Koompartoo

	Koompartoo on the Circular Quay to Milson's Point route for which she was designed and built. Prior to Sydney Harbour Bridge opening, likely 1920s.
History
Australia
Name	Koompartoo
Namesake	Aboriginal word meaning new beginnings
Owner	Sydney Ferries Limited
Route	Circular Quay-Milsons Point
Builder	Walsh Island Dockyard and Engineering Works, Newcastle
Yard number	53
In service	1922 - 1941
Australia
Name	HMAS Koompartoo
Owner	Royal Australian Navy
Acquired	18 June 1942
Commissioned	23 December 1942
Decommissioned	8 June 1962
Identification	Z256
General characteristics
Tonnage	448 GRT, 201 NRT
Length	191 ft (58 m)
Beam	38.3 ft (11.7 m)
Speed	12 knots
Capacity	2,089
Armament	2 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannons ; 4 × Vickers machine guns ;

Last updated July 03, 2023

Koompartoo was a 1922 Sydney Ferries Limited K-class ferry later converted to a Royal Australian Navy boom defence vessel. Koompartoo, described in the press as a "Dreadnought for the Milsons Point run" and "a titan amongst ferries", was along with her sister ferry, Kuttabul , the highest capacity ferries ever on Sydney Harbour.

Following the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, both ferries were redundant. During World War II, they were requisitioned by the Royal Australian Navy. Kuttabul was sunk during the 1942 Japanese Attack on Sydney Harbour with the loss of 19 lives. Koompartoo was converted to a boom defence vessel and taken to Darwin. Following the War, she was laid up in Sydney until 1962 when she was taken to Launceston, Tasmania where her hull was used as bauxite barge. Her final fate is unclear.

The name, "Koompartoo", is thought to be an Australian Aboriginal word meaning "fresh start", and the boat followed about twenty previous Sydney Ferries K-class vessels named with Aboriginal words starting with "K".

Background

In the early twentieth century, prior to the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932, Sydney Ferries Limited was running one of the largest ferry fleets in the world to cater for booming demand for ferry services across Sydney Harbour to Sydney's North Shore. In particular, more and bigger ferries were needed to service the crowded Milsons Point to Circular Quay route (in the approximate location and route of the current Sydney Harbour Bridge). The Milson's Point wharf was an interchange with the North Shore rail terminus and is now the location of Luna Park. Peak hour ferries were leaving either side of the harbour at the rate of one fully loaded vessel every six minutes. An order was placed for two similar and very large steel-hulled high capacity ferries - Koompartoo and Kuttabul - to service the short heavy-lift route.

Design and construction

The two ferries were built in 1922 by the Walsh Island Dockyard and Engineering Works in Newcastle.^[1]^[2] At 58 m (190 ft) in length, and with very large beams of 11.7 m (38 ft) for most of their lengths, the two vessels were the largest ferries owned by Sydney Ferries and the last of the company's K-class.^[3] The two boats represented the peak of the K-class design of double-ended ferries. The Department of Navigation granted Koompartoo a passenger certificate for 2,089 people, which was the highest passenger capacity of any ferries ever on Sydney Harbour. This was 730 more than Sydney Ferries Limited's previous largest ferry, Kuramia (1914),^[2] and almost 500 people more than the Port Jackson and Manly Steamship Company's Manly ferries.

