Marlo was once a very busy port. Goods needed by the early settlers were carted by sea-going vessels to Marlo. At the Marlo wharf goods were unloaded from the large vessels onto barges and towed by paddle steamers to Orbost. (information - In Times Gone By - Deborah Hall) The vessel on the right hand side is possibly the Curlip.This is a pictorial record of Marlo when it was a busy port.A black / white photograph of boats in the shipping channel at Marlo. Most appear to be sailing boats. In the background on a hill above the water is a large building.on back - view at Marlo in 1898 Xmasmarlo shipping transport

This is a ticket for one adult to cruise on the P.S.Curlip 11 which operated from the Brodribb Jetty in Marlo.from 2007 - 2015. "Paddle Steamer Curlip, a 62 feet long, traditional, plank on frame carved timber vessel, that was built by the people of East Gippsland at Orbost, in far Eastern Victoria. The undertaking to design and build this vessel, as a community project commenced in 2002. The community, based around Orbost was largely dependant on the Timber industry in the surrounding Victorian High Country. With the closure of Alpine logging and the creation of vast National Parks, the people of the region needed to create a major undertaking to bond the community and engender… a sense of belonging, this was critical for many of the men, who were dispossessed with the loss of their historical timber and forestry industry." (Information from website: https://www.curlip.com.au/) The Paddle Steamer Curlip 11 is a reproduction of the historic Curlip a small paddle steamer built by Samuel Richardson and his sons at his Tabbara sawmill near Orbost. It helped open up the region in the 1880’s before road or rail, serviced East Gippsland. Much work is being done to restore the Curlip 11 so that it can begin again as a tourist cruise boat.The P.S.Curlip 11 is Victoria's only Paddle Steamer. It was a community project involving many Orbost peolpe.A rectangular, white paper ticket with black print. In red is No. 1297 and the date and cruise time are hand-written in blue pen. ttached to the back of the ticket is a printed receipt.paddle-steamer-curlip 11 tourism-orbost

Shows the extent of the River trade in the Murray Darling River basin in the early 20th Century.Helps show the extent of river trade in the Riverland area of South Australia in the early 20th Century.Copy of an original photograph of a wharf scene with moored river boats. possibly of Morgan c. 1900.Written on back in pencil."boats tied up at Morgan-?"murray river, paddle steamers, river boats, morgan. south australia., riverland

Details of P. S. Queen: construction: composite 16 h.p. Registered tonnage: gross 128, net 92. Dimensions:L.103.3 ft B.18.5ft. D 5.7ft. Port and date of registry:Adelaide, 1880, no.43, 154. Built at Goolwa, S.A., 1865!. Owner: Chas Oliver. Lengthened in 1872. Details of barge Bourke. Construction:wood. Tonnage: 124. Dimensions:L 108.5 ft X B 20.5 ft X D 8.0 ft. Port and date of registry:Adelaide, 1898, no. 74, 771. built at: Miland, S. A. 1876. Owner: A. L. Land seer. Information from "The register of Australian & N. Z. Shipping 1898. This photograph has historical and social significance being typical of transport on the rivers systems of Australia in the late 1800s. Paddlesteamers carried supples to settlers and then carried their produce such as Wool and other produce down the rivers to markets or to be transferred by rail to the major ports such as Melbourne or Adelaide. Black and white photograph of P. S. Queen with the barge Bourke rigged to its side. Photographed in a gorge where boats appear to be moored. Photograph taken from the bow of the Queen with 3 people visible on the port side of the boat and there appear to be sacks stacked on the front of the boat. The barge Bourke has a tent structured tarp over it. Copy of an original photograph (date unknown)Inscription in pencil on reverse:Queen. On the photograph can be seen "Queen" on the bow and partically on the wheelhouse. The barge has "Bourke" visible on its bow.p. s. queen, bourke barge, paddle steamers

This photograph shows the relaunching of the P.S Adelaide in 1984. The P.S Adelaide had sat in Hopwood Gardens since 1961 when the City of Echuca had bought the boat and returned it to Echuca. The relaunch involved digging a slipway down into the river, which this photograph shows. The paddle steamer was finally returned to the river on the 4th March 1984.This photograph is significant because it shows the P.SAdelaide being returned to the river after sitting in the Hopwood Gardens as a stationary exhibit . The P.S Adelaide is only one of two of the oldest known wooden hulled paddle steamers still operating in the world. The P.S Adelaide was the first paddle steamer bought by the City of Echuca. The P.S Adelaide celebrated her 150th birthday in 2016. This photograph relates to a series of images; P000060.3, P000061.3, P000062.2, P000063.3, P000070.2, P000071.A coloured rectangular photograph of the P.S Adelaide being relaunched from Hopwood Gardens into the Murray River. The P.SAdelaide is being towed along earth ramp with logs beneath her and spectators line the banks on each side of the paddle steamer.Written on the back in pen on P000059.3 are the words 'Belongs in Archives. Refloating Adelaide. On the boat in the photograph the name Adelaide can be seen.p.s adelaide, hopwood gardens, murray river-echuca, paddlesteamers

The P.S Adelaide had been displayed in the Hopwood Gardens from 1960. In 1984 The City of Echuca decided to put the paddle steamer back in the river. This happened over several weeks and involved digging a boat ramp into the bank in front of the Hopwood Gardens. This involved a lot of skill and people. It also attracted a lot of attention. Crowds gathered every day to watch the task. In this photograph the P.S Pevensey in the foreground still has the name P.S Philadelphia writing on its name plate. The P.S Pevensey was used in the TV Series 'All The Rivers Run', as the P.S Philadelphia. Relates to a series of images Reg. nos. P000059.3, P000061.3, P000062.2, P000063.3, P000070.2, P000071.The re-floating of the P.S Adelaide is significant because it occurred at a time when the Tourist Industry was gathering momentum in Echuca. The City of Echuca made the decision to add another paddle steamer to its fleet to carry passengers on the Murray River. The P.S Adelaide is one of the oldest, still operative wooden hulled paddle steamers in the world. It celebrated it's 150th birthday in July 2016. The re-floating of the P.S Adelaide created a lot of attention locally and regionally.A rectangular coloured photograph, and enlargement photograph, of the P.S. Adelaide being re-launched into the Murray River , on the 3rd April, 1984. The photograph is taken from the N.S.W bank with the P.S Pevensey in the foreground right corner of the photograph. The word Philadelphia can be seen faintly on the P.S Pevensey. There is a large crowd of people on the Victorian bank watching. There is a floating pontoon on the river immediately in front of the P.S Adelaide.On near boat obscured are the words Philadelphia.p.s adelaide, p.s pevensey, all the rivers run, p.s philadelphia, hopwood gardens, re-floating of the p.s adelaide.

Black and white photograph of 2 steamers moored by the river bank. The foreground steamer has 2 crew dressed in sailors uniform (band members?) There is a person standing on the lower roof section putting a case (?) into the upper floor with quite a few people up there also. There appears to be musical instruments behind the crowd. On the gangplank 2 men are wheeling a piece of equipment onto the steamer. The background steamer is the P. S. Canberra, also moored to the bank and unloading. There is a row boat in the middle of the river with 4 rowers and a standing cox.This appears to be a navel band getting ready for a cruise on the river, a social event that often happens in the Echuca area. On the other side of the river can be seen a "Caltex" sign and a couple of caravans parked between the trees. This could have been part of a river festival.Black and white photograph of 2 steamers moored by the river bank. The background steamer is the P. S. Canberra. The foreground steamer has crew dressed in sailors' uniforms (band members?). There is a person standing on the lower roof section putting a case (?) into the upper floor with quite a few people up there also. There appears to be musical instruments behind the crowd. On the gangplank 2 men are wheeling a piece of equipment onto the steamer. There is a row boat in the middle of the river with 4 rowers and a standing cox.The steamer in the background is marked "Canberra". In pencil on the back is marked P000102.paddle steamers, p.s.canberra

Adelaide had been displayed in the Hopwood Gardens from 1960. In 1984 The City of Echuca decided to put the paddle steamer back in the river. This happened over several weeks and involved digging a boat ramp into the bank in front of the Hopwood Gardens. This involved a lot of skill and people. It also attracted a lot of attention. Crowds gathered every day to watch the task. In this photograph the P.S Pevensey in the foreground still has the name P.S Philadelphia writing on its name plate. The P.S Pevensey was used in the TV Series 'All The Rivers Run', as the P.S Philadelphia. Relates to a series of images Reg. nos. P000059.3, P000061.3, P000062.2, P000063.3, P000070.2, P000071. Statement of Significance The re-floating of the P.S Adelaide is significant because it occurred at a time when the Tourist Industry was gathering momentum in Echuca. The City of Echuca made the decision to add another paddle steamer to its fleet to carry passengers on the Murray River. The P.S Adelaide is one of the oldest, still operative wooden hulled paddle steamers in the world. It celebrated it's 150th birthday in July 2016. The re-floating of the P.S Adelaide created a lot of attention locally and regionally.A colour negative, photograph and enlargement of the re-launching of the P.S Adelaide in 1984. In the photograph the P.S Adelaide is situated in the river after just being launched down the slipway from Hopwood Gardens. There is a crowd of people standing on the bank behind the paddle steamer, bathed in late afternoon sunlight.The paddle steamer has the word Adelaide written across the wheelhouse, and on the front port side of it's hull.p.s adelaide, p.s pevensey, all the rivers run, p.s philadelphia, hopwood gardens, re-launch of the p.s adelaide

