The letter of reference from the Master, (indecipherable signature), certified that Arthur Oswald Dixon, served on the SS Baldina belonging to the Adelaide Steamship Company, from the 14/12/1920 to 09/03/1921. Mr Dixon was an excellent and very capable officer.Typewritten and signed letter in black ink on thin cream paper.Top left corner: Cable address " Steamship, Adelaide"/ Top right corner: The Adelaide Steamship Co Limited, Adelaide". Signed: CBL Tilmer? (signature of ship master)arthur oswald dixon, masters, seamanship, seamen, sailors, seafarers, officers, crew, adelaide steamship, ss baldina, 1921, merchant navy

Cargo Register, printed specifically for The Adelaide Steamship Company Limited. Pages have been printed with titles, rows and columns but thses haven't been filled in.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, the adelaide steamship company limited, cargo register, trade ship administration

The lectern was gifted by Mary Georgina Howard Northcote in December 1907 for the Siddeley Street mission (see Annual Report 1907: list of gifts for the new institute page 8). It was moved to the St Peter Chapel, Flinders Street, and has been in use ever since. Mary nee Reynell in Cheltenham, England, was the wife of Edward Northcote, ex master mariner and general manager of the Adelaide Steamship Company between 1899 and 1926, before his death on 4 November 1926. Edward Northcote was the cousin of Henry Stafford Northcote, Governor General of Australia (1904-1908). Lord Northcote laid the stone of the Siddeley Street Seamen's Institute on Tuesday 5 February 1907. Mary died in December 1932, in her will she made a donation of £25 to the Mission. As it was moved to the St Peter chapel when the Flinders Street Mission opened, it was added to the 1917 list of gifts.The Mission to Seafarers Victoria has been in operation for over 150 years in Victoria although experiencing many name and location changes. Support and patronage by Governors general and State governors was key to official recognition of the work of the Mission.The current site at 717 Flinders Street is the most enduring and many artefacts from previous locations have been relocated to this site. This lectern underscores the relationship between the Mission and notable Victorians.The head of the lectern is supported by three wooden cross sections each engraved with a criss-crossing leaf pattern. The legs of lectern have a similarly carved decorative panel forming an arched shape. Each corner of the panel has gum leafs and nuts carved into it. The foot of the lectern is less ornate although there are three decorated wooden panels mimicking those supporting the head.Brass plaque on lectern: FOR THE GLORY OF GOD/THIS LECTERN/WAS PRESENTED BY/MARY HOWARD NORTHCOTE/DECEMBER 1907religion, lectern, australia-wharf, mary georgina howard northcote nee reynell, edward northcote (1854-1926), adelaide steamship company, henry stafford northcote (1846-1911) g.c.m.g, mission to seafarers, seamen's mission, mission to seamen, flinders street, yarra river, siddeley street, heritage listed, gifts-1917