Koompartoo's 113 hp triple-expansion steam engines of the inverted type and built by the builder,^[3] pushed her to 12 knots. Steam was provided by two gunboat type boilers at 180 lb pressure.^[3] The two sister ferries were built with steel hulls and wooden superstructures unlike most other K-class ferries, which were built with timber hulls (sisters Kanangra and Kirawa , both 1912, also had steel hulls). Koompartoo was part of a £190,000 order of three ferries, the other two being sister Kuttabul and vehicular ferry Kooroongaba .^[3]

Koompartoo was constructed with 18 watertight compartments, regarded as being unsinkable and therefore was not required to carry life saving equipment.^[4]^[5] The ferry's designers and builders that the ferry was thus to stable that "nothing short of an unheard of catastrophe could make her turn over", in which case, passengers would not have time to make use of the lifejackets and other apparatus usually provided. As such, the Superintendent of Navigation used his discretion provided for under the Navigation Act to dispense with lifejackets and lower the required buoyant apparatus from 40% of the total number of passengers, to 10%.^[2]

Koompartoo was launched on 15 December 1921, and christened by Miss Wise, daughter of a Sydney Ferries Limited director.^[6]

Koompartoo's livery generally followed the Sydney Ferries Limited tradition of varnished superstructures with white edging around the promenade deck. The steel hull and main deck bulwarks were painted a light grey. Her strikingly tall single funnel was painted black.

General arrangement plans for Koompartoo and sister, Kuttabul
Launch day at Walsh Island Dockyard and Engineering Works, 15 December 1921.^[6]
Koompartoo thought to be photographed new at Walsh Island Dockyard, 1922

Ferry service

We may regard this splendid ship as a tribute paid by shareholders to the residents of North Sydney, and as an earnest effort on the part of the company to cater for the demands of the traffic. It is a fitting answer to our critics. We cannot go without expressing keen appreciation of the splendid skill and patience displayed by Mr. Cutler and the builders and designers of the vessel. It is evidence of what can be done in our own yards by our own citizens."

—B.T. Parker, Chairman of Directors, Sydney Ferries Limited, at commemorative speech made on boa on the day of Koompartoo's arrival in Sydney, 12 April 1922^[4]

The new Koompartoo arrived in Sydney Harbour on the morning of 12 April 1922 with ferries and other craft blowing whistles and sirens in welcome. She was bedecked in bunting with the code flags "From Walsh Island" displayed.^[3] She had left Newcastle six hours before at midnight under the charge of AE Cutler, general manager of the Walsh Island dockyard, and for insurance purposes, she was accompanied for insurance purposes by the tug Heroine.^[4]^[7] For most of the trip, she travelled at half speed, however, from Barrenjoey, she travelled at full speed of 13 knots for the last hour of the journey.

She entered the Sydney Heads at 6am and was moored at Clifton Gardens alongside the smaller ferry, Karaga, where breakfast was provided for the crew and dignitaries.^[4]^[8] Following the commemorative proceedings, Koompartoo was put through her speed trials that afternoon maintaining 13½ knots.^[4]

Koompartoo began service on the short heavy lift trip between Milson's Point and Circular Quay in early May 1922.^[2] Supporting the large steel hulled twins, were usually the timber "K-class" Kuramia (1914), Kaikai , and Kulgoa .^[9]

Incidents

On 25 October 1923, a boy named Oatley was climbing on to the bulwarks of the ferry as it was approaching Circular Quay this morning, when he slipped, and fell over the side. A man named Jack Knucky dived in after the boy, and kept him afloat until a rope was thrown from another ferry, and both were hauled to safety.^[10]
In 1926, Koompartoo collided with Kaikai in thick fog severely damaging the latter.^[11] Passengers on Kaikai's lower deck scrambled clear just in time. Kaikai's bow was stove in, and her bulwarks and sponson were crumbled. The forward upper and lower decks were also stoved in with the ladies cabin and steering gear damaged. Damage to Kaikai was estimated at £300 to £400. Koompartoo, being built of steel, was not significantly damaged. While there was great excitement on both ferries, there was no panic or injuries.^[12]
On 25 July 1928, Koompartoo collided with Kirrule at Circular Quay, with the latter suffering substantial damage. Kirrule was returning from Athol and had her bulwarks and rails damaged. The crash occurred in heavy rain about 200 m from the wharf, causing women to scream and drop their parcels. Once the danger had passed, passengers retrieved their belongings with one women seen searching for cash that she had dropped in her excitement. No-one was injured.^[13]
21 August 1929 - A lighter being towed by a tug hit the stern of Koompartoo as the ferry was half across from Circular Quay to Milsons Point at 6.20pm on its last trip for the day. The ferry was crowded and men rushed and women screamed. No-one was injured however some women complained of shock.^[14]
18 December 1938 - Norman Jack Carroll, 21, of Sydenham Road, Marrickville, fell from Koompartoo near Ball's Head and suffered from the effects of immersion. He was picked up by a nearby man in a dingy and was taken by the Central District, Ambulance to Sydney Hospital.^[15]

