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Pon Rabble

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25.01.2022 Examiner newspaper article on the sale of the Ponrabble dated Thursday 15th May, 1919. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/51035066#

23.01.2022 The Ponrabbel was used to dredge the channel near Launceston to facilitate shipping access. As larger ships were brought into the Tamar some strategic rocks in the Tamar were blasted and removed by the Ponrabbel to improve navigation. She was also used in the building of the Bell Bay berthing facilities. Albeit that commercial shipping barely persists in the upper reaches of the Tamar, the silting of the estuary 'interferes' with the waterway's aesthetics and its recreational 'utility' and is thus seen as tourism detractor and simultaneously as evidence of environmental degradation.

21.01.2022 The original PONRABBEL, a Scottish built bucket dredge, was ordered and built in a Glasgow shipyard in 1914. On her voyage to Launceston she was sunk by the German raider 'Emden' in the Indian Ocean. The Emden, when in the Bay of Bengal, sank the British steamer Clan Matherson, and continued her raiding .exploits. Lloyd's agent at Colombo reported that she had sunk four more British steamers, viz., the Chilkana, Troiles, Benmotir and the Clan Grant, besides capturing the dred...ge PONRABBEL, while she was on her way to Tasmania. This made twelve British vessel's the Emden had accounted for. The Emden's commander, Müller ultimately took the Emden to raid the Cocos Islands, where he landed a contingent of sailors to destroy British facilities. There, Emden was attacked by the Australian cruiser HMAS Sydney, November 9 1914. The more powerful Australian ship quickly inflicted serious damage and forced Müller to run his ship aground to avoid sinking. Emden's wreck was quickly destroyed by wave action, and was ultimately broken up for scrap in the 1950s. That PONRABBEL's replacement, PONRABBEL II was not completed until 1920, due to wartime building priorities. She arrived in Launceston on April 8 1921. Fergusson Brothers of the Fergusson Brothers shipyards built her and she a twin-screw steamer. PONRABBEL II worked the Tamar River maintaining Launceston as a port until she was put into war service during WWII. She returned to her work on the Tamar in 1946, until she ultimately was laid-up at the Kings Wharf, Launceston, in 1977. Over time she has been slowly dismantled. Today she lay in wait for her next life. These days she dredges up stories from Launceston’s multi-layered histories and heritage. When she was named PONRABBEL it was thought that 'ponrabbel' was the Aboriginal name for ‘the river’. It is now understood that ponrabbel' refers to the ’place’, the confluence of two rivers, a tidal estuary and the associated wetlands. Recently Aboriginal understandings of ‘place’ has been acknowledged by the dual naming protocol, kanamaluka /River Tamar. Picture & information curtesy of Ray Norman http://ponrabbel.blogspot.com/p/the-ponrabbel-image-courtes

19.01.2022 Well this is an interesting question I had often asked myself and again whilst down on the wharf yesterday. What is the difference between a boat and a ship? Here a few of the answers I’ve found interesting online. David McCann, Finstown Scotland - A ship can carry a boat. A boat cannot carry a ship. Peter Brooke, By Kinmuck, Scotland... A ship is large enough to have boats hanging along its sides. However, ferries are always boats but nowadays are often as large as cruise ships and carry lifeboats. William Gosling, Niederkorn, Luxembourg - One answer is that a ship can carry a boat, but a boat cannot carry a ship. Another is that a ship's captain gets annoyed if you refer to his vessel as a boat, but a boat's captain does not get annoyed if you refer to his vessel as a ship. A boat leans into a turn a ship leans out. This answer from ny nephew who just graduated from the Royal Navy College - Sandman, St. Louis USA Clink on the link for further reading: https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqu//0,,-197783,00.html

15.01.2022 https://youtu.be/zDmbgHrbeOM

08.01.2022 THE BLOG http://ponrabbel.blogspot.com/ FACEbook https://www.facebook.com/pg/ponrabbel/posts/?ref=page_internal

08.01.2022 The Pon Rabble in its better days before the wheelhouse had been removed. Moored at Kings Wharf and the old way walkway made from wood that no longer stands today. Taken down all together and is now awaiting Errol Stuart’s re development.

05.01.2022 The Ponrabbel operated as a steam 'bucket dredge' in the Tamar River from the 1920s until the 1960s. The Port of Launceston authority was determined that as many ships as possible should berth at wharves close to the city centre. Attempts to move the port further down the river were vigorously resisted as Launcestonians imagined their city as a port and sometimes as an alternative 'capital'.

03.01.2022 Pictures on and in the poor old girl we call Ponrabble... it’s a very stark view or the ole girl that’s for sure but it’s also a backdrop for some cool photographic snaps. an eeery look into days gone by.