On the 4 August 1934, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Great Britain declaration of war on Germany, 106 trees were planted, during a ceremony, on the lawns of the newly created garden of the Shrine of Remembrance. The Shrine of Remembrance was built to provide a place to grieve and remember Victorians killed in the First World War (1914-18). Prince Henry, the Duke of Gloucester and son of King George V, officially opened the Shrine before a crowd of 300,000 people in November 1934. Captain Robert Sunter, commander of the coastal liner Manunda, Adelaide Steamship Company, was chosen to plant a Queensland kauri (tree - number 100) on the main avenue from Domain Rd leading to the Shrine of Remembrance. The photograph was published in the Herald (4 August 1934, p. 40). In the Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Friday 3 August 1934, page 8 In Memory of the Merchant Service- Captain Sunter to Plant Tree at the Shrine Tomorrow will be the 20th anniversary of Great Britain's declaration of war on Germany, and at 10 and. Captain R. Sunter, the commander of the coastal liner Manunda, will plant a tree in the Shrine! of Remembrance reserve In memory of the officers and men of the Australian merchant service who gave their lives during the war. The tree, , which will be No.100 in the reserve, will bear the following inscription based on the wording of the ' British Mercantile Marine memorial at Tower Hill. London: "1914-1918. In remembrance of the officers and men of the Australian Mercantile Marine who died for King and Country and have no grave but the sea. Planted August 4, 1934." During the war 12 ships of the Australian merchant service were sunk and 95 officers and men lost their lives.The Shrine of Remembrance committee recently asked the director of navigation (Captain J. K. Davis) to nominate a member of the mercantile marine to plant a tree in the reserve. Captain Davis passed on the request to the secretary of the Merchant Service Guild of Australia (Captain T. D. Snape) and, after having conferred with various sections of the sea-going service, Captain Snape announced yesterday that Captain Sunter had been chosen unanimously. Captain Sunter has a distinguished war record as commander of the hospital ship Wandilla. Born at South Shields, in England, in 1878, he is a son of the late Canon Sunter, of Adelaide. He served an apprenticeship in sailing ships, and soon after obtaining his master a certificate entered the service of the Adelaide Steamship Company, where he has remained. In the Wandilla during the war Captain Sunter became known to thousands of wounded soldiers and troops." Padre Frank Oliver of MtS can be seen assisting with dedication at far left. Captain Robert Sunter who also served in WW1, a friend of the seamen and the mission, died a month later in Cairns. A window funded by crew of the Manunda and friends was dedicated to his memory in St Peter's Chapel, MtSV in February 1936 by Padre Oliver. (see item 0038).Depicts one of the few memorials specifically commissioned for Merchant seamen of WW1 and in later years also a focus for those who died in WW2 and other conflicts. Mounted black and white photograph of a group of people at a tree planting, minister of religion at far left, on dark grey mount with typed caption label on the lower edge of mountTyped caption in upper case: CAPTAIN R. SUNTER OF THE M.S. “MANUNDA”, AT THE INVITATION OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE WAR MEMORIAL IN MELBOURNE , PLANTS A TREE IN THE AVENUE OF REMEMBRANCE TO COMMEMORATE THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE AUSTRALIAN MERCANTILE MARINE WHO BETWEEN 1914 AND 1918 DIED AS A RESULT OF ENEMY ACTION AND WHO HAVE NO GRAVE BUT THE SEA. AUGUST 4TH 1934padre oliver, captain robert sunter, m.s. manunda, war memorial, mercantile marine memorial tree, melbourne, shrine of remembrance, wandilla, hospital ship, adelaide steamship company, memorial trees, queensland kauri

The first Seafarers Service was held on 23 October 1905 in the St Paul's Cathedral in London to celebrate the Centenary of the Battle of Trafalgar and the death of Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson on 21 October 1805. Reverend Alfred Gurney Goldsmith launched the first Seafarers Service two years later and the first service was held on Sunday 10 November 1907. National and house flags are used during the annual Seafarers Service. The Adelaide Steamship Company was an Australian shipping company and later a diversified industrial and logistics conglomerate. It was formed by a group of South Australian businessmen in 1875. The service continue to reflect the full range of the maritime activities in Australia. Representatives come from the Royal and Merchant Navies, the commercial world, shipping companies, mission and philanthropic societies, veterans’ associations, labour unions, youth and leisure organisations, but anyone is welcome to attend.Large white rectangular flag with a navy cross and a red 8 arms star.Adelaide Steamship written in black penflag, seafarers service, adelaide steamship, shipping company, house flag

Photo location unknown. S S Charlotte Fenwick in Gippsland waters 1890-1918, went to Hawkesbury River 1918, caught fire and burned to waterline 1920.Black and white photograph showing S S Charlotte Fenwick, at wharf with name Adelaide Steamship Company, painted on shed on wharf. Victoriaboats and boating

Two copies of Australian Red Cross Society Knitting Book, one small and one larger. The front cover shows the name of the society, a large red cross with the title Knitting Book underneath. The smaller book has information about the purpose of the Australian Red Cross Society in war times, Price: Threepence. Second Edition. The back cover has information regarding free carriage on S.A Railways and by Adelaide Steamship Company. It also has a 5 inches ruler on the left edge of the back cover.The larger book has the same title with the addition of Parcels addressed "Australian Red Cross" are carried free over the railways. On the back cover is printed Copies of this knitting book may be obtained upon application to any Red Cross Emergency Service Company in Victoria. Inside are various patterns for clothing - caps, sleeveless pullover, waistcoat muffler, armlets, man's socks and mittens, kneecaps, hot water bottle covers and scarves. non-fictionTwo Australian Red Cross knitting pattern booklets for home knitters, c.1940's. They were used by Ms Dorothy Hunter. These booklets were collected over 15 years and were used for exhibition at Memo, Gallery Healesville Friday 23rdOct to 18th November 2015.knitting, knitting patterns, knitting equipment

