US Army WT 85 Protrude at Elvina Bay
The US Army WT 85 has been known by a number of names over the years and has had multiple owners, see list below.
After the second world war the Australian Navy took ownership of the boat and it was renamed the HMAS Koolya.
Nicholson Bros. Harbour Transport, Sydney aquired the boat from the Navy and renamed it the Protrude, a name it has carried additional to its "US Army WT 85" name for many of its 76 years (1943 to 2020.
The US Army WT 85 was built in 1943 by Ernest Wright of John Wright and Sons Shipyards in Tuncurry on the NSW Mid North Coast. the vessel was however not taken over the Tuncurry bar until 24 July 1944.
The vessel is a 45 foot tug boat originally designed to see service in northern Australian Pacific Ocean waters threatened by Japanese ocean mines during WW2.
Wooden Boats were considered less likely to set mine explosions off than steel built boats.
Wright's Shipyards and the Taree based yards of Ryan's constructed quite a few of these boats for the war effort but the US Army WT 85 is the last one still affloat and as such is a very important historical link to Tuncurry's John Wright & Son Shipyards which, for many of its 84 year history, was one of the largest wooden ship building companies in the Southern Hemishere having had the reputation of building the largest wooden vessel ever to see service in the Southern Hemisphere. That vessel was the 47 metre long 603 gross tonnage Uralba.
The owners of the US Army WT85 have been as follows.
Builder Ernest Wright Shipyards 1943 - Tuncurry, NSW
Launched 24 July 1944.
Commissioned by US Army - Named as US Army WT85
Purchased by Australian Navy - Renamed as HMAS Koolya
Nicholson Bros. Harbour Transport, Sydney - Renamed as Protrude
Stannards Bros Launch Services, Sydney
Aaron Maher, Concord
Alan Draper, Owner of the Lady Kendall Cruise Boat, Brisbane Water
Booker Bay Marina, Booker Bay, Brisbane Water
Larry Elliot, Woy Woy
David Winning, Gosford
Roger Kyle, Abbotsford Boatshed, Sydney
Matt Palmer - Scotland Island (2020)
US Army WT 85 Protrude at Elvina Bay
The US Army WT 85 has been known by a number of names over the years and has had multiple owners, see list below.
After the second world war the Australian Navy took ownership of the boat and it was renamed the HMAS Koolya.
Nicholson Bros. Harbour Transport, Sydney aquired the boat from the Navy and renamed it the Protrude, a name it has carried additional to its "US Army WT 85" name for many of its 76 years (1943 to 2020.
The US Army WT 85 was built in 1943 by Ernest Wright of John Wright and Sons Shipyards in Tuncurry on the NSW Mid North Coast. the vessel was however not taken over the Tuncurry bar until 24 July 1944.
The vessel is a 45 foot tug boat originally designed to see service in northern Australian Pacific Ocean waters threatened by Japanese ocean mines during WW2.
Wooden Boats were considered less likely to set mine explosions off than steel built boats.
Wright's Shipyards and the Taree based yards of Ryan's constructed quite a few of these boats for the war effort but the US Army WT 85 is the last one still affloat and as such is a very important historical link to Tuncurry's John Wright & Son Shipyards which, for many of its 84 year history, was one of the largest wooden ship building companies in the Southern Hemishere having had the reputation of building the largest wooden vessel ever to see service in the Southern Hemisphere. That vessel was the 47 metre long 603 gross tonnage Uralba.
The owners of the US Army WT85 have been as follows.
Builder Ernest Wright Shipyards 1943 - Tuncurry, NSW
Launched 24 July 1944.
Commissioned by US Army - Named as US Army WT85
Purchased by Australian Navy - Renamed as HMAS Koolya
Nicholson Bros. Harbour Transport, Sydney - Renamed as Protrude
Stannards Bros Launch Services, Sydney
Aaron Maher, Concord
Alan Draper, Owner of the Lady Kendall Cruise Boat, Brisbane Water
Booker Bay Marina, Booker Bay, Brisbane Water
Larry Elliot, Woy Woy
David Winning, Gosford
Roger Kyle, Abbotsford Boatshed, Sydney
Matt Palmer - Scotland Island (2020)