The P.S Adelaide was re-launched back into the Murray River from the Hopwood Gardens where it had been on display from 1960 in April 1984. The re-launch attracted a lot of attention and took several weeks to achieve. A slipway had to be dug into the bank near Paddlewheel Park. Crowds attended each day. The P.S Pevensy was still bearing the name P.S Philadelphia from it's role in the TV Mini series "All The Rivers Run". In this photo the P.S Philadelphia is welcoming the P.S Adelaide back into the river.This photograph is significant because it shows the re-launch of the P.S Adelaide back into the Murray river. The P.S Adelaide is the second oldest wooden hulled paddle steamer still operating I the world. It also shows the role that P.S Pevensy played in the TV mini series, 'All The Rivers Run." This photograph and negative are related to images P000059.3, P000060.3, P000061.3, P000062.2, P000063.3, P000070.2, P000071.Colour photograph and negative of the P.S Adelaide re-floating in the river, obscured by the P.S Pevensey (with the name Philadelphia written across the wheel house). P.S Pevensy played the part of P.S Philadelphia in the TV mini series 'All The Rivers Run' in 1984. There is a crowd of spectators on the bank. A spectator boat and possibly a pontoon flank the boats.The names of the boats; Adelaide and Philadelphia can be seen written on the boats.p.s philadelphia, p.s pevensey, hopwood gardens, p.s adelaide, all the rivers run

These photographs and negative show the P. S. Adelaide travelling from Paddlewheel Park up to the Echcua wharf, immediately after being re-launched into the Murray River on 03/04/1984. The P.S.Adelaide had been displayed in the Hopwood Gardens, as a static display since 1960. The P.S Adelaide is the second oldest wooden hulled paddle steamer, still operative, in the world. The P.S Pevensey is leading the way up to the wharf, and an unknown smaller paddle steamer follows behind. This photograph is significant because it shows the P.S Adelaide back in the Murray River after 24 years as a static display in the Hopwood Gardens. The P.S Adelaide is the second oldest wooden hulled paddle steamer, still operative in the world. In July 2016 it celebrated its 150th birthday. These images relate to P000059.3, P000060.3, P000061.3, P000062.2, P000063.3, P000070.2, P000071.Colour negative and two different sized photographs showing three paddle steamers travelling upstream towards the Echcua Wharf. There is a small unidentifiable paddle steamer in the foreground. The P.S Adelaide is sailing between the other two paddle steamers. The P.S Pevensey is in the background. The P.S Murray Queen is in the foreground. All three boats are heading towards the wharf, immediately after the re-launch of the P.S Adelaide from the Hopwood Gardens, back into the Murray River on 03/04/1984.p.s pevensey, p.s adelaide, p.s philadelphia, echcua wharf, p.s murray queen

These paddle steamers were accompanying the P.S Adelaide back to the Echuca Wharf after being re-launched on 03/04/1984. The P.S Adelaide had been displayed in the Hopwood Gardens since 1960, and the City of Echuca Mande a decision to launch the paddle steamer back into the river to be used as a working tourist attraction. This photograph relates to P000059.3, P000060.3, P000061.3, P000062.2, P000063.3, P000071.This photograph is significant as it shows the state of the Echuca Wharf in 1984. It also shows the state of the P.S Adealide after sitting idle for so many years. In 1984, the Tourism Industry was still developing in the Echuca region.Colour photograph and negative showing the P.S Adelaide heading upstream towards the Echuca Wharf, after being re-launched on 03/04/1984. The P.S Pevensey, the P.S Emmylou and P.S Etona can also be seen.On boat Pevensy, is obscured.p.s adelaide, hopwood gardens, p.s emmylou, echuca wharf

The paddle steamer P. S Pevensy appears to still be a working steamer in this photograph. The boat seems a bit dishevelled and the workers are doing repairs on her, while she is still steaming up the river. If this photograph was taken in 1950, that would have been well before the development of the Tourism Industry in the Murray Darling area. This would explain the number of workers and the fact that they were doing maintenance while the Paddle Steamer was still working. She does not appear to be towing a barge, but a large tarpaulin could be covering a load for transport. This picture holds significance because it shows a paddle steamer in use before the Tourism Industry had developed in the Murray Darling region. The paddle steamer which now carries passengers every day has been renovated to cater for passengers cruising up and down the river. Here is this photograph the P.S Pevensy looks a bit dishevelled and untidy.This is a black and white rectangular photograph of the P.S Pevensey. Four people can be seen painting the wall of the cabins on the upper deck. A person can also be seen kneeling on the back deck working on something lying on the back deck. A wooden boat is nearby, also on the back deck. The boat is steaming and appears to be moving upstream. There is along pole at a 45 degree angle attached to the very front of the paddle steamer.On the front of the photograph written on the paddle steamer can't be seen the words "PEVENSEY. Melbourne." Written on the back of the photograph in lead pencil " M4414-17. K4". p.s pevensey, paddle steamers

P. S. Marion Dimensions: 107 ft 11 in X 5 ft 3 in Tonnage: 157 tons Built: 1897, at Milang, S. A. References: Book: "Murray River Paddlesteamers" by D. Wardle. pp.22 Riverboats and Rivermen by W. Drake & M. PagePaddlesteamers were a common form of transport along the Murray river in the early 20th century. This photo shows a number of travellers on the boat, judging by their attire, workmen, cook, men in suits and ties as well as a group of people sitting on the bank, possible a woman and children with dog waiting for the boat to depart. There is also a horse drawn wagon with a number of people on and around it that could be waiting to pick up goods (or have unloaded) from the boat. At the back of the boat stacks of wheat bags (?) are visible.Black and white photograph of P. S. Marion moored by a river bank. There is a group of men standing towards the bow and a horse drawn carriage on the bank near the stern. Copy of an original photograph.On the front: MARION on the bow of the boat and on the wheelhouse. On reverse, in pen: Marion. where? Stamped in black: National Library of Australia.riverboats,, paddle steamers, p. s. marion

P. S. PEVENSEY: Dimensions: 111ft 5 ins X 23 ft X 6ft 8 ins. Tonnage:130 tons Built: 1910 at Moama, N. S. W. References : Book: Murray river Paddle Steamers by D. Wardle Permewan , Wright & Co. : pp. 72, 129, 157 The P. S. PEVENSEY holds historical and social significance for the Port of Echuca, being the cornerstone of their paddlesteamer fleet. The PEVENSEY was renamed for the TV series All the Rivers Run, to P. S. Philadelphia , playing a staring role in the program, which has resulted in the PEVENSEY becoming a tourist attraction and has increased tourism to the Port of Echuca. The PEVENSEY was originally designed for use on the Murrumbidgee river, named after Pevensey station on that river. It was then owned by Permewan Wright & co operating out of Echuca for many years. She returned to Echuca in 1975 to begin another life as part of the Port of Echuca tourism operation.Colour photograph of the P. S. Pevensey, moored at the Port of Echuca wharf . Photograph taken looking north along the river, from the river bank.On the front:PEVENSEY on the wheelhouse of the boat. Printed on reverse: This paper manufactured by Kodak: Print made by Kodak: Dec.77-Mriverboats, p.s.pevensey, echuca, port of, paddle steamers, echuca wharf

P. S. PEVENSEY: Dimensions: 111ft 5 ins X 23 ft X 6ft 8 ins. Tonnage:130 tons Built: 1910 at Moama, N. S. W. References : Book: Murray river Paddle Steamers by D. Wardle Permewan , Wright & Co. : pp. 72, 129, 157 The P. S. PEVENSEY holds historical and social significance for the Port of Echuca, being the cornerstone of their paddlesteamer fleet. The PEVENSEY was renamed for the TV series All the Rivers Run, to P. S. Philadelphia , playing a staring role in the program, which has resulted in the PEVENSEY becoming a tourist attraction and has increased tourism to the Port of Echuca. The PEVENSEY was originally designed for use on the Murrumbidgee river, named after Pevensey station on that river. It was then owned by Permewan Wright & co operating out of Echuca for many years. She returned to Echuca in 1975 to begin another life as part of the Port of Echuca tourism operation.Colour photograph of the P. S. Pevensey, taken from the water, looking at the rear of the boat. There are people (all in red jackets with a logo on the back-Port of Echuca workers?), some on the bow and 2 on the stern of the boat as it steams along the river. In front of the PEVENSEY is a small row boat with a group of people in it.On the front:PEVENSEY on the back of the boat. Printed on reverse: This paper manufactured by Kodak: Print made by Kodak: KODAK: OCT.78-Mriverboats, p.s.pevensey, echuca, port of, paddle steamers, echuca wharf

P. S. PEVENSEY: Dimensions: 111ft 5 ins X 23 ft X 6ft 8 ins. Tonnage:130 tons Built: 1910 at Moama, N. S. W. References : Book: Murray river Paddle Steamers by D. Wardle Permewan , Wright & Co. : pp. 72, 129, 157 The P. S. PEVENSEY holds historical and social significance for the Port of Echuca, being the cornerstone of their paddlesteamer fleet. The PEVENSEY was renamed for the TV series All the Rivers Run, to P. S. Philadelphia , playing a staring role in the program, which has resulted in the PEVENSEY becoming a tourist attraction and has increased tourism to the Port of Echuca. The PEVENSEY was originally designed for use on the Murrumbidgee river, named after Pevensey station on that river. It was then owned by Permewan Wright & co operating out of Echuca for many years. She returned to Echuca in 1975 to begin another life as part of the Port of Echuca tourism operation.Colour photograph of the P. S. Pevensey, in side view, moving through the water. There are people, 2 on the bow and 3 on the stern of the boat as it steams along the river. In the background is the river bank and the bush landscape.On the front:PEVENSEY on the wheelhouse of the boat. Printed on reverse: This paper manufactured by Kodak: Print made by Kodak: KODAK: OCT.78-Mriverboats, p.s.pevensey, echuca, port of, paddle steamers

