While the belle of the ball was forbade by the evil stepmother, the villagers still celebrated in her honour.

The 100-year celebrations for the PS Alexander Arbuthnot (AA) delighted the masses on Friday night. The only thing brighter than the perfect October day was the smiles that adorned those in attendance.

PS Alexander Arbuthnot was named after the former owner of the Arbuthnot Sawmills at Koondrook – Alexander ‘Squire’ James Cooke Arbuthnot. His father, Alexander ‘Sandy’ Arbuthnot was the founder of the sawmill.

Dignitaries were in attendance, including Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, descendants of the vessel’s original owner, along with members of the rescue crew and former Shepparton City Council staff involved in the recovery and restoration. 

The recovery of the AA happened 50 years ago after it sat submerged for 25 years. Ironically, the vessel nearly started its life by being sunk, a story told by Koondrook Development Committee (KDC) president, Tom Chick, during his speech on the day.

“Our famous PS Alexander Arbuthnot on her launch was held by two giant hawsers, or ropes, secured at each end, sitting on top of the slipway. Two axemen waited for a signal to cut the ropes at the same time to send her on her journey down the log slipway,” read Tom.

“On the signal, they struck the ropes, one cutting cleanly but the other leaving the rope intact. He had cut with such force that his axe was lodged in the red gum slip log. 

“The PS Alexander Arbuthnot slid at an angle down toward the water with disaster imminent. A nearby millhand, who had stopped work to observe the launch, grabbed his axe and ran to the rope, hacking it through in time for the Alexander Arbuthnot to regain an almost even keel to avert disaster.”

The AA was one of 14 vessels to be built in Koondrook, starting life as a barge before in 1923 being commissioned and then towed to Echuca for the fitting of engine, boiler and superstructure to commence her new job as a working steamer.

Together with its barge, the AA could carry over 480 tonnes of freight. Tom recounted on one trip to Echuca carrying grain it took 60 rail freight cars to carry their load on to Melbourne.

PS Alexander Arbuthnot worked at the mill until the 1940s until she was replaced by the PS Hero and onsold to charcoal producers at Barmah, who used her to bring bagged charcoal to the Echuca Wharf during World War II.  

In 1947, after the war ended, she became redundant and eventually sank.  

With support of the Shepparton Council, a group of volunteers from Shepparton raised her in 1972 for use at the International Village Theme Park. 

One of those involved in the rescue mission was Helene Sutherland, whose husband, John, was tasked with the monumental feat.

“George Newman owned the boat and there had been several failed attempts to salvage it,” said Helene.

“George Newman had told Shepp City Council if they could get it, they could have it.

“Murray Slee was a councillor at the time and John had built a reputation for doing the impossible, and Murray said to him here’s this other challenge for you, Suthie. And the rest, I suppose, is history.”

What followed was weekends of camping on the river for the volunteers as they worked during the week and spent their spare time on a mission to save the AA.

“One of the biggest challenges was getting the cables underneath the hull,” said Helene.

“We had two divers, and this was in the middle of winter when the river was low.

“So, they’re in the cold, muddy water trying to get the cables under, and if they hadn’t got the cables through, there would have been no salvage.”

Visibility was zero in the turbid water and a big fire was kept going on the river bank heating water to thaw out the two divers on their return. 

Peter Le Sueur, whose father was one of the divers, recounts, “I remember seeing Dad come out of the water and he was just blue.”

Once the cables were installed, A frames were made from SEC power poles with additional poles cut up for spreader to stop the hull from collapsing as the block and tackles raised the sunken vessel. 

Amazingly, the vessel floated once raised and then the work of cleaning out the 25 years of silt, bottles and sticks that had settled in the vessel began.

“On a very memorable stinking hot day, we took the boat 70 kilometres downstream to Barmah,” said Helene.

“Three speed boats pulling it and another at the back to steady it.

“We had a footy club siren we would sound at every bend, ‘cause we couldn’t get out of anyone’s way,” added Peter.

With the AA recovered, it was trucked to Shepparton and restored to be used at the Shepparton International Village. 

In 1989, PS Alexander Arbuthnot was bought by the Echuca City Council for further restoration by the Port of Echuca. She was recommissioned in December 1994 and became the youngest boat to join the fleet at the Port of Echuca.

The anniversary day proceeded into formalities, with Faye Ashwin as Master of Ceremony. Ron Galway, Barapa Barapa elder, welcomed the gathered crowd before Gannawarra Shire Council Mayor Charlie Gillingham spoke.

“Although the PS Alexander Arbuthnot was the last paddle steamer to be constructed in Koondrook, this area’s connection to the Murray River has not been forgotten, thanks to the Koondrook Wharf and the return of paddle steamers to the region,” said Mayor Gillingham. 

Tom Chick spoke of the long history of connection between our people and the river.  

“For 60,000 years, the first nations people lived along it and used it as a source of food, for travel and trade.

“Paddle steamer navigation started in 1853 and European settlers arrived in this area around 1873. 

“Koondrook was originally known as ‘The Junction’ and was a stopping place for the paddle steamers to take on wood and rest up overnight before taking on the reefs that are in the next 20km or so upstream.

“In 1878, the settlement that had grown up here was named Koondrook.

“In 1881, the first paddle steamer was built and launched at Koondrook. This was the Emily Jane. Built by J. Webb for Thomas Buzza, she was a hawking or trading vessel. She carried a team of dressmakers, stopping at settlements and station outposts to measure up customers for new clothes to be made up as she continued on her journey up or down and delivered on the return trip.”

Grandson of the AA’s namesake, Alexander Arbuthnot, addressed the crowd and highlighted the challenges that the longstanding red gum industry is facing from tyrannical governments, before Managing Director of Arbuthnot Sawmills, Paul Madden OAM, was called upon to unveil the new interpretive signage on our river boat history. With a quick scan of the QR codes on the board, you can be immersed in the history and wonder of yesteryear. 

Patrons spent the evening exploring the wide variety of activities, including artwork displays, model boats, an interactive Koondrook CFA experience, games, face painting, a Turtles Australia display, historical society display and much more. 

Well done to all the volunteers for the amazing research and execution of the event.

Buy the issue for all the pictures of the event .

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 2 November 2023.