The Stormbird was built in Southport Tasmania in 1874 and was originally a steamer registered in Hobart. 1876. It was re-registered many times with different owners: William Fergusson & S.Reeves, reg. Port Adelaide; 1878: G.McKay, C.Heath & J.Yeo; 1883: G.S.Simmonds. It made regular voyages from Port Victoria. In 1893 on November14 Stormbird sank at her wharf, near Honey Street, after being struck by the Tenterden. It was raised (29 Nov) & repaired.In 1902. It was registered to A.Le Messurier. In 1904 it was registered to J.& A.Tainsh. This certificate is the record of registration for George Tainsh, a master mariner, Alice Thompson, a widow and John Tainsh, master mariner. 1922. The Stormbird was eventually lost on a voyage Madang to Wewak with the loss of two lives. This was after 1968. It had been changed to a sailing ship with an auxiliary engine in 1938.This certificate is a useful research tool and is a valuable source of information on maritime history.A small, blue folder containing a certificate of British Registry for the ship "Stormbird". Black text with additional hand-written details in red added in 1938. The certificate gives details of size, tonnage and engine. The owners are listed and it is dated 24th May, 1922 and signed by the Registrar of Shipping, Ernest Hall.stormbird-registration tainsh

Photo was taken before ship was lengthened by ten feet at Peter Tierney's slip at Paynesville, near Bairnsdale, VictoriaBlack and white photograph showing S S Stormbird crossing bar shows Stormbird in front, coast and Howe Range in background. Mallacoota, Victoria.ships and shipping, waterways, fishing industry

Colour photograph Rotary Club St Patricks Day cruise aboard Stormbird, Graeme Lourkes and Shirley Bardwell. Lakes Entrance Vicrtoriarotary club, volunteering, cruise

The Bluebird plied Lakes for years until replaced by Peel's StormbirdBlack and white photograph showing launch 'Bluebird II' on Gippsland Lakes. Ten people onboard. Sand hummocks in background. Lakes Entrance Victoriajetties, waterways, boats and boating, tourism

Colour photograph of boats moored at Post Office Jetty. Tourist launch Stormbird, also fishing boats Cath Lena and Sharben. Lakes Entrance Victoriafishing industry, tourism, jetties

Black and white photograph of Eastern Wharf, Harbecks Jetty, Lakes Entrance Victoria with steamers Lady Harriot, Wyrallah and Stormbird alongside, goods on wharf with crane in background. c 1910waterways, ships and shipping, jetties

This is the tiller from the SS Stormbird which traded for the Orbost Shipping Company (1906-1915) between Marlo and Lakes Entrance. Mr Peter Nixon (Min. for Transport and for the Navy, 1970s) and Mr Arthur McMullen had the wheel and mast which had been recovered from the wreck of the SS Stormbird in New Guinea. Mr Nixon donated this wheel to the Orbost Historical Society in 1969.The S S Stormbird was an auxiliary-ketch which was owned by the Orbost Shipping Company (Henry James was the principal shareholder and manager of this company). It, along with the Coringle and the Wongrabelle were the main steamers owned by this company. These boats also carried sails. The significance of this item lies with its association with the shipping trade which serviced this region prior to the railway coming in 1915/16.A ship's tiller wheel, made of wood and faced with brass. The wood is painted black. It has eight spokes and handles to grip in order to steer a boat/ship. Two of the grips have strong rope or wire rope wrapped around them.ss stormbird orbost-shipping-company ship-fitting

Frank Guy took timber and piles from Gippsland to Melbourne for wharf constructionSepia photograph of the masted barquentine Frank Guy with sails up being towed out the entrance by the S S Stormbird. Timber entrance piers quite distinct. Lakes Entrance Victoriawaterways, historic ships, piers

Colour photograph of tourist launch Thunderbird and Stormbird at Post Office Jetty. Foreshore boardwalk in foreground, fishing boats moored other side of jetty, small information and ticket building at entrance to jetty. Lakes Entrance Victoria waterways, jetties, boats and boating, tourism

Black and white photograph showing shipping at Harbecks Wharf, L-R, SS Manawatu, ketch Wongrabelle, ketch Topsy, SS Stormbird. Small yacht in foreground, Pindewira - Harbeck's delivery boat. Another steamer in left background. Lakes Entrance Victoria ships and shipping, wharfs

The white-throated Needletail is a migratory bird, breeding in Central Asia and southern Siberia, and wintering south in the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia. This large swift is often mistaken in flight for a small predatory bird, but its long curved wings and white markings help to identify it. Needle-tailed Swifts get their name from the spined end of their tail, which is not forked as it is in the more common Swifts of the genus Apus. They build their nests in rock crevices in cliffs or hollow trees. These birds do not like to sit on the ground, spending spend most of their time in the air. This specimen is part of a collection of almost 200 animal specimens that were originally acquired as skins from various institutions across Australia, including the Australian Museum in Sydney and the National Museum of Victoria (known as Museums Victoria since 1983), as well as individuals such as amateur anthropologist Reynell Eveleigh Johns between 1860-1880. These skins were then mounted by members of the Burke Museum Committee and put-on display in the formal space of the Museum’s original exhibition hall where they continue to be on display. This display of taxidermy mounts initially served to instruct visitors to the Burke Museum of the natural world around them, today it serves as an insight into the collecting habits of the 19th century.This specimen is part of a significant and rare taxidermy mount collection in the Burke Museum. This collection is scientifically and culturally important for reminding us of how science continues to shape our understanding of the modern world. They demonstrate a capacity to hold evidence of how Australia’s fauna history existed in the past and are potentially important for future environmental research. This collection continues to be on display in the Museum and has become a key part to interpreting the collecting habits of the 19th century. This white-throated Needletail is predominantly grey-brown in colour. The throat and under tail of he bird are dusky-white. This specimen has a white spot on the lower rim of each of its wings. The eyes are made from glass and the specimen has been styalised standing on a wooden mount.Label: 3a/ Spine-tailed Swift / See catalogue page 7.stormbird, taxidermy mount, taxidermy, animalia, burke museum, beechworth, australian museum, skin, reynell eveleigh johns, bird, quail, migratory bird, white-throated needletail, needle-tailed swift, spine-tailed swift, hirundapus caudacutus

This correspondence book was used by the Orbost Shipping Company which was managed an partly owned by Henry James from 1906 until 1915.This item is associated with the Orbost Shipping Company (Henry James was the principal shareholder and manager of this company). The Stormbird, the Coringle and the Wongrabelle were the main steamers owned by this company. These boats also carried sails. The significance of this item lies with its association with the shipping trade which serviced this region prior to the railway coming in 1915/16.A hard back fabric covered correspondence book containing hand-written details of shipping movements, reports and correspondence concerning the Orbost Shipping Company. It has a black cover and a gold stamp on the spine.on spine - "Andrew Sherar Stationer Melbourne"orbost-shipping-company transport shipping