Post Harbour Bridge

With the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932, the once crowded route was effectively redundant. Koompartoo and Kuttabul were too big to be useful on the other cross harbour routes which also saw significant and sudden drops in trade, and the two ferries were laid up. Almost twenty Sydney Ferries were decommissioned in the two years following the bridge's opening. The two were both of relatively young age and were considered for conversion to run the Manly route.^[16]Koompartoo was later made available for tourist, spectator and concert cruises on the harbour.^[17]

Her wheel houses were raised (flying bridges) in the 1930s to allow her master to see over spectators on the decks. Her roles included service carrying crowds of passengers to the regular Head of the River rowing carnivals and following the sailing boat races that were growing in popularity at the time. This was also the period of the Great Depression and Koompartoo found a new career as a concert boat, a role she filled between 1935 and 1941.

World War II

In 1941, Koompartoo was purchased by the British Ministry of War Transport for service in the Middle East and taken to Mort's Dock for conversion. However with the outbreak of the Pacific War she was never deployed, instead being taken over by the Royal Australian Navy on 18 June 1942 and converted to a boom defence vessel. Armed with two 20mm Oerlikons and four Vickers .303 MGs, she was commissioned on 23 December 1942 under the command of Lieutenant GG Moss, RANR (S) and taken to Darwin in January 1943 where she served until the end of the war. Held in reserve in Darwin from 1945 until 1950, she returned to Sydney and was laid up at Athol Bight.^[18]

In April 1962, she was declared for disposal and sold out of the Service on 8 June 1962, stripped of her superstructure and towed to Launceston in 1966 for use as a bauxite barge.^[19]^[20] Her final fate is unclear, however, it is thought she may have sunk in Port Latta and then removed.^[21]^[22]

Related Research Articles

HMAS Kuttabul, formerly SS Kuttabul, was a Royal Australian Navy depot ship, converted from a Sydney Ferries Limited ferry.

The Dee Why and Curl Curl, were two identical steam ferries servicing Sydney Harbour's Circular Quay to Manly service. Both commissioned in 1928, they were the largest ferries on Sydney Harbour until the 1938 introduction of the South Steyne.

Kuramia was a "K-class" ferry on Sydney Harbour. Commissioned in 1914, the timber-hulled steamer was built for Sydney Ferries Limited during the early twentieth boom in cross-harbour ferry travel. At 353 tons, she was the largest wooden ferry on Sydney Harbour.

Sydney Ferries Limited operated ferry services on Sydney Harbour from 1900 until June 1951.

Bellubera was a ferry operated by the Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Company on the Manly service. Launched in 1910, she was the third of six "Binngarra-type" vessels. Upon her 1936 conversion from steam power, she became the first diesel-electric vessel in Australia. She was decommissioned in 1973, and scuttled at sea in 1980.

Karrabee was a ferry operated by Sydney Ferries Limited and its NSW State Government operated successors on Sydney Harbour from 1913 until 1984. A wooden ferry built at the time of Sydney Ferries' rapid early twentieth century, she and near "sister", Karingal, were the smallest of the fleet of round-end "K-class ferries".

The K-class ferries were a group of double-ended screw steam ferries run by Sydney Ferries Limited and its government successors on Sydney Harbour. The company introduced more than two dozen of the vessels from the 1890s through to the early twentieth century to meet the booming demand for ferry services across Sydney Harbour prior to the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932.

