Built as a composite hulled paddle steamer on the yard of David Milne at Morgan, Australia for Capt. Hugh King at Morgan.
1907 Launched under the name RUBY, she was the fourth vessel on the River Murray, which used the name RUBY. (Three paddle steamers and one barge)
Tonnage 205 gross, 108 net, dim. 130.9 x 18.9 x 6.ft., 35 feet across paddle boxes. Draught empty 2.6, loaded 4.6ft.
A two cyl. high pressure horizontal steam engine 80 ihp., manufactured by Robey & Co. at Lincoln. Speed 8 knots.
After completing registered at Adelaide, Australia.
Used in the passenger service between Morgan and via Mildura to Swan Hill on the River Murray a distance of 777 miles, a return voyage took 14 days. Return fare was 14 pounds.
Top deck got the wheelhouse, the cabins of the skipper, purser and stewardess, two large water tanks one for hot the other for cold water for the bathrooms and flushing of the toilets. The last cabin was the music room, having a piano and 4 small tables and chairs as well as lounge seats built around 3 sides.
2nd Deck which nearly got over the full length of the boat, used for sleeping cabins for the passengers, and a dining room. Toilets and bathrooms above the paddle boxes, men one on side the women on the other side.
Main deck used for cargo, crew quarters, galley and the engineer cabin.
She had a bad habit of rolling on sharp bends and it was important to keep the bilges dry so that she would right herself quickly. She got on some bends a list that on one side the paddle nearly came out of the water, and table cloths and dinnerware had to be secured to the tables.
1909 (1914 other source) became a part of the new founded Gem Navigation Co. Ltd., a union between Ben Chaffey Steamboat Company and Capt. King’s Gem line of steamers, with its head office in Adelaide.
December 1918 she got the 16 hp. engines and boiler from the LANCASHIRE LASS installed, engine manufactured by Horwood of Adelaide.
1919 Owned by the Murray Shipping Ltd.
22 Sept. 1920 the Riverina Recorder gives: The steamer RUBY which left Swan Hill for Midura on Saturday night last week, we understand is still stuck on the mud on Speewah Island near the punt. Several attempts have been made to shift her by the assistance of the steamers AUSTRALIEN and SUCCES but so far with no good result.
June 1922 a two cyl. steam engine installed manufactured by Horwood at Adelaide. Hp?
1930 Had a new boiler fitted of 9 ton at the Morgan slip. The same time the steamer was overhauled and painted.
Circa 1931, crashed against the Lock 9 entrance and ripped about 50 feet of the sponson and decking apart, being saved from going against the weir by a stem line and forward winch, which was activated by the mate Bill Drage.
March 1932, the underwriters association chartered the RUBY for a holiday cruise from Morgan to Mildura, money and alcohol flowed freely and gambling caused plenty of activity. This was in great contrast to the rest of the community, in the grip of the depression.
Register closed December 1961 “Broken up”, however this was incorrect.
She was gone out of service in the early thirties, and laid up at her homeport Morgan, until bought by Mervyn Collins in 1938 for Au$200. He brought her to Mildura for use as a houseboat.
1940 After she was stripped of her superstructure and machinery she was sold to V. Robins, who used her also as a houseboat.
By 1968 she had deteriorated substantially and was bought by the Wentworth Rotary Club for Au$ 1.600.
She was towed to Wentworth by a large motorboat and tied at the wharf.
During the first night she sank alongside the wharf. She was raised, and placed in a dry dock minus her paddle boxes.
She was then placed in trusteeship of the Wentworth Shire Council, and she will be restored under guidance of shipwright Capt. Leon Wagner.
The website did give that the plan was that she would float again in 2001, but nowhere I could find of this is correct, so I believe the restoration is still not completed.
Australia 2003 50c sg?, scott?
Ships of the Inland Rivers by Ronald Parsons. http://www.peoplesvoice.gov.au/stories/ ... orth_c.htm http://www.sunraysia.vic.edu.au/riverbo ... /Ruby.html