This signature table cloth was anonymously donated to the Bacchus Marsh Blacksmith Cottage and Forge group in 2013. On the cloth are the hand embroidered names of men who served in WW1 as well as the names of family members, place names and dates of significance. In one corner of the cloth is the outline of a tennis ball, in which 6 names are listed. Research has shown that these names probably belonged to the Rose Park Methodist Tennis Club in Adelaide. Many of the other names listed seem to relate to servicemen and their families who came from South Australia. Also on this cloth are 3 beautifully embroidered butterflies, the profile of a man, a crest containing the letters B and H and the following place names and dates :- Sydney 21.10.12, Melbourne Jan 13, Goolwa, Genolan Caves NSW, Katoomba, Luna Park St Kilda and Granite Island. The name of the steamship SS Warilda also appears on this cloth. this ship belonged to the Adelaide Steamship Company. It was used to transport soldiers to WW1 and was then converted into a hospital ship, ferrying the wounded from France to England. It was hit and sank on the 3rd of August 1918.World War 1 signature table cloth. A square, white, linen table cloth with hand embroidered signatures of people and names of places, dates and objects relating to WW1.The embroidery is all done in white thread.There are also 3 embroidered butterflies, a crest and a man's profile.

Mr John Wilson Gillie was born on the 31st of March 1864. On the 31st of July 1880 he was apprenticed for four years to J.J. Wilson and Sons, Nautical Instrument Makers of Sunderland. Following the apprenticeship he spent six months to a year as an ‘improver’ in Glasgow, and then started a new company ‘Wilson and Gillie’ in North Shields. At this time sail had just given way to steam and wooden ships to steel, and the railways were competing with colliers for the carrying of coal from the North East of England to London and the South. In 1858 only seven out of 44 shipyards on the Tyne were using iron, but by 1862 there were ten, employing around 4,000 men. These changes had a significant effect on nautical instrument manufacturers, as the magnetic compass for a wooden sailing vessel was very simple and required little in the way of compensation. For steel vessels much more was required and this was a period of great development, both in the compass bowl and the binnacle in which it was housed. In 1870 Sir William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin) designed his dry card standard compass, which completely replaced all previous designs. Wilson and Gillie started as agents for the Thomson compass, but later J.W. Gillie, using similar principles, redesigned the compass suspension and patented the ‘UNIT’ standard compass. It became popular with local shipowners and shipbuilders. In 1910 the firm of John Lilley and Son (which had been established in London in 1812), found themselves in financial difficulties and were saved with the help of John Wilson Gillie, who established, on the 8th of August 1911, a new firm of John Lilley and Son Limited. John Lilley and Son had been the sole London agents for Sir William Thomson, a very enviable position during this period, when the Thomson compass led the field. Unfortunately, Mr. Lilley had quarreled with the Glasgow company, who withdrew the agency and established their own branch in London (later to become Kelvin White and Hutton). On November 7th 1913, the firm of John Lilley and Son Limited of London amalgamated with Wilson and Gillie of North Shields, and after this date instruments manufactured by the two companies bore the name John Lilley and Son Limited of London and North Shields. During the 1930s many of the London nautical instrument makers were in difficulties, including John Lilley and Son Limited and Reynolds and Son, Dobbie and Clyde Limited, and Mr. J.W. Gillie arranged an amalgamation between these two companies. The new firm became Lilley and Reynolds Limited. In 1943, with estate duties in mind, the North Shields company was reconstituted and took the name of John Lilley and Gillie Limited, although the shareholders, directors and personnel remained unchanged In the early 1970s Lilley and Gillie developed close links with Observator in Rotterdam, who manufactured one of the first fully reliable transmitting magnetic compass systems. The Observator shareholders, Holland America Line, bought the share capital of John Lilley and Gillie Limited., but retained all the personnel and the directors. Tug Melbourne: The barometer was salvaged from a 496-ton tug that had been built in 1952 and had sunk in Port Philip Bay on the 9th of August 1972 after a collision with the SS Nieuw Holland, in 1973 it had been raised and scraped at this time the barometer was salvaged. The tug had been renamed from the Howard Smith to the “Melbourne” after the Adelaide Steamship Co was taken over by Howard Smith& Co, who were heavily involved in towage, salvage and the stevedoring industries in 1961.The significance is that the item was on a vessel that was evolved in a serious collision in Port Philip Bay in 1972. It is linked with the activities of the Port at that time and helps to form a picture of what the maritime industries that operated from Port Melbourne were like and the activities that stevedore and towage companies underwent.Ship Barometer, in brass caseInscribed "Compensated" , "John Lilley & Gillie Ltd London & North Shields." and "Millibars".flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, barometer, ship's barometer, weather instrument, john lilley & gillie ltd, shipwreck artefact, the tigboat melbourne, north shields, howard smith, the melbourne, salvage

