Log Punt 'Queen II' (1914 - 1924) - painting by Ron Davis

This revised description of the log punt that ended up protecting John Sointu’s wharf on Wallis Island in the late 1950s has been prepared by Alan Wright and Chris Borough. Alan is a Director of the Great Lakes Co-operative Historical Society Ltd, is a member of the Wright shipbuilding family of Tuncurry and has a wealth of knowledge about the shipping history of the Great Lakes of NSW.

 

Other images relating to the log punt Wallis Lake are in the Album Wallis Lake or Queen?

 

This image was taken is part of the collection in the Great Lakes Museum and depicts the Queen II loading logs on the Wallinghat River that flows into Wallis Lake near Coomba. Queen II was thought to be constructed in 1914 after Queen I sank in Wallis Lake, near Bandicoot Island..

 

After a lot of thought Alan and Chris have concluded that the hulk protecting the wharf on Wallis island is the Wallis Lake built by Ernest Wright in 1924. Many reports have suggested that it is another of the Wright-built log punts - Queen.

 

Other images relating to the log punt are in the Album Wallis Lake or Queen?

 

Information on the log punts that were operated by Wright and McLaren and later John Wright and Co. Ltd. is scant with reports varying. This interpretation should not be relied upon to be completely accurate although the evidence provided is strong. Despite some reservations, the story of the hulk on Wallis Island story reflects a fascinating period in the history of the timber industry of the Great Lakes of NSW.

 

Early Log Punts

Early sawmillers employed teams to fell trees for logs that were dragged by bullock team from the forest to rivers and lakes. Here they were loaded onto log punts and taken to mills located on the waterfront at Tuncurry and Forster.

 

The puntmen who delivered logs to the sawmills at Tuncurry had to employ great caution and skill in mooring a fully loaded punt at the mill wharf as the tides moving into and out of Wallis Lake were strong - particularly coming down with the ebbing tide. The procedure was to throw out an anchor on the opposite sand spit, so that the punt swung around and faced upstream.

 

The first log punt built by John Wright at Tuncurry was the Nil Desperandum - a punt that was handled by man-power alone – typically a puntman using a long pole that he pushed into the mud and walked the length of the punt pushing on the pole.

 

Steam Punts

A series of four steam powered log punts were then built for the sawmilling operation at Tuncurry operated initially by Wright and McLaren and, after 1913, by John Wright & Co. Ltd.

These were:

- Queen I (circa 1897) - builder John Wright

- Queen II (believed to be built 1914) – builder Ernest Wright

- Wallis Lake (1924) - builder Ernest Wright

- Queen III (1948) - builder William Mann - Nabiac

 

John Wright constructs the steam punt The Queen I

Around 1897, John Wright constructed a much larger, steam powered, paddle-wheeler log punt that could operate regardless of the tide. She was the Queen of the Hawke (later known simply as the The Queen). The deckhouse was located at the rear – the two paddle wheels were located each side the deckhouse. Records from the Great Lakes Museum indicate that she was some 30 m long and 6 m wide on the deck. For convenience she is referred to as Queen I.

 

Cape Hawke Regattas

The first reference to the The Queen was in 1898 when she was used to bring people to the Cape Hawke Regatta on 26th January. “To reach the rendezvous, the steam punts belonging to the various sawmills are brought into requisition. The mill-owners always allow the use of their punts to convey passengers, free of charge. These punts are roomy— not too slow— well provided with awnings and seats, and suit admirably. Mr. Wright's 'Queen,' from Tuncurry; Messrs. Miles, Bros.' 'The Brothers' from Forster; Mr. Fenning's 'Wollomba,' from Wallamba River; Mr. J. Breckenridge's 'Wheelbarrow,' from Failford ; and Messrs. Goodlet & Smith's ' Coolongolook,' from the village of the same name, conveyed hundreds of people— all sorts and conditions of men, yes, and women, too— for the ladies of Forster and district take great interest in boating, and lend an additional charm to the great aquatic carnival by their presence in large numbers.”

The Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of New South Wales (Taree, NSW : 1898 - 1954) - Sat 5 Feb 1898

 

She was initially given the name Queen of the Hawke but commonly this was abbreviated to simply the The Queen or Queen. Newspaper reports in 1899 reported the Queen of the Hawke taking people from Tuncurry to the famous Cape Hawke Regatta that was held every year around 26th January – Anniversary Day (now Australia Day

The Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer (NSW : 1898 - 1954) - Wed 1 Feb 1899

 

The Queen - multi-tasked vessel

The The Queen performed many tasks other than the transport of logs and sawn timber and participants to the annual Cape Hawke Regatta. In 1901 four vessels helped raise the sunken log punt Wallamba - these were 'The Dart,' the s.s. 'Marian Mayfield,' the s.s. 'Ariel,' and the p.s. 'Queen.'

 

In 1904 Queen I travelled to Smiths Lake (presumably as far south in Wallis Lake as possible) as reported in the Manning Times - :

“The fishermen of Cape Hawke are congratulating themselves on having an ice factory in their midst — Mr. Coombes having brought his refrigerating plant and machinery down from Smith's Lake last week in Messrs. Wright and McLaren's steam punt [Queen].”

The Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of New South Wales (Taree, NSW : 1898 - 1954) - Sat 7 May 1904

 

Log punt Queen sinks in 1914

In 1913 the partnership of Wright and McLaren was wound up and a new entity that incorporated various operations, was formed in 1913 – John Wright & Co. Ltd.