The P. S. Edwards was built in May 1875 by J. M. Webb, Echuca. Official number 73287, made of wood, with paddle wheels at the side. 78 gross tons, 27 nett tons. It was altered in 1916 , after cabin removed 48 gross ton. It had 7 different owners before being purchased by R. J. Evans, of Evans Bros. Saw Mill, Echuca, in 1919. The P. S. Edwards was sunk at Echuca in the spring of 1958 and then raised in January 1981 and then was being restored by Geoff Evans in 1985 (Parsons, Ronald. Ships of the Island Rivers. 3rd ed. 1996. p.67) The barge Ada was built in 1899 at Echuca by the Permewan Wright Company. The Ada hull was built of part wood and part steel, to protect the wool from becoming wet on the voyage down the Darling River to the Echuca Wharf. The Ada was used as a logging insider barge as well as a wool barge with the Pevensey on the Darling River.The P. S. Edwards has historical and social significance being a paddle boat built in Echuca. The P. S. Edwards was built in May 1875 by J. M. Webb, Echuca. It had 7 different owners before being purchased by R. J. Evans, of Evans Bros. Saw Mill, Echuca, in 1919. The P. S. Edwards was sunk at Echuca in the spring of 1958 "and as the mill was burnt in 1959 salvage was not attempted. She was raised in January 1981 and in 1985 was restored by Geoff Evans. While owned by Evans Bros, was used to bring red gum from the Barmah Forest to the sawmill in the barge Clyde." (Parsons, Ronald. Ships of the Island Rivers. 3rd ed. 1996. p.67) The barge Ada was significant because of the construction of the hull, being part wood and part steel. The Ada was used as an inside looking barge as well as a wool barge with the P.S Pevensey on the Darling River. The barge Ada is still on display at the slipway at the Port of Echuca. A black & white photograph of the P. S. Edwards towing the barge "Ada". A large tree is in the foreground and frames the boats. The boats are on a bend in the river. The barge appears to be laden with timber.In blue pen on reverse of photograph are written the words ? Adelaide (crossed out) Edwards & Ada barge ID4. Geoff Evans ? ( also crossed out). port of echuca, p. s. edwards, evans bros saw mills, ada barge, wool industry, p.s pevensey, darling river

The Paddle Steamer Etona was named after Eton College in England. In its earlier days it served as an Anglican Mission boat closer to the mouth of the Murray River. It ended up being bought by two Echuca businessmen, Ian Stewart, a solicitor, and Phil Symons, a chemist. They spent a couple of weeks steaming it up from Goolwa to Echuca where they placed it on the slipway to undertake restoration work. Ian Stewart's Holden is seen alongside the boat. The Moama Slipway was located on the NSW side of the river directly opposite Evans Bros. Sawmill. The boats would be pulled up the slipway on cradles (visible under the boat) by the steam winch seen in the foreground. George Coop had a minor role in assisting with the restoration of the Etona. New redgum planks were bolted to her underside and these were sealed (or caulked) by Phil Symons and Ian Stewart by ramming bitumen soaked rope into the gaps. Other volunteers on hand such as George would apply a putty mixture of bitumen and cement dust over the bolt heads (resulting in the loss of two very nice khaki shirts).Digital TIFF file Scan of 35mm Ilford FP3 black and white negative transparencygeorge coop collection, echuca, ian stewart, moama slipway, phil symons, ps etona, river boat

The postcard shows a photograph of William Ferrier, the 25-year-old Warrnambool fisherman from South Warrnambool whose rescue of two sailors from the wrecked La Bella made him an overnight National hero, quoted as “one of the most heroic rescues in Victoria’s shipwreck history”. The La Bella was wrecked on 10th November 1905 and the photograph was taken on the next day. In the photograph, William Ferrier is seated in the centre, with four of the five survivors beside him: (from left to right) Leonard Robertson, R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. The photograph was taken by Foyle Photography Studio in Warrnambool, originally owned by James Charles Foyle. He previously had a photographic studio in Melbourne 1882 1887, then opened “Foyle’s Photo Card Studios” in Liebig St, Warrnambool. James Foyle died on 13th July 1905 and his son and daughter, Charles and Lilian Foyle continued on with the business until 1945. This photograph was most likely taken by either Charles or Lilian Foyle. The story of William Ferrier’s brave act follows on below … The ship from which the sailors were rescued was the three-masted, iron and steel barquentine the La Bella, built in Norway in 1893. She was one of two iron and steel ships by Johan Smith, the company was one of the leading shipping families in Tvedestrand, Norway. She was significant to Norwegian shipping, being one of only 27 iron and steel ships ever built in Norway. She was registered in New Zealand and engaged from 1902 in inter-colonial trading of timber in the Pacific, between New Zealand and Australia and was often in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. On 5th October 1905, the twelve-year-old La Bella left Lyttleton, New Zealand carrying a cargo of timber bound for Warrnambool, Australia. She was manned by a crew of twelve: the Master, (Captain Mylius, previously 1st Mate of La Bella, appointed Captain to La Bella on 6th February 1903) 2 Mates, Cook, six able seamen, one ordinary seaman and a boy. Bad weather en route caused her to shelter at Burnie on Tasmania's North West coast. On November 10th, the 37th day of her journey, La Bella approached Warrnambool. Captain Mylius steered her towards Lady Bay Channel in heavy south-west seas and evening mist. He ordered the helmsman to steer for the light. As the ship came round, a tremendous sea struck her on the port quarter, causing her to breach broadside in a northwesterly direction into breakers. The helm was brought round twice more, but each time heavy seas broke over her, the third time throwing the La Bella on to a submerged reef in Lady Bay now known as La Bella Reef (about 100 yards from the Warrnambool breakwater). The sea was so rough that it even wrenched a one-and-a-half ton anchor from its fastenings and into the sea. As Captain Mylius headed to the steel wheelhouse, intending to send up a rocket flare, a huge sea slammed the steel door into him (resulting in massive bruising front and back) Despite his injuries he still managed to set off a blue light, which he held up in his hands. La Bella’s lifeboats were filled with seawater and broke up on their chocks. The blue light was the first indication to people on the shore that there was a ship in distress. The Harbour Master, Captain Roe (who lived in the Harbour Master’s House opposite Flagstaff Hill), organised a group of volunteers to crew the lifeboat because the trained crew was unavailable; the crewmen were working on a steamer in Port Fairy at the time. He then poured oil onto the water to try and smooth the sea. At around 11 pm three of the crew took shelter in the steel forecastle but the sea crashed into it and broke it up. While the rest of the crew and onlookers watched helplessly in the moonlight the bodies were washed away into the sea, never to be seen again. Some of the crew lashed themselves to the weather rail to keep from being washed away. Watson, the ordinary seaman, became tangled in the rigging lines and was too weak to move, so the 2nd Mate, Robertson, put a line onto him so that he wouldn’t wash off. Around 11 pm three of the crew were unconscious from exhaustion. The situation on La Bella was becoming dangerous. The 2nd Mate moved to the ‘house’ and soon afterwards the ship slipped in the heavy sea. The lashings of the 1st Mate and the ‘boy’ Denham had kept them safe until about 2 am when they were washed overboard; no one was able to help. One by one, the exhausted crew were being washed overboard, too weak to hold on any longer. During the night the La Bella had broken into two and the deckhouse ran out towards the sea. Two more men drowned when trying to reach the lifeboat. By sunrise, the only survivors of the twelve were the Master, 2nd Mate and three seamen. Early in the morning, Captain Roe used the rocket apparatus on shore to try and shoot a line to the ship for a safer rescue but each attempt fell short of the target. Several attempts were made by the lifeboat to rescue the stricken sailors, but the rough conditions made this difficult for the boat to get close enough to the ship and the lifeboat had to return to shore. During a final attempt to reach the ship Captain Mylius ordered his men to jump into the sea. Leonard Robertson, 2nd mate, jumped and swam towards the lifeboat, taking hold of the boat hook offered to him. Oscar Rosenholme managed to reach the boat floating on a piece of timber from the ship’s load and a third survivor, Noake, also made the boat. Along with the lifeboat rescue crew, 25-year-old William Ferrier rowed his small dingy through the heavy seas and managed to rescue the Captain, whom he landed on the breakwater. Ferrier then returned to the ship to attempt a final rescue, losing his oars and rowlocks into the high sea. Using just a spare paddle he skulled towards the La Bella, reaching her stern in time to cut loose the lone surviving sailor, Payne, from the lashing that held him to the ship; the terrified sailor dropped from the ship and into the dingy. Shortly after the last man was rescued, the La Bella was lifted by a huge wave and crashed back down on the reef; she broke up and sank. The ordeal had lasted ten hours. The survivors were taken to the nearby Bay View Hotel and gratefully received warm food and clothing, medical attention and a place to sleep. In the following days, an unidentified body of a young person had washed ashore; it was either Watson or Denham. The body was buried in the Warrnambool cemetery with an appropriate gravestone and inscription. William Ferrier became a national hero as news of the daring rescue spread. In recognition of his bravery in the two daring rescues, he was awarded the Silver Medal for Bravery by the Royal Humane Society and was honoured in the letter from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth, telegrams and a cheque for £20 from the Governor-General, over £150 subscribed by the public, including Warrnambool and district and readers of The Argus, and a gold medal from the Glenelg Dinghy Club of South Australia. Ferrier’s rescue efforts are one of the most heroic in Victoria’s shipwreck history. (William Ferrier’s son, Frank, received a similar award almost fifty years later when he helped rescue four members of the crew on the yacht Merlan after it ran on to a reef near the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. ) The wreck of La Bella now lies on her port side in 13 metres of sheltered water inside the reef she struck. The bow section is relatively intact and part of the stern has drifted north-easterly towards the mouth of the Hopkins River. The reef the La Bella struck now bears its name. Those five rescued from the La Bella were Captain George Mylius, Leonard Robertson (2nd Mate, 21 years old), R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. Those seven who lost their lives were Mr Coulson (1st mate), Charles Jackman (cook) Gustave Johnson, Pierre Johann and Robert Gent (all able seamen), Harry Watson (ordinary seaman) and Jack Denham (ship’s boy), Captain Mylius was found guilty of careless navigation; he had sailed into the bay without the services of a pilot. His Master Certificate was suspended for twelve months. Later he was also charged with manslaughter of one of the crew who had died when the La Bella was wrecked but found not guilty. The event’s adverse publicity and damage to his career took a toll on his health and he died of a heart attack six months after the wreck; he was only thirty-seven. His body was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. The La Bella was “the best documented of all sailing ships owned in New Zealand”. Her record books, ship logs, correspondence and supporting papers are still available. At the time of the tragedy, she was owned by Messers David C.Turnbull and Co. of Timaru, New Zealand timber merchants and shipping agents, who had purchased her on 13th December 1901. A detailed account of the last journey of La Bella can be read in “Leonard Robertson, the Whangaroa & La Bella” written by Jack Churchouse, published in 1982 by Millwood Press Ltd, Wellington, NZ. As well as this postcard, Flagstaff Hill’s La Bella Collection includes a photograph of the wrecked La Bella, a brass rail holder and the letter from the Prime Minister and other Members of Parliament that was sent to William Ferrier to commend him for his bravery. Some 15 – 17 ships are believed to have sunk in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the seafloor; the “La Bella” and the “Edinburgh Castle”. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. This postcard is part of the La Bella Collection and is significant at both a local and state level. Its connection to the La Bella shipwreck and the rescue of five survivors highlights the dangers of Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. The photograph of William Ferrier and four of the five survivors demonstrates the bravery of ordinary Australians who risked their lives to save victims of shipwrecks along the coast. The postcard is significant to the history of Warrnambool as it portrays William Ferrier, a local fisherman whose descendants continue to live in the area. It highlights the way of life of people who lived in coastal towns in 19th century Victoria and the effects of shipwrecks upon them. The postcard connects to the congratulatory letter which was sent to William Ferrier by the Prime Minister and Government of Australia and demonstrates the importance they attached to his efforts for Victoria and to Australia. The postcard is also an example of the photography of Foyle Photographers who were in the town of Warrnambool from the late 1800’s. Charles and Lillian Foyle took over the business when their father James died in 1905. Lillian Foyle is significant as the first woman photographer in Warrnambool. It is not known whether Charles of Lillian took this photograph. This postcard is significant because of its association with the sailing ship “La Bella”. The “La Bella” is of local and state and national significance. It is one of the only two shipwrecks discovered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, out of the 15-17 shipwrecks in the bay. Sepia photograph of William (Bill) Ferrier (seated in the middle), heroic rescuer of two crew members of the La Bella, wrecked at Warrnambool. The photograph is a postcard and shows five men dressed formally in suits and hats. Printed below the photograph are the name and place of the photographer, a royal crest and the details of two patrons of the photographer. Also below the photograph are some handwritten words in black pen. On the back of the postcard is a handwritten message in the same writing as the front.Printed on the front of the card is “Foyle, WARRNAMBOOL” “PATRONS: / HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF CORNWALL & YORK. / HIS EXCELLENCY LORD BRAS_ EY, R.O.B.” Handwritten on the front of the card is “Bill Ferrier / rescuer / Oh my hero _ _ _ “ Handwritten on the back of the card is a message. “La Bella” Wrecked off W.Bool Breakwater Nov. 1906 (_ _ _ _ show night) Payne Noake Rosenholme Robertson and Capt Mylius (saved) (moonlight bright) Watson (_ _ _ _ boy) Richwoud [possibly Richmond] drowned” and signed “Desdewoua [possibly Desdemona] Slogos”la bella, foyle, william ferrier, bill ferrier, lady bay, 1905, 10th november 1905, 11th november 1905, parliament of the commonwealth, royal humane society medal, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village

