As part of our operational fleet we have two 60 year old “C” class tugs, we use them to pull the James Craig off her berth and put her back every time she sails, move the Australian National Maritime Museum’s (ANMM) vessels, as needed and to move our own vessels around our shipyard and the ...
Sydney Maritime Museum Ltd t/a Sydney Heritage Fleet
Protecting Our Maritime Heritage – Bronzewing Bulwarks and Bollards

GOAL
$5,318
Target Population
- Seniors (65+)
- General population

The Lady Hopetoun and Port Jackson Marine Steam Museum”, the forerunner of the Sydney Heritage Fleet, was founded in 1965 by a group of public-spirited individuals to preserve Sydney’s 1902 VIP steam yacht Lady Hopetoun. The Fleet now comprises 10 operational historical vessels one of the largest collections in the world. SHF is a community-based non-profit organisation.
Our mission is:
To build and maintain an internationally recognised centre of excellence in maritime heritage for the benefit of all Australians by presenting through research, acquisition, conservation, restoration, education and operation, our continuing maritime history.
The Fleet is funded by donations, bequests, grants, members’ subscriptions, vessel charters, and paying passengers and visitors.
The Fleet’s 1000 strong membership and 400 dedicated volunteer workers restore, operate, and maintain the fleet.
Our oldest vessel, the 1000 tonne 1874 iron barque James Craig, has been fully restored and puts to sea under full sail. The Fleet operates several highly significant vessels: the 1902 steam tug Waratah, the 1902 VIP steam launch Lady Hopetoun and the 1903 schooner Boomerang.
Under restoration in our shipyard are the 1912 ferry Kanangra, the 1950s wooden speed boat Kookaburra II and the 1927 pilot vessel John Oxley.
The Fleet has 55 small heritage boats a large collection of marine engines and a collection of over fifty model ships.
The Fleet’s Maritime Records and Research Centre maintains a comprehensive research library and archive which includes photographs, ships’ plans, diaries, logs and journals.
The Fleet provides training for sailing ship deckhands and steam engineers and runs several youth programs.
Project Summary
As part of our operational fleet we have two 60 year old “C” class tugs, we use them to pull the James Craig off her berth and put her back every time she sails, move the Australian National Maritime Museum’s (ANMM) vessels, as needed and to move our own vessels around our shipyard and the harbour.
One of our tugs Bronzewing needs replacement bollards and bulwarks to keep her operational and in commercial survey. Without the survey she cannot undertake her work, The cost of hiring tugs commercially would amount to many thousands of dollars for both the Heritage Fleet and the ANMM. The tugs like all our vessels are crewed and maintained by volunteers. The tugs have salvage and fire fighting capabilities as well as significant towage capacity.
The project will be undertaken by our skilled boilermaker and volunteers who will cut away the corroded components, manufacturing and affixing new bulwark caps and bollards
The tugs were built by Stannard’s in Sydney Harbour and were used by the Royal Australian Navy for forty years or so before being donated to the Sydney Heritage Fleet. Typical of small twin screw diesel harbour tugs they perform invaluable services as well as providing an excellent training platform for marine engine drivers and masters. Approximately fifty volunteers crew our two diesel tugs which between them undertake over two hundred vessel movements a year.
Project Outcomes
'- The repaired tugs will meet Australian Maritime Safety Authority survey requirements and be able to be used to move vessels on Sydney Harbour.
- Bronzewing's use will save ANMM and SHF over $10,000 per month for the foreseeable future
- We estimate the repair to bullworks and bollards will be good for 15-20 years.
- SHF undertaking this repair will cost 20-30% of the anticipated commercial cost of repair
- Repair will be undertaken by SHF staff and volunteers in our own shipyard, we estimate 240 volunteer hours and approximately 95 staff hours will be required.
- Return on investment for project as a whole is 10 to 1 and for ACF's requested contribution 22 to 1.
- The project is a good exercise in metal fabrication and represents a good volunteer opportunity
- The completed project will be signed off by our surveyors
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $11,848
FUNDING
Funding source | Amount |
---|---|
Sydney Heritage Fleet cash and in kind (confirmed) | $6,528 |
Funding gap (unconfirmed) | $5,318 |
EXPENSES
Expense item | Amount |
---|---|
Steel tube for bulwarks | $300 |
Steel for six sets of bollards | $270 |
Paint | $120 |
Grinding discs, welding rods, clamps etc | $80 |
SHF Boilermakers time 94hrs including on costs @ $49.23/hr | $4,628 |
Unskilled volunteer time 240 hrs @$25/hr | $6,000 |
Operation managers time including on costs 4 hrs @ $112/hr | $448 |
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