In 1914 it appears that Queen I may have sunk, near Bandicoot Island. “A severe south-easterly gale is raging here. Shipping is delayed. Wright and McLaren's steam punt, while crossing Wallace [Wallis] Lake yesterday, was caught by the gale and sunk, the crew escaping in a boat. The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) - Fri 19 Jun 1914

 

Graeme Andrews reported this after his journey on Wallis Lake in 1975: "The run from Pacific Palms to Forster is about 17 km and gives some idea of the size of the Wallis Lake. The lake is long enough and wide enough to build up big seas and, as it is never very deep - but enough for any boat likely to use it - the wind can build up steep seas very quickly.

As an example, about 1920, one of the paddle droghers "S.S Queen" was overwhelmed by the seas on the lake. Despite the efforts of her crew, short, small waves breaking over the flat deck gradually filled the craft, she sank and her superstructure stood above the surface for many years. Now the remains are just below the surface and are marked by only a small stick." (Australian Seacraft 1977)

 

Queen II constructed - 1914

Although there was a report in 1902 that a new log put was to be constructed after the Bellinger was completed, no reports of an actual construction have been located: "Messrs. Wright & McLaren are going to have a large new log punt constructed after their steamer [Bellinger] is completed, and the present punt is to do duty in connection with the Krambach mill. A large new wharf is also to be created at the Tuncurry mill, and also new stores." The Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of New South Wales- Sat 25 Jan 1902

Although there are no press reports to confirm or reject our hypothesis, we have assumed that Ernest Wright constructed a new log punt (Queen II) shortly after the 1914 sinking of Queen I.

 

A new log punt Wallis Lake launched

In September 1924 a new log punt was launched, the Wallis Lake - built by Ernest Wright. "Mr. E. Wright has launched a new log punt which is an improvement on anything we have had here. Mr. Wright is master of this craft himself." The Northern Champion Wed 1 Oct 1924

 

The Wallis Lake continued operation until at least late 1954.

 

Queen III launched in 1948

The Queen III, built by William (Billy) Mann in 1948, operated for a relatively short time and was sold to Port Macquarie interests after fire destroyed the John Wright & Co. Ltd. Sawmill at Tuncurry in 1951.

 

Wallis Lake towed to Wallis Island

It is at this point that the idea that the Queen was put in place to protect a wharf arose.

 

Enter Ida Niemi

Ida Niemi was a member of a Finnish family headed by her cousin John Sointu. John built a house - Harmony Hill House - on Wallis Island in the late 1940’s and constructed a jetty. “When Ida heard one day, that they were sinking big droghers, she rowed over to Forster, saw the boss who owned the sawmill, and said she wanted a punt sunk near her wharf, to act as a barrier from bad weather. He agreed to do this provided she paid for it, so that he would not be liable for any damage that may be caused. He offered her the other “Queen”, and a price of two shillings was agreed. The drogher was brought around and sunk, and its remains can be seen today.”

Williamson (2002): We built a village – the Heritage of Coomba Park.

 

Graeme Andrews takes a trip on the launch Lake Wallis

In 1975 Graeme Andrews (well-known author on the vessels of NSW) and his wife Winsome took a trip on the Lake Wallis operated by Stan Croad. Stan had been operating his launch since 1946 when he obtained a contract to take schoolchildren to school. Later he operated a tourist service. Stan’s extensive observations and experience cannot be under-estimated and it was upon his advice that Graeme Andrews based his report.

“On the south-western end of Wallis Island is a grand and remarkable two-storey house. It is obviously old and apparently houses a Finnish family who have crops, cattle and the obligatory sauna. Their ‘wharf’ consists of the remains of the steam paddle lighter, or ‘drogher’ Queen. About 40 m long by 10 or 12 m wide, this craft is a wooden boat enthusiast’s dream. Much of the exposed timber remains showing grown timbers and adzed wood working. Stores and monies change hands and off we go again.” Tea and Scones on Lake Wallis - AFLOAT February 2012.

 

Given that the size of the Wallis Lake matches the measurements made by Graeme Andrews and the Wallis Lake was the last log punt operating from Tuncurry in the mid 1950s we believe that the wharf on Wallis Island was not made from the Queen II. No doubt, however, the issue of Queen vs Wallis Lake will not completely fade away!

 

So the Wallis Lake, built by Ernest Wright in 1924, lives on almost 100 years after she was built – a testimony to the work of the Wright family and to the quality of the Australian hardwood timbers used.

 

Image Source:

Black Diamond Images Collection

 

Acknowledgements

Approval to publish was granted by the Great Lakes Museum Capel Street, Tuncurry, NSW.

 

References:

Andrews, Graeme and Winsome - AFLOAT February 2012 Tea and Scones on Lake Wallis - Graeme and Winsome Andrews

 

Andrews, Graeme. An alternative to trailerboating - FERRY FROM FORSTER AUSTRALIAN SEACRAFT - April 1977.

 

Williamson, Wendy (2002). We built a Village - the heritage of Coomba Park. A Coomba Park Production.

 

Acknowledgements: Alan Wright of the Great Lakes Museum for his criticism and presenting a plausible explanation of this conundrum.

 

All Images in this photostream are Copyright - Great Lakes Manning River Shipping and/or their individual owners as may be stated above and may not be downloaded, reproduced, or used in any way without prior written approval.

 

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