Kirawa was a ferry on Sydney Harbour. She was a near identical sister vessel with Kanangra both of which were launched in 1912 during the early-twentieth pre-Sydney Harbour Bridge boom years of Sydney Ferries Limited.

Koree was a "K-class" ferry on Sydney Harbour. Launched in 1902, the timber-hulled steamer was built for Sydney Ferries Limited during the boom in cross-harbour ferry travel prior to the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Kulgoa was a "K-class" ferry on Sydney Harbour. Launched in 1905, the timber-hulled steamer was built for Sydney Ferries Limited during the boom in cross-harbour ferry travel prior to the 1932 opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Kulgoa was Sydney's largest ever wooden ferry. She was a typical early example of the "K-class"; a group of double-deck, double-ended, steam-powered screw ferries. Kulgoa was one of the first Sydney ferries built with the sides of her promenade (upper) deck enclosed, although the ends near the wheelhouses remained open.

The Kirrule-type ferries - Kiandra, Kirrule and Kubu - were three identical K-class ferries that operated on Sydney Harbour by Sydney Ferries Limited.

Kanimbla was a "K-class" ferry on Sydney Harbour. Launched in 1910, the timber-hulled steamer was built for Sydney Ferries Limited during the boom in cross-harbour ferry travel prior to the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Kanimbla was renamed "Kurra-Ba" in 1935. She was laid up in the 1940s and broken up in the 1950s.

Kareela was a "K-class" ferry on Sydney Harbour. Launched in 1905, the double-ended timber-hulled steamer was built for Sydney Ferries Limited in response to the early twentieth century boom in cross-harbour ferry travel prior to the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. She was the first of Sydney Ferries Limited's boats to have a fully enclosed upper deck.

Kosciusko was a "K-class" ferry on Sydney Harbour. Launched in 1911, the timber-hulled steamer was built for Sydney Ferries Limited during the boom in cross-harbour ferry travel prior to the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Sydney Harbour ferry services date back to the first years of Sydney's European settlement. Slow and sporadic boats ran along the Parramatta River from Sydney to Parramatta and served the agricultural settlements in between. By the mid-1830s, speculative ventures established regular services. From the late-nineteenth century the North Shore developed rapidly. A rail connection to Milsons Point took alighting ferry passengers up the North Shore line to Hornsby, New South Wales via North Sydney. Without a bridge connection, increasingly large fleets of steamers serviced the cross harbour routes and in the early twentieth century, Sydney Ferries Limited was the largest ferry operator in the world.

Kookooburra was a "K-class" ferry on Sydney Harbour. Commissioned in 1907, the timber-hulled steamer was built for Sydney Ferries Limited during the boom in cross-harbour ferry travel prior to the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. She was retired from Sydney Harbour service in 1947 after which she was sent to Newcastle. She is thought to have been broken up in 1959.

Kurraba and Kirribilli were two similar "K-class" ferries on Sydney Harbour. Launched in 1899 and 1900 respectively, the two timber-hulled steamers were built for Sydney Ferries Limited during the boom in cross-harbour ferry travel prior to the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Karingal was a ferry operated by Sydney Ferries Limited and its NSW State Government operated successors on Sydney Harbour from 1913 until 1984. A wooden ferry built at the time of Sydney Ferries' rapid early twentieth century, she was the smallest of the round-end "K-class ferries".

Kaikai was a "K-class" ferry on Sydney Harbour. Commissioned in 1907, the timber-hulled steamer was built for Sydney Ferries Limited during the boom in cross-harbour ferry travel prior to the 1932 opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. At the time of launch, Kaikai was one of Sydney's largest wooden ferries, being the longest and second largest by tonnage. She was a typical example of the "K-class"; a group of double-deck, double-ended, steam-powered screw ferries.