This timetable was found by Dave Maxwell behind an old photograph. David's family came to Warrnambool in 1838.The timetable is an example of travel in the late 19th century. It shows the frequency of voyages between London and Adelaide and the time taken to make the journeys by steamship in 1895. Orient Steam Navigation Company's timetable for steamship voyages outward bound from London to Adelaide, and inward bound back to London, for 1895. The document has black print on cream-coloured paper and is mounted onto a card backing. The timetable lists voyage n from January 1885 to January 1886, with details of month, date and times. The itinerary begins from London to Naples, Port Said, Colombo, King George's Sound and finally to Adelaide (Semaphore), taking 35 days for the journey. The steamship then returns to London. The timetable was approved by Her Majesty's Postmaster-General on the 14th September 1894. There are indecipherable inscriptions below the timetable."ORIENT STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY'S LINE / FOR THE YEAR 1895 / APPROVED BY HER MAJESTY'S POSTMASTER-GENERAL ON THE 14TH OF SEPTEMBER 1894 " "OUTWARD ROUTE" "HOMEWARD ROUTE" "NAPLES TO ADELAIDE " ADELAIDE TO NAPLES"flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, orient steam navigation company limited, orient line, steamship line, 1895 travel, steamship, london, naples, port said, colombo, king george's sound, adelaide (semaphore), migration, early steamships, world travel, london to australia, london to adelaide, travel, late 19th century travel

The steamer S.S.CASINO was much loved by the whole Port Fairy community- with the possible exception of some of the fishermen whose boats she ran down! Transport of the large quantities of wool, potatoes, onions, grain, sheep, cattle and other produce grown on the rich lands of the Western District Belfast was served by a plethora of shipping, both sail and steam, but only one of the steamers then in the regular trade (S.S. DAWN) would ever be able to get up the river and reap the cost savings of loading against a wharf. It was not unusual for four steamers to be anchored in the bay at once and for seven or eight different steamers to call during a week. A number of inter-colonial steamers also called to pick up produce for delivery to Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. Production in the Western District was increasing and virtually all of that production had to go through one of the western ports in order to reach markets. By 1882 a meeting 15ft. March, 1882, in the office of auctioneer, J.B. HoIden in Cox Street took action and it was unanimously resolved - that the Belfast & Koroit Steamship Company be formed with a capital of £20,000 in 10,000 shares of £2 each". A number of steamers were offered by letter to the fledgling company, including the new and almost sister ships, CASINO and HELEN NICHOLL. The CASINO was on her delivery voyage from England was due to arrive in Warrnambool to load potatoes for Sydney and, initially, arrangements were made for her to call into Port Fairy for inspection by the BKNS Co directors. She eventually proceeded direct to Warrnambool and the Directors inspected her there. Without hesitation they purchased her even though they had to raise a large bank loan to do so. The CASINO arrived in Port Fairy on Saturday, 29th. July, 1882, steaming triumphantly up the Moyne River, and was greeted by crowds, many of whom had driven in from the surrounding countryside, which gave her “loud ringing English cheers". By 1884 the CASINO could not carry all the cargoes available to her and in December of that year the company purchased the new steamer BELLINGER to provide additional capacity. She helped to open up the intermediate ports of Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell, but the BELLINGER was not really suitable for the trade and she was sold in 1887, leaving the CASINO to operate alone -as she was to do for almost all of the next 45 years. The opening of the railway in 1890 decreased the cargo available to the steamers and the economic depression of the early 1890's worsened the situation. The weak soon began to fall by the wayside and when the Portland & Belfast SN Co. decided to go into liquidation in April 1895, the Belfast & Koroit Company bought the Portland Company's steamer DAWN on advantageous terms, a substantial part of the payment being in BKSN Co shares. The BKNS Co and the Howard Smith Line came into direct head to head competition and nearly forced the BKNS Co out of existence. Cargo dropped to such an extent that in 1899, they reached agreement that only one ship would run and that the ship which ran would pay a weekly amount to the competitor to stay out of the trade. This controlled service ceased in1909, and competition intensified when Howard Smith placed the newly built, larger steamer EUMERALLA on the run. The BKNS Co survived this competition and even prospered during it partly by extending on a more regular basis, the CASINO'S voyages to South Australian ports Port Macdonnell, Kingston, Beachport, Robe and, on occasions Adelaide. There were setbacks when, on 20 October 1924, CASINO went ashore at the Kennett River, near Apollo Bay, and again, in February l929, when she struck a submerged object at Warrnambool and had to be beached. The railways placed great competitive pressure on the small steamship company and this pressure was intensified when the Great Depression slashed the market for Western District produce, BKNS Co struggled on, paying dividends in most years, and the company planned a big celebration for the CASINO'S fiftieth anniversary in the trade on 29th July, 1932. Disaster struck soon after 9 o'clock on the morning of Sunday I0 July, 1932 when the CASINO was lost at Apollo Bay together with the lives of 10 crew members. Black and white photograph of s.s.Casino steaming down to berth at her wharf on the left fishing boats in foregroundship, boat, industry, belfast and koroit steam navigation company, moyne river, river, s.s.casino, wharf

