Built as a composite hulled barge of 49 ton in 1896 by Westergaard & Sons, Mannum Dry Dock at Mannum for Charles Oliver.
18 July 1896 launched under the name PYAP, named after a small village.
During building altered to a paddle steamer, tonnage 78 gross, 58 net.
Powered by a 10 hp semi portable compound steam engine manufactured by Marshall & Sons U.K.) Original rope driven, but this was replaced in 1908 on the engineer’s recommendation.
After completing registered at Adelaide.
She was used by Oliver as a hawking vessel that in early years left Murray Bridge every Monday at midday heading up Murray River.
1908 (other source circa 1913) bought by Endunda Farmers Co-operative Stores,
On the foredeck she carried stores and supplies, the built in aftdeck was used as a store, her upperdeck used for crew cabins and the wheelhouse.
Some machinery from the VICTOR was installed and a steam engine made by Garrett and Sons. (the VICTOR was owned by the same company, and was sunk in 1912. She had a 2 cyl. steam engine of 16 nhp.)
By the Co-operative also used as a hawking vessel. Used between Murray Bridge and Blanchetown on the Murray river, made calls on 60 landing stages during her passage. Mostly every month she made a trip, and when nearing the landing stage she did blow her whistle to notify the people that she was coming.
1921 Her tonnage is given as 117 gross, 78 net., dim. 94.0 x 16.8 x 4.0ft.
August 1930 the Endunda Farmers carried out extensive repair on the PYAP.
1932 Sold to L.H.Silver for Au$ 100. Was thereafter used by Les W. Mewett for fishing and woodcutting.
Circa 1937 sold to Les W. Mewett, and together with the barges EMERALD and Moorabbin used by hem for general cargo work and wood transport.
Circa 1943 bought by William (Bill) Collins, he took her to Psyche Bend for use as a houseboat. He owned trucks for the transport of wood, and used his own “punt” (flat bottomed wide craft, square ends, low sides, little sheer, length around 4.5 meter) to cross the river at Psyche Bend. The winch on the PYAP was used to haul the punt across the river. When he died, he left the PYAP to his daughters Pearl and Amy. Amy bought later Pearl shares and gave it to her brother Bill (junior)
The PYAP was taken down streams to Mildura and used by Bill and his wife Laurel as houseboat.
Bill removed her steam engines.
1970 Bought by E (Tobby) W. Henson and he installed a Ferguson tractor in the engine room to power the PYAP. He took her then to Swan Hill, landlocked it at Pioneer Settlement and made the necessary alterations to place her in the tourist trade. The frames and wooden section of the hull were replaced, the cabins removed from the upperdeck, and the area left open to accommodate day tripping passengers.
A 225 hp. General Motor Marine diesel was fitted in as well as a 4 cyl. diesel engine to drive the generator.
Thereafter used for tourist trips from Pioneer Settlement at Swan Hill.
28 Sept. 1978, at 11.41 pm residents of the Gregg Street noticed that smoke was coming out of the PYAP, which was moored alongside her wharf of the Pioneer Settlement. The superstructure was on fire and completely destroyed. The cause of the fire is still a mystery, and the arson squad which was called in to investigate the fire could not find the cause of the fire.
Rebuilding started immediately, first the charred material had to be removed, and on 31 Oct. 1978 the prefabricated frames and timbers arrived, and placed within two days after their arrival. Deck sections and sponsons were replaced. The new framing is made of western red cedar and miranti, the decking of jarrah timbers.
After two months she was back in service, and till today used as tourist boat.
Australia 2003 50c sg?, scott?
Source: Ships of the Inland Rivers by Ronald Parsons. http://www.sunraysia.vic.edu.au/riverbo ... /Pyap.html