Kanangra is a retired ferry on Sydney Harbour. She was launched in 1912 during the early-twentieth century pre-Sydney Harbour Bridge boom years of Sydney Ferries Limited.

References

↑ Prescott, Anthony (1984). Sydney Ferry Fleets. Ronald H Parsons. ISBN 0909418306.
1 2 3 4 "New Sydney Ferry". Daily Commercial News And Shipping List . No. 10566. New South Wales, Australia. 2 May 1922. p. 4. Retrieved 26 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.
1 2 3 4 5 "For Harbor Traffic". The Daily Telegraph . No. 13392. New South Wales, Australia. 13 April 1922. p. 11. Retrieved 27 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.
1 2 3 4 5 "The Koompartoo". The Sydney Morning Herald . No. 26293. New South Wales, Australia. 13 April 1922. p. 11. Retrieved 26 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "The Kuttabul. New Ferry Steamer.". Sydney Morning Herald. August 1922. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
1 2 "Koompartoo Launched". The Evening News . No. 17004. New South Wales, Australia. 15 December 1921. p. 7. Retrieved 27 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "At Sea in a Ferry". The Evening News . No. 17104. New South Wales, Australia. 12 April 1922. p. 1. Retrieved 27 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "A "Dreadnought" for the Milson's Point Run". The Daily Telegraph . No. 13393. New South Wales, Australia. 14 April 1922. p. 7. Retrieved 27 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.
↑ Andrews, Graeme (1994). Ferries of Sydney (Third ed.). Sydney: Oxford University Press / Sydney University Press. pp. 87–89. ISBN 0-424-00202-7.
↑ "Boy Falls from Steamer". Cootamundra Herald . New South Wales, Australia. 25 October 1923. p. 1. Retrieved 17 April 2022– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "Ferry Steamers Collide". Gippsland Times . No. 7449. Victoria, Australia. 24 June 1926. p. 3. Retrieved 27 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "Their Daily Fog". Tweed Daily . Vol. XIII, no. 144. New South Wales, Australia. 24 June 1926. p. 3. Retrieved 17 April 2022– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "Ferry Bump". The Evening New . No. 19059. New South Wales, Australia. 25 July 1928. p. 9. Retrieved 26 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "Thrill for Ferry Passengers". The Daily Telegraph . No. 15507. New South Wales, Australia. 22 August 1929. p. 4. Retrieved 27 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "Man Falls from Ferry". The Sydney Morning Herald . No. 31502. New South Wales, Australia. 19 December 1938. p. 13. Retrieved 27 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.
↑ Andrews (1975), p. 103
↑ SS Koompartoo Ferries of Sydney
↑ Gillett, Ross (February–April 1977). "Sydney's Fighting Ferries". The Navy, the Magazine of the Navy League of Australia. 39: 29–32. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
↑ navy.gov.au
↑ Andrews (1975), p. 89
↑ facebook.com
↑ flickr.com

External links

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[1] Prescott, Anthony (1984). Sydney Ferry Fleets. Ronald H Parsons. ISBN 0909418306.

[NewSydneyFerry-2] 1 2 3 4 "New Sydney Ferry". Daily Commercial News And Shipping List . No. 10566. New South Wales, Australia. 2 May 1922. p. 4. Retrieved 26 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.

[FORHARBORTRAFFIC-3] 1 2 3 4 5 "For Harbor Traffic". The Daily Telegraph . No. 13392. New South Wales, Australia. 13 April 1922. p. 11. Retrieved 27 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.

[TheKoompartoo-4] 1 2 3 4 5 "The Koompartoo". The Sydney Morning Herald . No. 26293. New South Wales, Australia. 13 April 1922. p. 11. Retrieved 26 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.

[5] "The Kuttabul. New Ferry Steamer.". Sydney Morning Herald. August 1922. Retrieved 1 May 2012.

