POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Notes

The S.S. "Bangalow" was a 645 tonne coal burning coastal trading vessel built in 1939 by Harland & Wolff ,Port Glasgow for the North Coast Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. Having a larger draught than her company contemporaries, she drew too much to navigate some of the smaller North Coast rivers, such that the "Bangalow' was underused. but did see service on the Coffs Harbour run. Requisitioned in 1941 for war service, she was renamed HMAS"Bangalow" and in 1942-3 period was used to lay down indicator warning loops , harbour defence ASDIC systems and photoeelectric beam circuits variously in Moreton Bay, Brisbane River ,and from Myrtledown to Fishermans Island. The "Bangalow" was later transferred to hydrograpjhic work, and became a lighthouse repair ship, steaming between Port Moresby and Manus, Rabaul and Madang and Sydney. At the end of WW11 she was returned to North Coast service with the North Coast Steam Navigation Co., and sold in 1955 to John Manners & Co. of Hong Kong, being renamed "Cambray Breeze". She was resold in 1959 and renamed "Lucky Chen". The history of the North Coast Steam Navigation Co. started as the Grafton Steam Navigation Co. in 1857 servicing the run between Sydney and Grafton. The company was renamed the Clarence & Richmond Steam Navigation Co. when the Richmond River was opened up for navigation. The Manning and Macleay Rivers were next to open up. As the company grew, it was renamed the Clarence Richmond & Macleay Rivers Steam Navigation Co., and was now the dominant company in NSW coastal trading. In 1891, the company took over the firm of John See & Co. and was renamed the North Coast Steam Navigation Company ltd. In 1904, the company took over the shipping interests of Messrs. Allen Taylor & Co., extending their network to include Port Macquarie and Bellinger area. Each new vessel added to the fleet was purpose built to suit the trade and navigational difficulties of the particular river destination. In the early 1890's the construction of the Richmond-Tweed railway led to the beginning of Byron Bay trade opening up., with refrigerated foodstuffs ,especially butter. The peak of the North Coast trade was 1900-1925, and the North Coast Steam Navigation Co. had a virtual monopoly of this trade, covering the Tweed River, Byron Bay, Richmond River, Clarence River, Coffs Harbour, Bellinger, Macleay River and Manning River. Trade declined from 1925 onwards as coastal shipping could not compete with road and rail transport ,together with the deteriorating state of the river bars. The company ceased operations in 1954, having owned nearly one hundred vessels and one of the largest intrastate fleets in Australasia.