This item is a useful reference tool.A 40 pp book on the history of Lakes Entrance. It has a bright orange cover with the title "Lakes Entrance - a short History & Tourist Guide" in black print above a black line drawing of a paddle steamer tied up to a jetty with other boats on the water. It depicts "the S.S. Bonang at Carpenter Street jetty".on front - F. Richardson

This display was put together by the Curlip Committee and used as promotion in the shed during the construction of Curlip 11 A community project, this boat was constructed out of local hardwood timbers utilizing the traditional skills of wooden boat builders and is powered by a steam engine. Paddle Steamer Curlip II is a replica of an historic paddle steamer of the Snowy River, in Far East Gippsland, Victoria. The original Paddle Steamer Curlip was built by Sam Richardson and his sons Mark, Albert and Frank, at their sawmill at Tabbara, a pioneering settlement on the Brodribb River, a tributary of the Snowy River. The keel was laid on 14th October 1889 and PS Curlip was launched in 1890. The name “ Curlip” is derived from the indigenous name for the area where Tabbara is located and includes land to the east of the Snowy and Brodribb Rivers towards Cape Conran. PS Curlip was registered in 1893 and the Passenger Certificate issued on 30th January 1903 to Captain Alan Richardson by the Marine Board of Victoria entitled her to carry 25 passengers and only 10 passengers when engaged in towage service. Two children under 12 years of age to be reckoned as one passenger. PS Curlip towed five barges at a time, traveling upstream as far as Bete Bolong, 20 km upstream of the mouth to collect produce to be transferred to schooners near Marlo. She towed vessels in and out through the Snowy river entrance and was also used for social functions such as Sunday School picnics. She was the main means of transport for imports and exports on the Snowy River for almost 30 years. The Curlip era ended abruptly on Friday 28th February when a flash flood carried her and 2 barges down river and out to sea, where she washed ashore at Marlo and broke up.More than eighty years after the original Paddle Steamer Curlip was wrecked at sea, the Orbost community launched a replica which it hoped would draw tourists to the region. The P.S. Curlip II, is based on drawings of the original Curlip that made its home in the Snowy and Brodribb Rivers of East Gippsland in the 1890s and early 1900s, It took six years of planning and hundreds of hours of volunteer work from the local community.A display cabinet containing tools and sundry items related to the Paddle Steamer Curlip. (More information on individual items in Catalogue 1400-1600)p.s.curlip richardson-samuel boat-building-tools transport

Snowy River Shipping Company formed in 1880. They were soon shipping produce (mainly vegetables) from the area to Melbourne. The Snowy River Shipping Company was formed by Mr Henry James during the 1880s, with Captain McNeil as master. Captain Hegarty was the shipping agent at Marlo. Towing a line of small barges these paddle steamers plied their trade between the port of Marlo, and the farms along the river banks, churning their way almost twenty miles upstream to a landing beside what is now Frank Richardson’s property. On these trips, the barges carried mail and supplies to the townspeople and farmers, loading their produce, mostly maize, on the return trip to the coast. The coming of the railway in 1915 spelt the end for the little river boats. ( ref. F. W. RODWELL in the “Snowy Review”) Frank Richardson 1877-1950 was a sawmiller at Tabbara and helped build and run paddle steamer "Curlip"as engineer.This item is associated with an early transport business of the local district. The Snowy River once had its own paddle steamers. This item is reminiscent of that time.A light blue and white blank cheque for the Snowy River Shipping Company. The cheque is for The National Bank of Australasia and is numbered 01,491 in bold black print. It has a one penny stamp duty imprint.snowy-river-shipping-company james-harry

An oar is an implement used for water-borne propulsion. Oars have a flat blade at one end. Rowers grasp the oar at the other end. The difference between oars and paddles is that oars are used exclusively for rowing. In rowing the oar is connected to the vessel by means of a pivot point for the oar, either an oarlock, or a hole. The oar is placed in the pivot point with a short portion inside the vessel, and a much larger portion outside. The rower pulls on the short end of the oar, while the long end is in the water. By contrast, paddles, are held in both hands by the paddler, and are not attached to the vessel. Rowers generally face the stern of the vessel, reach towards the stern, and insert the blade of their oar in the water. As they lean back, towards the vessel's bow, the blade of their oars pivots in the oarlock, and the end in the water moves towards the stern, providing forward thrust. There also is another way of propelling a small craft it's called a sculling oar which is attached to the transom and used to propel a small vessels rather than using two oars as previously described. It is believed the subject item is just such an oar given it’s long blade associated with a sculling oar. For thousands of years vessels were powered either by sails, or by the mechanical work of rowers, or by paddlers. Some ancient vessels were propelled by both oars and sail, depending on the speed and direction of the wind. Wooden oars, with canoe-shaped pottery, dating from 5000–4500 BC have been discovered in a Hemudu culture site at Yuyao, Zhejiang, in modern China. The history of man using wooden oars to propel a boat has a considerable record in marine archaeology going back many centuries. The item is significant for marine archaeology as it gives a snapshot into how a small row boat was powered using a wooden sculling oar. A method of propelling a small boat still used today an example is the gondoliers in Venice using a sculling oar in a circular motion to propel his craft. Single sculling oar with long flat blade, two copper bands, on blade with rowlock fittingNoneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, boat oar, sculling oar, row boat