[KoompartooLaunched-6] 1 2 "Koompartoo Launched". The Evening News . No. 17004. New South Wales, Australia. 15 December 1921. p. 7. Retrieved 27 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.

[7] "At Sea in a Ferry". The Evening News . No. 17104. New South Wales, Australia. 12 April 1922. p. 1. Retrieved 27 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.

[8] "A "Dreadnought" for the Milson's Point Run". The Daily Telegraph . No. 13393. New South Wales, Australia. 14 April 1922. p. 7. Retrieved 27 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.

[Andrews_1994-9] Andrews, Graeme (1994). Ferries of Sydney (Third ed.). Sydney: Oxford University Press / Sydney University Press. pp. 87–89. ISBN 0-424-00202-7.

[10] "Boy Falls from Steamer". Cootamundra Herald . New South Wales, Australia. 25 October 1923. p. 1. Retrieved 17 April 2022– via National Library of Australia.

[11] "Ferry Steamers Collide". Gippsland Times . No. 7449. Victoria, Australia. 24 June 1926. p. 3. Retrieved 27 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.

[12] "Their Daily Fog". Tweed Daily . Vol. XIII, no. 144. New South Wales, Australia. 24 June 1926. p. 3. Retrieved 17 April 2022– via National Library of Australia.

[13] "Ferry Bump". The Evening New . No. 19059. New South Wales, Australia. 25 July 1928. p. 9. Retrieved 26 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.

[14] "Thrill for Ferry Passengers". The Daily Telegraph . No. 15507. New South Wales, Australia. 22 August 1929. p. 4. Retrieved 27 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.

[15] "Man Falls from Ferry". The Sydney Morning Herald . No. 31502. New South Wales, Australia. 19 December 1938. p. 13. Retrieved 27 March 2022– via National Library of Australia.

[16] Andrews (1975), p. 103

[FerriesofSydney-17] SS Koompartoo Ferries of Sydney

[18] Gillett, Ross (February–April 1977). "Sydney's Fighting Ferries". The Navy, the Magazine of the Navy League of Australia. 39: 29–32. Retrieved 5 January 2019.

[19] vy.gov.au

[AndrewsMain89-20] Andrews (1975), p. 89

[21] .com

[22] r.com

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v t e Ferries of Sydney Harbour
Individual ferries	Balgowlah Baragoola Barrenjoey Bellubera Binngarra Brightside Brighton Brothers Burra Bra Collaroy Curl Curl Dee Why Emu (II) Experiment Fairlight (1878) Freshwater Herald Kaikai Kalang Kaludah Kameruka Kamiri Kanangra Kanimbla Kara Kara Kareela Karingal Karrabee Kiandra Kirawa Kirrule Kookooburra Kooleen Koompartoo Kooroongaba Koree Kosciusko Kirribilli Kubu Kulgoa Kummulla Kuramia Kuranda Kurraba Kurrab-Ba Kuring-gai Kuttabul Lady Cutler Lady Denman Lady Edeline Lady Ferguson Lady Scott Manly (II) Manly (III) Narrabeen (I) Narrabeen (III) North Head Phantom Queenscliff Rodney Rose Hill Packet Sophia Jane South Steyne Sydney 2000 Surprise Vaucluse Wallaby
Ferry classes	Dee Why class Emerald First Fleet Freshwater class hydrofoil JetCat K class Lady River RiverCat SuperCat
Ferry operators	Kelsian Group Captain Cook Cruises Matilda Cruises My Fast Ferry Rosman Ferries Transdev Sydney Ferries
Former ferry operators	Australian National Line Port Jackson and Manly Steamship Company Public Transport Commission State Transit Authority Sydney Ferries Corporation Sydney Ferries Limited Sydney Harbour Transport Board Transit Systems Urban Transit Authority
Miscellaneous	List of Sydney Harbour ferries Timeline of Sydney Harbour ferries Greycliffe disaster Rodney disaster