The steamer S.S.CASINO was much loved by the whole Port Fairy community- with the possible exception of some of the fishermen whose boats she ran down! Transport of the large quantities of wool, potatoes, onions, grain, sheep, cattle and other produce grown on the rich lands of the Western District Belfast was served by a plethora of shipping, both sail and steam, but only one of the steamers then in the regular trade (S.S. DAWN) would ever be able to get up the river and reap the cost savings of loading against a wharf. It was not unusual for four steamers to be anchored in the bay at once and for seven or eight different steamers to call during a week. A number of inter-colonial steamers also called to pick up produce for delivery to Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. Production in the Western District was increasing and virtually all of that production had to go through one of the western ports in order to reach markets. By 1882 a meeting 15ft. March, 1882, in the office of auctioneer, J.B. HoIden in Cox Street took action and it was unanimously resolved - that the Belfast & Koroit Steamship Company be formed with a capital of £20,000 in 10,000 shares of £2 each". A number of steamers were offered by letter to the fledgling company, including the new and almost sister ships, CASINO and HELEN NICHOLL. The CASINO was on her delivery voyage from England was due to arrive in Warrnambool to load potatoes for Sydney and, initially, arrangements were made for her to call into Port Fairy for inspection by the BKNS Co directors. She eventually proceeded direct to Warrnambool and the Directors inspected her there. Without hesitation they purchased her even though they had to raise a large bank loan to do so. The CASINO arrived in Port Fairy on Saturday, 29th. July, 1882, steaming triumphantly up the Moyne River, and was greeted by crowds, many of whom had driven in from the surrounding countryside, which gave her “loud ringing English cheers". By 1884 the CASINO could not carry all the cargoes available to her and in December of that year the company purchased the new steamer BELLINGER to provide additional capacity. She helped to open up the intermediate ports of Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell, but the BELLINGER was not really suitable for the trade and she was sold in 1887, leaving the CASINO to operate alone -as she was to do for almost all of the next 45 years. The opening of the railway in 1890 decreased the cargo available to the steamers and the economic depression of the early 1890's worsened the situation. The weak soon began to fall by the wayside and when the Portland & Belfast SN Co. decided to go into liquidation in April 1895, the Belfast & Koroit Company bought the Portland Company's steamer DAWN on advantageous terms, a substantial part of the payment being in BKSN Co shares. The BKNS Co and the Howard Smith Line came into direct head to head competition and nearly forced the BKNS Co out of existence. Cargo dropped to such an extent that in 1899, they reached agreement that only one ship would run and that the ship which ran would pay a weekly amount to the competitor to stay out of the trade. This controlled service ceased in1909, and competition intensified when Howard Smith placed the newly built, larger steamer EUMERALLA on the run. The BKNS Co survived this competition and even prospered during it partly by extending on a more regular basis, the CASINO'S voyages to South Australian ports Port Macdonnell, Kingston, Beachport, Robe and, on occasions Adelaide. There were setbacks when, on 20 October 1924, CASINO went ashore at the Kennett River, near Apollo Bay, and again, in February l929, when she struck a submerged object at Warrnambool and had to be beached. The railways placed great competitive pressure on the small steamship company and this pressure was intensified when the Great Depression slashed the market for Western District produce, BKNS Co struggled on, paying dividends in most years, and the company planned a big celebration for the CASINO'S fiftieth anniversary in the trade on 29th July, 1932. Disaster struck soon after 9 o'clock on the morning of Sunday I0 July, 1932 when the CASINO was lost at Apollo Bay together with the lives of 10 crew members. black and white panaramic photograph mounted on cardboardMoyne River & East Beach Port Fairy- s.s.Casino-A.C.Aberline-Canterburyship, boat, sea, river, training walls, wharf, moyne river, s.s.casino, steamer

