking. As it turned out, one of the Baragoola's two pumps were not working and the bilge pump could not cope with the amount of water she was taking on after springing a leak. The pumps were repaired and the split hull plates were patched up. Like most aging ferries, the Baragoola had over a dozen patches by the time she left service; however in contrast the North Head had none.

Baragoola seen near Sydney Heads in some really bad stormy seas!

A Press photo

On June 23, 1972 all ferry services to Manly were suspended due to extreme rough weather. Wind gusts of up to 100 km/h were recorded and wave heights measured 12 metres inside the Heads, which these ferries have to pass to and from Manly. Ferries returning on their last voyages during this extreme weather suffered extensive damage, with the Baragoola having seats torn out, whilst 10 metres of the South Steyne's bulwark was ripped off and windows and a door on the Bellubera were damaged and a bollard on the hydrofoil Fairlight was snapped right off. Sadly, one passenger on the Baragoola suffered head injuries. Today's Freshwater class ferries are incapable of operating in conditions like those.

During her career there were even three people who attempted to commit suicide by jumping off the Baragoola, sadly one succeeded, the other two were rescued.

She is seen here passing the Sydney Opera House towards the end of her Blue days

Postcard from the author’s collection

Her send-off

MV Baragoola operated her final service from Circular Quay to Manly on January 8, 1983. Being such as popular vessel there was a huge number of passengers on this her last trip. There were so many, that there were even people standing on the roof of the promenade deck. For this being her last official voyage, a pennant bearing the name “Baragoola” streamed from her front mast and she carried on her rear mast the house flag of the Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Company. No other Manly ferry has received the send-off as spectacular as she did. As was traditional with the Port Jackson Company vessels, she operated bow first to Manly.

Retirement

Prior to her retirement in 1983 plans were already afoot to preserve the Baragoola. As early as 1980 there was a group of Manly businessmen who had shown interest to acquire her and use her as a floating museum moored at Manly. However, as usual the Manly Chamber of Commerce opposed the plan believing that she would be an eyesore, the very vessel that served the Many community so faithfully for some 61 years and a beautiful vessel, especially once she had been refitted and restored. Just look at the superb South Steyne at Darling Harbour today, a Gem of a tourist attraction and profitable at that!

In March 1983 an offer of $100,000 was made for the ferry by a Fairlight man who wanted to turn her into a floating restaurant. This time Manly Council blocked the attempt as they didn't want something as large as the Baragoola permanently moored in Manly Cove where, they claimed, “it could obstruct the possible rebuilding of the harbour pool and be in the way of ferries and water taxi operations.”

By late 1983 she was tied up at Cockatoo Island (the same berth would later be used by North Head after her withdrawal in 1987) looking neglected. Negotiations with a group from Melbourne who wanted to use her as a floating attraction had fallen through. At the end of 1983 she was sold for $12,000 to the Eureka Education Foundation who planned to use her as Australia's first floating university. However permission was not granted for her to use public wharves and this fell through as well.

Interiors during retirement and refit

Promenade Deck

Photographer of these images is unknown - *See photo notes at bottom of page

Lower Deck

Amidships stairs

Finally in 1988 she was sold to David Ashton (Waterview Wharf Pty Ltd) and moved to Rozelle Bay. Later she was moved to Simmons Wharf, Mort's Bay. In the next fifteen years Mr Ashton spent one million dollars on refurbishing her until Baragoola was evicted from her home following the demolition of her berth. The demolition also damaged her hull.

On January 17, 2003 she was moved to the Balls Head Coal Loader at Berry's Bay. Mr Ashton stated in an interview that he has abandoned his plans for her, blaming the bureaucrats and damage to the hull during the wharf’s demolition in 2003.

“People ask me every day what's happening with it,” he said. “I haven't been across there in two years. It upsets me too much. I haven't got the strength any more. I will just leave it there.” Sydney Morning Herald June 23, 2006.

Heritage value

Baragoola is heritage listed; the following quote is from the heritage report that can be found here.

“M.V. Baragoola provides rare evidence of the large ferry system which stimulated the growth of suburban Sydney, the development of its recreational patterns and the formation of its popular urban culture. It is a surviving example of a characteristic twentieth century Manly steamer demonstrating evolution of technology for fast double-ended navigation in deep-sea conditions. The fabric demonstrates the changing nature of service over the period, 1922-1983. The machinery technology is unique in the Australian shipping industry. It is an extremely rare surviving example of ship construction by Mort's Dock & Engineering Co. Ltd. Superstructure in good repair, but hull requires replating and stabilisation.”

