PS Curlip steams from the Brodrib River

to Paynesville slipway

This is a slim connection with the PS Curlip.  It is a fascinating project for any people who have and interest in any of these areas: Steam power, Paddle Boats, Wooden Boats and/or East Gippsland Lakes history.  The early European settlement and development of the Gippsland Lakes and surrounding areas originally was based on water travel.  Evidence of this is found in Sale where there is a still an official Port of Sale designated on the Latrobe River at the SW end of the town.  Other separate systems such as Lake Tyers and the Snowy and Brodrib Rivers had boats that moved in and out and also catered for a growing tourist trade as well.

This boat has a beautifully designed and informative website www.paddlesteamercurlip.com.au that will inform you of the concept, how it was developed and the people responsible.  This boat has been built from completely new materials (nothing remains of the original Curlip, though the web site reports a rumor the steering wheel maybe original) with the new paddle steamer launched in 2009. Notably this is the first time a paddle steamer has been on the waters in the Gippsland Lakes since before the First World War!

An interview with locals about their memories of the days of steam and the new build on ABC Landline (8/10/2006). Also Classic Wooden Boats Gippsland has reported that the boat has not been a roaring success financially and is need of considerable maintenance.  Apart form the gloomy notes, the site provides some really excellent detail on the capacity of PS Curlip and the development of the waterways in East Gippsland in general.  The PS Curlip is usually berthed at the Brodrib River boat ramp, just before you arrive at Marlo.  It is available for bookings if you consult the site, however things may have changed, please check first before you get your hopes up.  I ran into a boat builder all the ways form England (NW) who went out of his way to see the PS Curlip on his trip around Australia.  He was pretty impressed!

Photograph courtesy Frank Flynn taken on 16/10/2016 from the vantage point of his front deck!

The above photo were taken when the PS Curlip was in the Lakes Entrance area and had been slipped at Paynesville in 2012.

This is the PS Curlip on March 2009 while were fishing on the Brodrib River.  An inspiring site to see it come churning around the bend at full steam. 

Hi Rein!! One of our famous Nowa Nowa Mens Choir members standing out with the purple jacket and wheels!!

Here is the overall journey of the PS Curlip from Marlo to Paynesville.  It first leaves the Brodrib River and enters the Snowy River.  This would lead around in front of the Marlo Hotel and up the sand bar across the Snowy.  They had to wait a before beginning this journey as the Snowy had to be open and a high spring tide to give it plenty of clearance.  Then the boat had to steam in open waters westward along the Ninety Mile Beach.  The photograph taken by Frank Flynn (above) was near where the small red x is on the journey.  Then the PS Curlip would have been navigated through the Gippsland Lakes entrance at Lakes Entrance.  Probably heading up Reeves Channel, around Shaving Point at Metung and across Lake Victoria to Paynesville.  Quite a journey!!

The above map should also help you find the Curlip's berth on the Brodrib River, though if you are desperate to see her, I suggest you must make contact with the organisers to find out exactly where she is.