Historical information

Hygeia

Built in 1890 by Napier, Shanks & Bell of Yoker, Scotland (yard no 49). At 300 ft (92 m) long, she was an enormous paddler, outclassing the luxurious Ozone and surviving in service until 1930. In 1932 her stripped shell was scuttled off Barwon Head.

The PS ‘Hygeia’ was a paddle steamer, built by Napier, Shanks & Bell, in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1890.
When the paddle steamer PS ‘Hygeia’ was built, in 1890, she was considered the largest and fastest bay steamer afloat. She was capable of carrying up to 2,000 passengers and crew and was finished to the highest of standards. The state rooms were lavishly adorned in polished Oak, Hungarian Ash, Walnut and Sycamore – decorated with gilded pilasters. She would carry some 3,000,000 passengers around Port Phillip Bay in Victoria, during her career of 41 years. The PS ‘Hygeia’ was considered far too young to be scuttled and sent to an early grave – just outside Port Phillip Heads . . .

Physical description

Scale model of PS Hygeia