This painting of the “La Bella” is associated with Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from the wreck of the “La Bella”. It was painted around the 1980s by maritime artist Philip J. Gray. Some 15 – 17 ships are believed to have sunk in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the seafloor; the “La Bella” and the “Edinburgh Castle”. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. The Kosnar Picture Framing and Mirrors Shop identified the "GRAY 3135, Y04/111" as their job number for the framing and said that the label "ANOTHER KOSNAR FEATURE" was last used before about 1990. About artist Philip J. Gray “Philip is one of Australia’s leading maritime artists and his meticulous research and social commentary paintings of ships, such as, the Loch Ard and Schomberg form an important part of Warrnambool’s Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum.” [Dr Marion Manifold, Artist and Art Historian, 2014] Philip James Gray was born in London but has lived most of his life in Australia. He graduated from a London school of art as an illustrator, specialising in technical and scientific illustration as well as other commercial and applied art. He was also a student for a time of Fyffe Christie - British figurative artist, mural painter and humanitarian – who had a great influence on his career. Philip has always worked as a professional artist and illustrator. Many publications on maritime history have featured his work. His paintings have been released and sold all over the world as limited edition prints. The State Library of Victoria’s ‘Latrobe Collection’ holds two of his paintings. His street painting of ‘The Ashes Contest’ decorates the brick wall of Old Bakery Laneway in Sunbury and a Sunbury café owner commissioned him to paint the ‘Sunbury Pop Festival’ as a remembrance of local history. Philip has been an active member of the Sunbury Art Society in Victoria for several years, serving on the committee for some of that time and being involved in exhibitions. He enjoys helping new artists and sharing his skills and experience. About the “La Bella” The wreck of the La Bella lies at the bottom of the Warrnambool Harbour in Lady Bay. Some 15 ships are believed to have been wrecked there but only two have been discovered on the sea floor; the La Bella and the Edinburgh Castle. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. The story of the final voyage of the La Bella is summarised as follows … The ship from which the sailors were rescued was the three-masted, iron and steel barquentine the La Bella, built in Norway in 1893. She was one of two iron and steel ships by Johan Smith, the company being one of the leading shipping families in Tvedestrand, Norway. She was significant to Norwegian shipping, being one of only 27 iron and steel ships ever built in Norway. La Bella was registered in New Zealand and engaged from 1902 in inter-colonial trading of timber in the pacific, between New Zealand and Australia and was often in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. On 5th October 1905 the twelve year old La Bella left Lyttleton, New Zealand carrying a cargo of timber bound for Warrnambool, Australia . She was manned by a crew of twelve: the Master, (Captain Mylius, previously 1st Mate of La Bella, appointed Captain to La Bella on 6th February 1903) 2 Mates, Cook, six able seamen, one ordinary seaman and a boy. Bad weather en-route caused her to shelter at Burnie on Tasmania's North West coast. On November 10th, the 37th day of her journey, La Bella approached Warrnambool. Captain Mylius steered her towards Lady Bay Channel in heavy south-west seas and evening mist. He ordered the helmsman to steer for the light. As the ship came round, a tremendous sea struck her on the port quarter, causing her to breach broadside in a north-westerly direction into breakers. The helm was brought round twice more, but each time heavy seas broke over her, the third time throwing the La Bella on to a submerged reef in Lady Bay now known as La Bella Reef (about 100 yards from the Warrnambool breakwater). The sea was so rough that it even wrenched a one-and-a-half ton anchor from its fastenings and into the sea. As Captain Mylius headed to the steel wheelhouse, intending to send up a rocket flare, a huge sea slammed the steel door into him (resulting in massive bruising front and back) Despite his injuries he still managed to set off a blue light, which he held up in his hands. La Bella’s lifeboats were filled with sea water and broke up on their chocks. The blue light was the first indication to people on shore that there was a ship in distress. The Harbour Master, Captain Roe (who lived in the Harbour Master’s House opposite Flagstaff Hill), organised a group of volunteers to crew the lifeboat because the trained crew was unavailable; the crewmen were working on a steamer in Port Fairy at the time. He then poured oil onto the water to try and smooth the sea. At around 11pm three of the crew took shelter in the steel forecastle but the sea crashed into it and broke it up. While the rest of the crew and onlookers watched helplessly in the moonlight the bodies were washed away into the sea, never to be seen again. Some of the crew lashed themselves to the weather rail to keep from being washed away. Watson, the ordinary seaman, became tangled in the rigging lines and was too weak to move, so the 2nd Mate, Robertson, put a line onto him so that he wouldn’t wash off. Around 11pm three of the crew were unconscious from exhaustion. The situation on La Bella was becoming dangerous. The 2nd Mate moved to the ‘house’ and soon afterwards the ship slipped in the heavy sea. The lashings of the 1st Mate and the ‘boy’ Denham had kept them safe until about 2am when they were washed overboard; no one was able to help. One by one, the exhausted crew were being washed overboard, too weak to hold on any longer. During the night the La Bella had broken into two and the deckhouse ran out towards the sea. Two more men drowned when trying to reach the lifeboat. By sunrise the only survivors of the twelve were the Master, 2nd Mate and three seamen. Early in the morning Captain Roe used the rocket apparatus on shore to try and shoot a line to the ship for a safer rescue but each attempt fell short of the target. Several attempts were made by the lifeboat to rescue the stricken sailors, but the rough conditions made this difficult for the boat to get close enough to the ship and the lifeboat had to return to shore. During a final attempt to reach the ship Captain Mylius ordered his men to jump into the sea. Leonard Robertson, 2nd mate, jumped and swam towards the lifeboat, taking hold of the boat hook offered to him. Oscar Rosenholme managed to reach the boat floating on a piece of timber from the ship’s load and a third survivor, Noake, also made the boat. Along with the lifeboat rescue crew, 25 year old William Ferrier rowed his small dingy through the heavy seas and managed to rescue the Captain, whom he landed on the breakwater. Ferrier then returned to the ship to attempt a final rescue, losing his oars and rowlocks into the high sea. Using just a spare paddle he skulled towards the La Bella, reaching her stern in time to cut loose the lone surviving sailor, Payne, from the lashing that held him to the ship; the terrified sailor dropped from the ship and into the dingy. Shortly after the last man was rescued, the La Bella was lifted by a huge wave and crashed back down on the reef; she broke up and sank. The ordeal had lasted ten hours. The survivors were taken to the nearby Bay View Hotel and gratefully received warm food and clothing, medical attention and a place to sleep. In the following days an unidentified body of a young person was washed ashore; it was either Watson or Denham. The body was buried in the Warrnambool cemetery with an appropriate gravestone and inscription. William Ferrier became a national hero as news of the daring rescue spread. In recognition of his bravery in the two daring rescues he was awarded the Silver Medal for Bravery by the Royal Humane Society and was honoured in the letter from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth, telegrams and a cheque for £20 from the Governor General, over £150 subscribed by the public, including Warrnambool and district and readers of The Argus, and a gold medal from the Glenelg Dinghy Club of South Australia. Ferrier’s rescue efforts are one of the most heroic in Victoria’s shipwreck history. (William Ferrier’s son, Frank, received a similar award almost fifty years later, when he helped rescue four members of the crew on the yacht Merlan, after it ran on to a reef near the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. ) The wreck of La Bella now lies on her port side in 13 metres of sheltered water inside the reef she struck. The bow section is relatively intact and part of the stern has drifted north-easterly towards the mouth of the Hopkins River. The reef the La Bella struck now bears its name. Those five rescued from the La Bella were Captain George Mylius, Leonard Robertson (2nd Mate, 21 years old), R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. Those seven who lost their lives were Mr Coulson (1st mate), Charles Jackman (cook) Gustave Johnson, Pierre Johann and Robert Gent (all able seamen), Harry Watson (ordinary seaman) and Jack Denham (ship’s boy). Captain Mylius was found guilty of careless navigation; he had sailed into the bay without the services of a pilot. His Master Certificate was suspended for twelve months. Later he was also charged with manslaughter of one of the crew who had died when the La Bella was wrecked, but found not guilty. The event’s adverse publicity and damage to his career took a toll on his health and he died of a heart attack six months after the wreck; he was only thirty-seven. His body was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. The La Bella was “the best documented of all sailing ships owned in New Zealand”. Her record books, ship logs, correspondence and supporting papers are still available. At the time of the tragedy she was owned by Messers David C.Turnbull and Co. of Timaru, New Zealand timber merchants and shipping agents, who had purchased her on 13th December 1901. A detailed account of the last journey of La Bella can be read in “Leonard Robertson, the Whangaroa & La Bella” written by Jack Churchouse, published in 1982 by Millwood Press Ltd, Wellington, NZ.This painting of the La Bella by Philip J. Gray is part of the La Bella Collection and is significant at both a local and state level. Its connection to the La Bella shipwreck and the rescue of five survivors highlights the dangers of Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. The painting connects with other objects and artefacts associated with the wreck of the La Bella. This painting is significant because of its association with the sailing ship “La Bella” . the “La Bella” is of local and state and national significance. It is one of the only two shipwrecks discovered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, out of the 15-17 shipwrecks in the bay. Large framed painting of the three masted barquentine "La Bella" fully rigged. Painted by Phillip J Gray. A fine printed line squares off the painting. Beneath painting and line is a gold plate with black copper plate designating "La Bella" is encased in glass, surrounded by a silver-metal frame. Yellow and brown paper label is adhered to back of painting. Picture framed by Kosnar in Melbourne."The La Bella" on gold plaque Logo of "K" inside a brown square. "GRAY 3135, Y04/111", "ANOTHER KOSNAR FEATURE" flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, painting, la bella, artist phillip j gray, maritime painting, lady bay warrnambool