S.s.Casino 1910. The people on the decks are tourists coming from Terang and surrounding areas to spend the day at the seaside. The steamer S.S.CASINO was much loved by the whole Port Fairy community- with the possible exception of some of the fishermen whose boats she ran down! Transport of the large quantities of wool, potatoes, onions, grain, sheep, cattle and other produce grown on the rich lands of the Western District Belfast was served by a plethora of shipping, both sail and steam, but only one of the steamers then in the regular trade (S.S. DAWN) would ever be able to get up the river and reap the cost savings of loading against a wharf. It was not unusual for four steamers to be anchored in the bay at once and for seven or eight different steamers to call during a week. A number of inter-colonial steamers also called to pick up produce for delivery to Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. Production in the Western District was increasing and virtually all of that production had to go through one of the western ports in order to reach markets. By 1882 a meeting 15ft. March, 1882, in the office of auctioneer, J.B. HoIden in Cox Street took action and it was unanimously resolved - that the Belfast & Koroit Steamship Company be formed with a capital of £20,000 in 10,000 shares of £2 each". A number of steamers were offered by letter to the fledgling company, including the new and almost sister ships, CASINO and HELEN NICHOLL. The CASINO was on her delivery voyage from England was due to arrive in Warrnambool to load potatoes for Sydney and, initially, arrangements were made for her to call into Port Fairy for inspection by the BKNS Co directors. She eventually proceeded direct to Warrnambool and the Directors inspected her there. Without hesitation they purchased her even though they had to raise a large bank loan to do so. The CASINO arrived in Port Fairy on Saturday, 29th. July, 1882, steaming triumphantly up the Moyne River, and was greeted by crowds, many of whom had driven in from the surrounding countryside, which gave her “loud ringing English cheers". By 1884 the CASINO could not carry all the cargoes available to her and in December of that year the company purchased the new steamer BELLINGER to provide additional capacity. She helped to open up the intermediate ports of Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell, but the BELLINGER was not really suitable for the trade and she was sold in 1887, leaving the CASINO to operate alone -as she was to do for almost all of the next 45 years. The opening of the railway in 1890 decreased the cargo available to the steamers and the economic depression of the early 1890's worsened the situation. The weak soon began to fall by the wayside and when the Portland & Belfast SN Co. decided to go into liquidation in April 1895, the Belfast & Koroit Company bought the Portland Company's steamer DAWN on advantageous terms, a substantial part of the payment being in BKSN Co shares. The BKNS Co and the Howard Smith Line came into direct head to head competition and nearly forced the BKNS Co out of existence. Cargo dropped to such an extent that in 1899, they reached agreement that only one ship would run and that the ship which ran would pay a weekly amount to the competitor to stay out of the trade. This controlled service ceased in1909, and competition intensified when Howard Smith placed the newly built, larger steamer EUMERALLA on the run. The BKNS Co survived this competition and even prospered during it partly by extending on a more regular basis, the CASINO'S voyages to South Australian ports Port Macdonnell, Kingston, Beachport, Robe and, on occasions Adelaide. There were setbacks when, on 20 October 1924, CASINO went ashore at the Kennett River, near Apollo Bay, and again, in February l929, when she struck a submerged object at Warrnambool and had to be beached. The railways placed great competitive pressure on the small steamship company and this pressure was intensified when the Great Depression slashed the market for Western District produce, BKNS Co struggled on, paying dividends in most years, and the company planned a big celebration for the CASINO'S fiftieth anniversary in the trade on 29th July, 1932. Disaster struck soon after 9 o'clock on the morning of Sunday I0 July, 1932 when the CASINO was lost at Apollo Bay together with the lives of 10 crew members. Black and white photograph of tourists crowded on the decks of s.s.Casino during a sail around the bay for Terang dayship, boat, sea, river, s.s.casino 1910, transport, 1910, wool, onions, grain, sheep, cattle, steam, terang day