Save the MV Baragoola!

However, I have been advised that there have are signs that there she could once be resold with the removal of the preservation order in sight, and thus she would be in danger of being scrapped.

One of the major problems in this country of Australia is the sheer lack of pride in our own maritime history and councils and harbour authorities, the no brain bureaucrats, just do not understand that we need to retain precious memories like the Baragoola alive and if at all possible in an operational condition.

I have been involved in saving a 95 year old passenger ship that was recorded as being officially “the oldest fully operational motor passenger ship sailing the seas”, but now she will become a hotel and tourist venture in Singapore.

I believe that should a group would come together and take on the MV Baragoola and have her restored 1. As a museum. 2. Tourist attraction. 3. Café/Restaurant. 4. But also ensure that she is available for charters and can sail, be it Harbour cruises or deep sea voyages, let’s say; to and from Wollongong, etc. PLEASE NOTE: This has now been achieved - and preservation work is ready to commence!

MV BARAGOOLA NEWS UPDATES

May 2010: She is now under the ownership of Baragoola Preservation Association and they are actively raising funds to restore this superb vessel to her original condition.

I need tour help – PLEASE read this page NOW!

Please join the “Save the Baragoola Campaign” - I suggest that if you are interested in assisting in saving this most vital piece of maritime/ferry history that you visit: www.savethebaragoola.com and support this important work to the fullest!

Also view the following YouTube items: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZHi9xCvHdY – 5 minute slide presentation of her history.

Also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MvQPv4VSbI&feature=related – 3.21 minute film of Baragoola laid up in Sydney.

***********************

Previous News Items: (Just for interest)

November 2009: I am told that there are certain ownership issues that are currently being worked out. In addition, it turns out that the Baragoola has to be relocated somewhere but obviously she needs to remain close to Sydney, which is vital!

November 26, 2008: Grays Online held a worldwide online auction with a starting bid of just A$9.00 with no reserve on November 17, 2008. The auction concluded on the 24thjwhith the ferry being sold to an unidentified man from Port Stephens in Central NSW, who claims he wishes to restore her and make her operational again for whale watching purposes. He purchased her for $25,009. However, many have concerns that he desires to have the heritage listing removed and sell her to the breakers for profit.

April 15, 2009: Apparently Baragoola has been on eBay and her starting price is A$55,000, that is some profit considering that she was purchased for just $24,009 last November. However as the auction ends on the 1thjat 22:42:10 Australia Eastern Standard Time and there has been no bidders, I doubt that anyone will be stupid enough to spend that much on her, for he would stand to make a $30,000 profit, less any expenses that he may have had. However, on the listing it states that she is located at Anna Bay, yet we all know that she is at North Head, thus is this really the owner? I have sent a report to eBay on the basis of incorrect information re her location and the lack of her condition.

April 16: I sent the owner an email regarding its condition and he stated in regard to my statement that he had not disclosed her leakage and the extraordinary high price – “leaks like a sift & I can put any price on it I want.” I also reported her to eBay as the listing had the wrong location and there was a lack of detail in regard to her condition. However, not even a fool would bid on her, considering, yu would have to inspect her personally, and certainly not but a vessel like this unseen from eBay. We are dealing with a sad amateur here and they are the most dangerous in the long term, for they will not have the vessel’s future at heart!

MV Baragoola at Circular Quay and P&O’s SS Oriana at the Passenger Terminal

Postcard – author’s collection

Special thank you to Graham Andrew’s www.savethebaragoola.com for some of the layout and information

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Photographs on ssmaritime and associate pages are: 1. By the author. 2. From the author’s private collection. 3. As provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers or collectors. Credit is given to all contributors. However, there are photographs provided to me without details provided regarding the photographer concerned. I hereby invite if owners of these images would be so kind to make them-selves known to me, that due credit may be given. I know what it is like, I have seen a multitude of my own photographs on other sites, yet they either refuse to give me credit and even refuse to remove them, knowing full well that there is no legal comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us show the charlatans up and do the right thing at all times and give credit where credit is due! Note: I do not credit those who send me photos as they are not the owners of the photographs concerned, unless the image is part of their private collection.

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