The letter to William Ferrier of South Warrnambool from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth recognised the significance of William’s brave and courageous lifesaving act to the people of Australia; “They all feel that your conduct was worthy of the best deeds done by British sailors in the past and they are proud to know that Australia can produce such as you.” The story of that brave rescue follows on below … The ship from which the sailors were rescued was the three-masted, iron and steel barquentine the La Bella, built in Norway in 1893. She was one of two iron and steel ships by Johan Smith, The company was one of the leading shipping families in Tvedestrand, Norway. She was significant to Norwegian shipping, being one of only 27 iron and steel ships ever built in Norway. She was registered in New Zealand and engaged from 1902 in inter-colonial trading of timber in the Pacific, between New Zealand and Australia and was often in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. On 5th October 1905, the twelve-year-old La Bella left Lyttleton, New Zealand carrying a cargo of timber bound for Warrnambool, Australia. She was manned by a crew of twelve: the Master, (Captain Mylius, previously 1st Mate of La Bella, appointed Captain to La Bella on 6th February 1903) 2 Mates, Cook, six able seamen, one ordinary seaman and a boy. Bad weather en route caused her to shelter at Burnie on Tasmania's North West coast. On November 10th, the 37th day of her journey, La Bella approached Warrnambool. Captain Mylius steered her towards Lady Bay Channel in heavy south-west seas and evening mist. He ordered the helmsman to steer for the light. As the ship came round, a tremendous sea struck her on the port quarter, causing her to breach broadside in a north-westerly direction into breakers. The helm was brought round twice more, but each time heavy seas broke over her, the third time throwing the La Bella on to a submerged reef in Lady Bay now known as La Bella Reef (about 100 yards from the Warrnambool breakwater). The sea was so rough that it even wrenched a one-and-a-half ton anchor from its fastenings and into the sea. As Captain Mylius headed to the steel wheelhouse, intending to send up a rocket flare, a huge sea slammed the steel door into him (resulting in massive bruising front and back) Despite his injuries he still managed to set off a blue light, which he held up in his hands. La Bella’s lifeboats were filled with seawater and broke up on their chocks. The blue light was the first indication to people on the shore that there was a ship in distress. The Harbour Master, Captain Roe (who lived in the Harbour Master’s House opposite Flagstaff Hill), organised a group of volunteers to crew the lifeboat because the trained crew was unavailable; the crewmen were working on a steamer in Port Fairy at the time. He then poured oil onto the water to try and smooth the sea. At around 11 pm three of the crew took shelter in the steel forecastle but the sea crashed into it and broke it up. While the rest of the crew and onlookers watched helplessly in the moonlight the bodies were washed away into the sea, never to be seen again. Some of the crew lashed themselves to the weather rail to keep from being washed away. Watson, the ordinary seaman, became tangled in the rigging lines and was too weak to move, so the 2nd Mate, Robertson, put a line onto him so that he wouldn’t wash off. Around 11 pm three of the crew were unconscious from exhaustion. The situation on La Bella was becoming dangerous. The 2nd Mate moved to the ‘house’ and soon afterwards the ship slipped in the heavy sea. The lashings of the 1st Mate and the ‘boy’ Denham had kept them safe until about 2 am when they were washed overboard; no one was able to help. One by one, the exhausted crew were being washed overboard, too weak to hold on any longer. During the night the La Bella had broken into two and the deckhouse ran out towards the sea. Two more men drowned when trying to reach the lifeboat. By sunrise, the only survivors of the twelve were the Master, 2nd Mate and three seamen. Early in the morning, Captain Roe used the rocket apparatus on shore to try and shoot a line to the ship for a safer rescue but each attempt fell short of the target. Several attempts were made by the lifeboat to rescue the stricken sailors, but the rough conditions made this difficult for the boat to get close enough to the ship and the lifeboat had to return to shore. During a final attempt to reach the ship Captain Mylius ordered his men to jump into the sea. Leonard Robertson, 2nd mate, jumped and swam towards the lifeboat, taking hold of the boat hook offered to him. Oscar Rosenholme managed to reach the boat floating on a piece of timber from the ship’s load and a third survivor, Noake, also made the boat. Along with the lifeboat rescue crew, 25-year-old William Ferrier rowed his small dingy through the heavy seas and managed to rescue the Captain, whom he landed on the breakwater. Ferrier then returned to the ship to attempt a final rescue, losing his oars and rowlocks into the high sea. Using just a spare paddle he skulled towards the La Bella, reaching her stern in time to cut loose the lone surviving sailor, Payne, from the lashing that held him to the ship; the terrified sailor dropped from the ship and into the dingy. Shortly after the last man was rescued, the La Bella was lifted by a huge wave and crashed back down on the reef; she broke up and sank. The ordeal had lasted ten hours. The survivors were taken to the nearby Bay View Hotel and gratefully received warm food and clothing, medical attention and a place to sleep. In the following days, an unidentified body of a young person has washed ashore; it was either Watson or Denham. The body was buried in the Warrnambool cemetery with an appropriate gravestone and inscription. William Ferrier became a national hero as news of the daring rescue spread. In recognition of his bravery in the two daring rescues, he was awarded the Silver Medal for Bravery by the Royal Humane Society and was honoured in the letter from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth, telegrams and a cheque for £20 from the Governor-General, over £150 subscribed by the public, including Warrnambool and district and readers of The Argus, and a gold medal from the Glenelg Dinghy Club of South Australia. Ferrier’s rescue efforts are one of the most heroic in Victoria’s shipwreck history. (William Ferrier’s son, Frank, received a similar award almost fifty years later when he helped rescue four members of the crew on the yacht Merlan after it ran on to a reef near the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. ) The wreck of La Bella now lies on her port side in 13 metres of sheltered water inside the reef she struck. The bow section is relatively intact and part of the stern has drifted north-easterly towards the mouth of the Hopkins River. The reef the La Bella struck now bears its name. Those five rescued from the La Bella were Captain George Mylius, Leonard Robertson (2nd Mate, 21 years old), R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. Those seven who lost their lives were Mr Coulson (1st mate), Charles Jackman (cook) Gustave Johnson, Pierre Johann and Robert Gent (all able seamen), Harry Watson (ordinary seaman) and Jack Denham (ship’s boy), Captain Mylius was found guilty of careless navigation; he had sailed into the bay without the services of a pilot. His Master Certificate was suspended for twelve months. Later he was also charged with the manslaughter of one of the crew who had died when the La Bella was wrecked but found not guilty. The event’s adverse publicity and damage to his career took a toll on his health and he died of a heart attack six months after the wreck; he was only thirty-seven. His body was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. The La Bella was “the best documented of all sailing ships owned in New Zealand”. Her record books, ship logs, correspondence and supporting papers are still available. At the time of the tragedy, she was owned by Messers David C.Turnbull and Co. of Timaru, New Zealand timber merchants and shipping agents, who had purchased her on 13th December 1901. A detailed account of the last journey of La Bella can be read in “Leonard Robertson, the Whangaroa & La Bella” written by Jack Churchouse, published in 1982 by Millwood Press Ltd, Wellington, NZ. As well as this letter, Flagstaff Hill’s La Bella Collection includes a photograph of the wrecked La Bella, a brass rail holder and a postcard of William Ferrier with four of the survivors. Some 15 – 17 ships are believed to have sunk in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the seafloor; the “La Bella” and the “Edinburgh Castle”. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. This original congratulatory letter sent to William Ferrier by the Prime Minister and Government of Australia demonstrates the importance attached to his efforts for Victoria and to Australia. The letter is part of the La Bella Collection and is significant at both a local and state level. Its connection to the La Bella shipwreck and the rescue of five survivors highlights the dangers of Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. The letter to William Ferrier from the Australian Government acknowledges the bravery of ordinary Australians who risked their lives to save victims of shipwrecks along the coast. The letter is significant to the history of Warrnambool as it honours William Ferrier, a local fisherman whose descendants continue to live in the area. It highlights the way of life of people who lived in coastal towns in 19th century Victoria and the effects of shipwrecks upon them. The letter connects to the postcard of William Ferrier with four of the five rescued crew, the photograph of the wreck of the La Bella and the artefact from the wreck, the rail holder. This letter is significant because of its association with the sailing ship “La Bella”. The “La Bella” is of local and state and national significance. It is one of the only two shipwrecks discovered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, out of the 15-17 shipwrecks in the bay. Letter to William Ferrier of South Warrnambool from the Prime Minister and Members of Parliament commending him on his bravery. The printed letterhead includes a coat of arms in the top centre and the official address. The letter is very neatly hand written in black pen and includes 4 signatures of Members of Parliament. The rectangular paper is cream coloured with some yellow/brown discolouring. It has the letterhead on the right hand side of it and the written letter begins below the letterhead. The paper has been folded so that the right side becomes the cover page of the letter. The writing is continued onto the inside right hand page of the folded paper and the writing ends here. There is more recent writing on the bottom right hand corner of the back page. The paper has been officially folded in half a total 3 times and there is heavy discolouration on the sections that form the front and back of the folded letter. There is a 4th fold line that is less pronounced that the other folds and would make the paper the size to fit into a pocket. At several fold creases the paper has worn through. The edges of the paper have minor tears. The printed coat of arms is that of the House of Representatives. Underneath is printed “The Parliament of the Commonwealth, / Parliament House / Melbourne”. The hand written, letter is dated “14th November, 1905” and addressed to “Mr. William Ferrier / South Warrnambool” The letter begins “The Speaker, the Prime Minister and Members of the Ministry and its supporters, the Leader and Members of the Opposition, the Leader and Members of the Labour Party, being all the Members of the House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament of Australia” … It continues “desire to express to you their appreciation of your bravery in skulling out to the wreck of the “La Bella” at Warrnambool on Saturday, 11th November, 1905, and recovering therefrom two of the crew who were in imminent danger of their lives. They all feel that your conduct was worthy of the best deeds done by British sailors in the past and they are proud to know that Australia can produce such as you.” The letter is “Signed on behalf of the Members – Speaker (Frederick Holder ), Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Joseph Cook ), Prime Minister (Alfred Deakin), Leader of the Labour Party ( J.C. Watson)” On the back of the letter is blue ink handwriting “OWNER / G. FERRIER / TO. BE. PHOTOGRAPHED / 27-4-76”la bella, william ferrier, bill ferrier, lady bay, 1905, 10th november 1905, 11th november 1905, parliament of the commonwealth, prime minister, australian government, new zealand, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village