This photograph show the ship in dry dock (possibly Melbourne) for maintenance. The steamer S.S.CASINO was much loved by the whole Port Fairy community- with the possible exception of some of the fishermen whose boats she ran down! Transport of the large quantities of wool, potatoes, onions, grain, sheep, cattle and other produce grown on the rich lands of the Western District Belfast was served by a plethora of shipping, both sail and steam, but only one of the steamers then in the regular trade (S.S. DAWN) would ever be able to get up the river and reap the cost savings of loading against a wharf. It was not unusual for four steamers to be anchored in the bay at once and for seven or eight different steamers to call during a week. A number of inter-colonial steamers also called to pick up produce for delivery to Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. Production in the Western District was increasing and virtually all of that production had to go through one of the western ports in order to reach markets. By 1882 a meeting 15ft. March, 1882, in the office of auctioneer, J.B. HoIden in Cox Street took action and it was unanimously resolved - that the Belfast & Koroit Steamship Company be formed with a capital of £20,000 in 10,000 shares of £2 each". A number of steamers were offered by letter to the fledgling company, including the new and almost sister ships, CASINO and HELEN NICHOLL. The CASINO was on her delivery voyage from England was due to arrive in Warrnambool to load potatoes for Sydney and, initially, arrangements were made for her to call into Port Fairy for inspection by the BKNS Co directors. She eventually proceeded direct to Warrnambool and the Directors inspected her there. Without hesitation they purchased her even though they had to raise a large bank loan to do so. The CASINO arrived in Port Fairy on Saturday, 29th. July, 1882, steaming triumphantly up the Moyne River, and was greeted by crowds, many of whom had driven in from the surrounding countryside, which gave her “loud ringing English cheers". By 1884 the CASINO could not carry all the cargoes available to her and in December of that year the company purchased the new steamer BELLINGER to provide additional capacity. She helped to open up the intermediate ports of Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell, but the BELLINGER was not really suitable for the trade and she was sold in 1887, leaving the CASINO to operate alone -as she was to do for almost all of the next 45 years. The opening of the railway in 1890 decreased the cargo available to the steamers and the economic depression of the early 1890's worsened the situation. The weak soon began to fall by the wayside and when the Portland & Belfast SN Co. decided to go into liquidation in April 1895, the Belfast & Koroit Company bought the Portland Company's steamer DAWN on advantageous terms, a substantial part of the payment being in BKSN Co shares. The BKNS Co and the Howard Smith Line came into direct head to head competition and nearly forced the BKNS Co out of existence. Cargo dropped to such an extent that in 1899, they reached agreement that only one ship would run and that the ship which ran would pay a weekly amount to the competitor to stay out of the trade. This controlled service ceased in1909, and competition intensified when Howard Smith placed the newly built, larger steamer EUMERALLA on the run. The BKNS Co survived this competition and even prospered during it partly by extending on a more regular basis, the CASINO'S voyages to South Australian ports Port Macdonnell, Kingston, Beachport, Robe and, on occasions Adelaide. There were setbacks when, on 20 October 1924, CASINO went ashore at the Kennett River, near Apollo Bay, and again, in February l929, when she struck a submerged object at Warrnambool and had to be beached. The railways placed great competitive pressure on the small steamship company and this pressure was intensified when the Great Depression slashed the market for Western District produce, BKNS Co struggled on, paying dividends in most years, and the company planned a big celebration for the CASINO'S fiftieth anniversary in the trade on 29th July, 1932. Disaster struck soon after 9 o'clock on the morning of Sunday I0 July, 1932 when the CASINO was lost at Apollo Bay together with the lives of 10 crew members. Black and white photograph of ship in dry dockship, boat, sea, river, industry, belfast and koroit steam navigation company