A renewed community effort is officially underway to return the replica of the historic paddle steamer, PS Curlip to Orbost.
The Bring the Curlip Home committee recently briefed the Orbost and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry on its successful Expression of Interest (EOI) bid to salvage the replica vessel from its current storage at the Bairnsdale landfill and transfer station.
The move marks the beginning of a fresh campaign to restore the vessel and return it to the local community.
The current vessel is a replica of a sturdy, historic paddle steamer that played a central role in the development of the Snowy River district.
The original PS Curlip was built in 1890 by Samuel Richardson & Sons at their Tabarra sawmill.
Initially owned by Samuel Richardson, the steamer passed to Harry James and partners by 1905.
By 1919, it was acquired by the Orbost Shipping Co. and registered in Melbourne.
The Curlip was used primarily for heavy tug work, towing commercial produce barges and small vessels along the Snowy River and across the notorious ocean bar at Marlo.
The vessel’s operational life came to a sudden end in March 1919.
A major flood along the Snowy River tore the Curlip from its river moorings, sweeping it down and out through the mouth of the river.
It eventually washed up on a beach to the west of Melbourne, where it became a total wreck.
In 2002, Orbost volunteers spearheaded a community initiative to rebuild the historic vessel to preserve local history and boost regional tourism.
The replica was constructed in Orbost under the direction of Gil Richardson, a direct descendant of the original Richardson boatbuilding family.
The vessel was crafted using traditional shipwright skills, local bluegum timber, and thousands of hours of community volunteer labor.
The replica Curlip was officially launched in 2008, running successful passenger cruises along the Snowy River estuary for several years.
The vessel ran until 2015, before having its commercial survey status officially revoked in the 2015–16 period.
The stoppage was driven by an inability to secure regular slipping and ongoing maintenance for the heavy timber boat.
Compounding these challenges was a severe infestation of marine shipworms (Teredo worms), which attached to and bored into the vessel’s underwater timber hull, causing significant structural damage.
Now, with the successful salvage bid by the Bring the Curlip Home committee, local advocates are working on the next steps to transport, restore and eventually return the historic regional icon to Orbost.
