The Dictionary of Sydney
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Economy
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Transport
Transport modes
Water transport
Tugboats

The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

Tugboats

Subject

Tugboats

Bareki

Bustler

Gamecock

Hero

Lena

Pluvius

SS Champion

SS Heroic

SS Heroine

Saucy Jack

Shirley Smith

St Aristell

Ted Noffs

Warang

Waratah

Fenwick's Stone Building

Bailey & Jorgenson Tugs

Daleys

Harbour Lighterage Ltd

J & T Fenwick

Mackenzie & Petersen

Stannard Bros Towage

Svitzer

Wallace Tugs

Waratah Towage

Bailey, Charles

Brinkworth, Paddy

Downie, John

Fenwick, Andrew

Fenwick, Andrew jnr

Fenwick, James

Fenwick, John

Fenwick, Thomas

Jorgenson, William

Mackenzie, Harold 'Mack'

McKenzie, Alexander

Petersen, Axel

Petersen, Harold

Stannard, Alan

Stannard, William

Weldon, Sid

The ferry Phoenix built in 1899 for the New South Wales Public Works Department and used as a tug and as a staff ferry

The tug Hero towing Pamir to Sydney Heads 1947

Tug St Aristell at Pyrmont c1947

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Tugboats

Indispensable in keeping Sydney's maritime trade moving, tugboats and their operators have provided towage on Sydney Harbour since 1831.

Bareki

Tugboat built at Goat Island for the then Maritime Services Board which may now be viewed at the Australian National Maritime Museum.

full record »

Bustler

Steam tugboat built at Cockatoo Island.

full record »

Gamecock

Tugboat in the fleet of J & A Brown.

full record »

Hero

Tugboat which was a regular sight on the harbour for almost fifty years until sunk by a freighter off Blues Point. It was salvaged and returned to service between 1943 and 1963.

full record »

Lena

Steam tug which may still be seen in Berrys Bay.

full record »

Pluvius

Fire fighting tug which joined the fleet in Sydney Harbour in 1903 and remained in service until about 1976.

full record »

SS Champion

Tugboat in the fleet of J & A Brown which operated in Sydney and Newcastle harbours.

full record »

SS Heroic

Steel hulled steam tugboat of 258 tons built for Thomas Fenwick which was commandeered by the British Admiralty in World War I. After further service in World War II it returned to Sydney as a working tug. The wreck can now be seen in Homebush Bay.

full record »

SS Heroine

Steam tug constructed for Fenwicks which saw service during World War I & II.

full record »

Saucy Jack

Ferry built in Newcastle about 1878 which saw service as a tugboat in Sydney Harbour until 1961.

full record »

Shirley Smith

Tugboat used for emergency response in Sydney waterways.

full record »

St Aristell

Tugboat which made a perilous journey from England in 1926 after being purchased by J & A Brown. It saw service in World War II as a salvage tug.

full record »

Ted Noffs

Tugboat equipped for emergency response on Sydney waterways.

full record »

Warang

Sydney Harbour tugboat

full record »

Waratah

Coal fired tugboat of 165 tons which is now the oldest tug in Australia. Since restoration in the early 1970s it is now available for charter.

full record »

Fenwick's Stone Building

Sandstone store thought to have been built between 1888 and 1896 when it first appeared on a map. It is adjacent to Darling Street wharf at 2-8 Weston Street Balmain.

full record »

Bailey & Jorgenson Tugs

Tugboat company in Balmain.

full record »

Daleys

Tug operators early in the twentieth century.

full record »

Harbour Lighterage Ltd

Tug and lighter company.

full record »

J & T Fenwick

Towage partnership between brothers John and Thomas Fenwick.

full record »

Mackenzie & Petersen

Towage company formed in the 1930s.

full record »

Stannard Bros Towage

Towage company established in 1937 which expanded into ports around Australia.

full record »

Svitzer

Multinational salvage and towage company, part of the AP Moller-Maersk Group.

full record »

Wallace Tugs

Ship owners and operators in Sydney Harbour and Port Botany.

full record »

Waratah Towage

Towage company formed as a joint venture between Howard Smith Limited and Adsteam Marine.

full record »

Bailey, Charles

Tugboat operator in Balmain at the beginning of the twentieth century.

full record »

Brinkworth, Paddy

Tugboat crewman.

full record »

Downie, John

Engineer who drowned when the tug Hero was sunk in 1940.

full record »

Fenwick, Andrew

Seaman who emigrated from Scotland.

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Fenwick, Andrew jnr

Tugboat proprietor and partner in J & T Fenwick.

full record »

Fenwick, James

Third generation businessman in the towage business.

full record »

Fenwick, John

Operator and partner of towage company with his brother Thomas. He retained the Sydney branch of the business when the partnership dissolved in 1883.

full record »

Fenwick, Thomas

Operator and partner of a towage business with his brother John before expanding his business to Ballina and pursuing success with brute force if necessary.

full record »