This brass rail holder fixture would have been used to hold the end of a rail in place. There is no information as to where the fitting or rail would have been placed on the ship; sailing ships had many brass fittings. It was recovered from the wreck of the La Bella, which lies at the bottom of the Warrnambool Harbour. Some 15 ships are believed to have been wrecked in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the sea floor; the La Bella and the Edinburgh Castle. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. The story of the final voyage of the La Bella is summarised as follows … The ship from which the sailors were rescued was the three-masted, iron and steel barquentine the La Bella, built in Norway in 1893. She was one of two iron and steel ships by Johan Smith, the company being one of the leading shipping families in Tvedestrand, Norway. She was significant to Norwegian shipping, being one of only 27 iron and steel ships ever built in Norway. She was registered in New Zealand and engaged from 1902 in inter-colonial trading of timber in the pacific, between New Zealand and Australia and was often in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. On 5th October, 1905, the twelve year old La Bella left Lyttleton, New Zealand carrying a cargo of timber bound for Warrnambool, Australia . She was manned by a crew of twelve: the Master, (Captain Mylius, previously 1st Mate of La Bella, appointed Captain to La Bella on 6th February 1903) 2 Mates, Cook, six able seamen, one ordinary seaman and a boy. . Bad weather en route caused her to shelter at Burnie on Tasmania's North West coast. On November 10th, the 37th day of her journey, La Bella approached Warrnambool. Captain Mylius steered her towards Lady Bay Channel in heavy south-west seas and evening mist. He ordered the helmsman to steer for the light. As the ship came round, a tremendous sea struck her on the port quarter, causing her to breach broadside in a north-westerly direction into breakers. The helm was brought round twice more, but each time heavy seas broke over her, the third time throwing the La Bella on to a submerged reef in Lady Bay now known as La Bella Reef (about 100 yards from the Warrnambool breakwater). The sea was so rough that it even wrenched a one-and-a-half ton anchor from its fastenings and into the sea. As Captain Mylius headed to the steel wheelhouse, intending to send up a rocket flare, a huge sea slammed the steel door into him (resulting in massive bruising front and back) Despite his injuries he still managed to set off a blue light, which he held up in his hands. La Bella’s lifeboats were filled with sea water and broke up on their chocks. The blue light was the first indication to people on shore that there was a ship in distress. The Harbour Master, Captain Roe (who lived in the Harbour Master’s House opposite Flagstaff Hill), organised a group of volunteers to crew the lifeboat because the trained crew was unavailable; the crewmen were working on a steamer in Port Fairy at the time. He then poured oil onto the water to try and smooth the sea. At around 11pm three of the crew took shelter in the steel forecastle but the sea crashed into it and broke it up. While the rest of the crew and onlookers watched helplessly in the moonlight the bodies were washed away into the sea, never to be seen again. Some of the crew lashed themselves to the weather rail to keep from being washed away. Watson, the ordinary seaman, became tangled in the rigging lines and was too weak to move, so the 2nd Mate, Robertson, put a line onto him so that he wouldn’t wash off. Around 11pm three of the crew were unconscious from exhaustion. The situation on La Bella was becoming dangerous. The 2nd Mate moved to the ‘house’ and soon afterwards the ship slipped in the heavy sea. The lashings of the 1st Mate and the ‘boy’ Denham had kept them safe until about 2am when they were washed overboard; no one was able to help. One by one, the exhausted crew were being washed overboard, too weak to hold on any longer. During the night the La Bella had broken into two and the deckhouse ran out towards the sea. Two more men drowned when trying to reach the lifeboat. By sunrise the only survivors of the twelve were the Master, 2nd Mate and three seamen. Early in the morning Captain Roe used the rocket apparatus on shore to try and shoot a line to the ship for a safer rescue but each attempt fell short of the target. Several attempts were made by the lifeboat to rescue the stricken sailors, but the rough conditions made this difficult for the boat to get close enough to the ship and the lifeboat had to return to shore. During a final attempt to reach the ship Captain Mylius ordered his men to jump into the sea. Leonard Robertson, 2nd mate, jumped and swam towards the lifeboat, taking hold of the boat hook offered to him. Oscar Rosenholme managed to reach the boat floating on a piece of timber from the ship’s load and a third survivor, Noake, also made the boat. Along with the lifeboat rescue crew, 25 year old William Ferrier rowed his small dingy through the heavy seas and managed to rescue the Captain, whom he landed on the breakwater. Ferrier then returned to the ship to attempt a final rescue, losing his oars and rowlocks into the high sea. Using just a spare paddle he skulled towards the La Bella, reaching her stern in time to cut loose the lone surviving sailor, Payne, from the lashing that held him to the ship; the terrified sailor dropped from the ship and into the dingy. Shortly after the last man was rescued, the La Bella was lifted by a huge wave and crashed back down on the reef; she broke up and sank. The ordeal had lasted ten hours. The survivors were taken to the nearby Bay View Hotel and gratefully received warm food and clothing, medical attention and a place to sleep. In the following days an unidentified body of a young person was washed ashore; it was either Watson or Denham. The body was buried in the Warrnambool cemetery with an appropriate gravestone and inscription. William Ferrier became a national hero as news of the daring rescue spread. In recognition of his bravery in the two daring rescues he was awarded the Silver Medal for Bravery by the Royal Humane Society and was honoured in the letter from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth, telegrams and a cheque for £20 from the Governor General, over £150 subscribed by the public, including Warrnambool and district and readers of The Argus, and a gold medal from the Glenelg Dinghy Club of South Australia. Ferrier’s rescue efforts are one of the most heroic in Victoria’s shipwreck history. (William Ferrier’s son, Frank, received a similar award almost fifty years later, when he helped rescue four members of the crew on the yacht Merlan, after it ran on to a reef near the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. ) The wreck of La Bella now lies on her port side in 13 metres of sheltered water inside the reef she struck. The bow section is relatively intact and part of the stern has drifted north-easterly towards the mouth of the Hopkins River. The reef the La Bella struck now bears its name. Those five rescued from the La Bella were Captain George Mylius, Leonard Robertson (2nd Mate, 21 years old), R. Payne, Oscar Rosenholme and Jack Noake. Those seven who lost their lives were Mr Coulson (1st mate), Charles Jackman (cook) Gustave Johnson, Pierre Johann and Robert Gent (all able seamen), Harry Watson (ordinary seaman) and Jack Denham (ship’s boy), Captain Mylius was found guilty of careless navigation; he had sailed into the bay without the services of a pilot. His Master Certificate was suspended for twelve months. Later he was also charged with manslaughter of one of the crew who had died when the La Bella was wrecked, but found not guilty. The event’s adverse publicity and damage to his career took a toll on his health and he died of a heart attack six months after the wreck; he was only thirty-seven. His body was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. The La Bella was “the best documented of all sailing ships owned in New Zealand”. Her record books, ship logs, correspondence and supporting papers are still available. At the time of the tragedy, she was owned by Messers David C.Turnbull and Co. of Timaru, New Zealand timber merchants and shipping agents, who had purchased her on 13th December 1901. A detailed account of the last journey of La Bella can be read in “Leonard Robertson, the Whangaroa & La Bella” written by Jack Churchouse, published in 1982 by Millwood Press Ltd, Wellington, NZ. Some 15 – 17 ships are believed to have sunk in Lady Bay, but only two have been discovered on the seafloor; the “La Bella” and the “Edinburgh Castle”. Both wrecks are popular diving sites and are preserved as significant historical marine and marine archaeological sites. As well as this letter, Flagstaff Hill’s La Bella Collection includes a photograph of the wrecked La Bella, a brass rail holder and a postcard of William Ferrier with four of the survivors. This original congratulatory letter sent to William Ferrier by the Prime Minister and Government of Australia demonstrates the importance attached to his efforts for Victoria and to Australia. The letter is part of the La Bella Collection and is significant at both a local and state level. Its connection to the La Bella shipwreck and the rescue of five survivors highlights the dangers of Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. The letter to William Ferrier from the Australian Government acknowledges the bravery of ordinary Australians who risked their lives to save victims of shipwrecks along the coast. The letter is significant to the history of Warrnambool as it honours William Ferrier, a local fisherman whose descendants continue to live in the area. It highlights the way of life of people who lived in coastal towns in 19th century Victoria and the effects of shipwrecks upon them. The letter connects to the postcard of William Ferrier with four of the five rescued crew, the photograph of the wreck of the La Bella and the artefact from the wreck, the rail holder. This item is significant because of its association with the sailing ship “La Bella” . the “La Bella” is of local and state and national significance. It is one of the only two shipwrecks discovered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, out of the 15-17 shipwrecks in the bay. Brass rail holder from the wreck "La Bella". This rail holder would have been used as a fitting for the end of a rail. It is made up of two parts and looks a little like a goblet in shape. The top is a hollow spherical shape with a circular hole cut out on one side, into which the end of a round rail would fit. There are two gouge marks close to each other on one side of the hole, about one centimetre apart, at 1 and 2 o’clock position. The sphere has a hollow pipe-like stem with a screw thread turned into the outside of the lower section and the bottom of the stem has been flared out after having the base fitted. The base is round and has a mound in the centre. The edge has four evenly spaced fixture holes around its edge. The metal shows signs of pitting and has mild encrustation. The fitting of the base is loose, allowing it to swivel in a complete circle. The top of the sphere is rough and has a dent in it. Underneath the base there is verdigris; some has flaked off and reveals a bright golden colour underneath. rail holder, brass rail holder, la bella, lady bay, norway, 1893, new zealand, captain mylius, william ferrier, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village

The family-owned timber manufacturing business Pelco was started by Cecil Victor Woodfield in 1937. The joinery company Pelco began by making wooden ladders and was registered as the Palmerston Extension Ladder Company. C V Woodfield, who lived from 1884 -1959, arrived in Palmerston North from Canterbury NZ in the aftermath of the Great Depression to work in construction. The company got its first step up when Woodfield was asked by a commercial painter to make a ladder, and the founder set up shop in a garage on Ruahine St. According to the company website, Pelco made its name in New Zealand with its Oregon Extension Ladders, and up until its closure, manufactured non-conductive Lamilite Ladders for the electrical supply and service industry worldwide. The company was incorporated as a joinery business in 1946 and continued making high-end cabinetry for seven decades. Under director Geoff Woodfield, in the 1950s, the company embarked on the production of Fleetcraft plywood boats. Another water-related enterprise followed, with the manufacture of oars and paddles. Its branded Gull Superior Oars and Paddles business began exporting in 1972 to Australia and subsequently to the United States, UK and Japan. The company ceased trading in April 2018 and was placed into receivership.This pair of lightweight oars represents the maritime tradition of handmade oar making, which has evolved over the centuries. Their shape is still similar to early oars and continues to serve the same purpose, to steer and propel a boat. Pair of blonde varnished Tasman Fir oars with a flattened paddle at one end. Made by Gull of New Zealand, sold by James Edwards & Sons of Melbourne. Inscriptions on printed labels on the oars."GULL Superior Oars and Paddles, Pelco, Palmerston North NZ" "JAS. EDWARDS & SONS, Boat Builders, Oar and Skull Makers, & Importers, PRINCES BRIDGE MELBOURNE"warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, oar, oars, gull oars and paddles, new zealand oars and paddles, jas edwards and sons melbourne, rowing equipment, new zealand oak, paddle, james edwards and sons melbourne, james edwards, tasman fir, gull superior oars, marine equipment, marine technology, ship fitting, boat fitting, rowing oar, boat oar

Oar (2) blond varnished oars. Made by Gull Superior Oars and Paddles, Pelco, Palmerston North NZ.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, oars, rowing boat, rowing equipment, gull superior oars and paddles, pelco, palmerston north nz.

The family-owned timber manufacturing business Pelco was started by Cecil Victor Woodfield in 1937. The joinery company Pelco began by making wooden ladders and was registered as the Palmerston Extension Ladder Company. C V Woodfield, who lived from 1884 -1959, arrived in Palmerston North from Canterbury NZ in the aftermath of the Great Depression to work in construction. The company got its first step up when Woodfield was asked by a commercial painter to make a ladder, and the founder set up shop in a garage on Ruahine St. According to the company website, Pelco made its name in New Zealand with its Oregon Extension Ladders, and up until its closure, manufactured non-conductive Lamilite Ladders for the electrical supply and service industry worldwide. The company was incorporated as a joinery business in 1946, and continued making high-end cabinetry for seven decades. Under director Geoff Woodfield, in the 1950s, the company embarked on the production of Fleetcraft plywood boats. Another water-related enterprise followed, with the manufacture of oars and paddles Its branded Gull Superior Oars and Paddles business began exporting in 1972 to Australia and subsequently to the United States, UK and Japan. The company ceased trading in April 2018 and was placed into receivership.This pair of lightweight oars represents the maritime tradition of handmade oar making, which has evolved over the centuries. Their shape is still similar to early oars and continues to serve the same purpose, to steer and propel a boat. The oars are associated with a significant family business situated in Palmerston New Zealand that along with making ladders also graduated into making wooden boats and oars.Pair of blonde varnished Tasman Fir oars with a flattened paddle at one end. Made by Gull of New Zealand, sold by James Edwards & Sons of Melbourne. Inscriptions on printed labels on the oars.(1) "GULL Superior Oars and Paddles, Pelco, Palmerston North NZ" (2) "JAS. EDWARDS & SONS, Boat Builders, Oar and Skull Makers, & Importers, PRINCES BRIDGE MELBOURNE"warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, oar, oars, gull oars and paddles, new zealand oars and paddles, jas edwards and sons melbourne, rowing equipment, new zealand oak, paddle, james edwards and sons melbourne, james edwards, tasman fir, gull superior oars, marine equipment, marine technology, ship fitting, boat fitting, rowing oar, boat oar

The photograph of William Ferrier was given to Avis Quarrell by Lewis Ferrier, 3rd youngest son of William during the centenary of the wreck of the La Bella. The photograph was framed by the Henna Street Picture Framers, Warrnambool in 2005. The photograph is of William Ferrier, the 25-year-old fisherman from South Warrnambool, whose rescue of two sailors from the wrecked La Bella made him an overnight national hero. The La Bella was wrecked on 10th November 1905,and the remains of the vessel now lie on her port side in 13 metres of sheltered water inside the reef she struck. The bow section is relatively intact and part of the stern has drifted north-easterly towards the mouth of the Hopkins River. The reef the La Bella struck now bears its name. Several attempts were made by the Warrnambool lifeboat crew to rescue the stricken sailors on the La Bella, but the rough conditions made this difficult for the boat to get close enough to the ship and the lifeboat had to return to shore. A another rescue attempt was made by Ferrier who rowed a small dingy through the heavy seas and managed to rescue the Captain George Mylius, whom he landed on the breakwater. Ferrier then returned to the ship to attempt a final rescue, losing his oars and rowlocks into the high sea. Using just a spare paddle he swam towards the La Bella, reaching her stern in time to cut loose the lone surviving sailor, Payne, from the ropes and debris that held him to the ship; the terrified sailor dropped from the ship and into the dingy. Shortly after the last man was rescued, the La Bella was lifted by a huge wave and crashed back down on the reef; she broke up and sank. The survivors were taken to the nearby Bay View Hotel and gratefully received warm food and clothing, medical attention and a place to sleep. William Ferrier became a national hero as news of the daring rescue spread. In recognition of his bravery in the two daring rescues, he was awarded the Silver Medal for Bravery by the Royal Humane Society and was honoured in the letter from the Prime Minister and the Parliament of the Commonwealth, telegrams and a cheque for £20 from the Governor-General, over £150 subscribed by the public, including Warrnambool and district and readers of The Argus, and a gold medal from the Glenelg Dinghy Club of South Australia. Ferrier’s rescue efforts are one of the most heroic in Victoria’s shipwreck history.This photograph is significant at both a local and state level. Its connection to the La Bella shipwreck and the rescue of survivors highlights the dangers of Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast and demonstrates the bravery of ordinary Australians like William Ferrier who risked their lives to save victims of shipwrecks along the coast. Moreover, the photograph has an association with the sailing ship ‘La Bella’, as it is one of the only two shipwrecks discovered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool, out of the 15-17 shipwrecks known to have been wrecked in the bay.Framed sepia photograph, mounted behind glass. Portrait of a man seated on a log. He is wearing a brimmed hat, dark coloured jacket and trousers, and a light coloured collarless shirt with buttons. The figure in the photograph is William Ferrier.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, la bella, william ferrier, rescue, hero william ferrier