Kirawa

Kirawa was built for Sydney Ferries Limited during the early twentieth century boom in cross-Harbour travel prior to the 1932 opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. At the time, the company ran one of the largest ferry fleets in the world. Both her and sister, Kanangra, were part of broader type of around 25 double-ended timber screw ferries - the Sydney K-class ferries - that the company commissioned between the 1890s and early 1920s to meet the booming demand.

The two ferries followed the Sydney Ferries Limited convention of naming their vessels after Australian Aboriginal words starting with "K". "Kirawa" is thought to me "looking for you".

File:Sydney ferry KIRRAWA at Musgrave Street Wharf 1917.tif) wharf, 1917]]

As with all the K-class and Manly ferries built at the time, she was double ended ferries with wheelhouses, propellers and rudders at both ends.

Unlike the previous K-class ferries that were timber-hulled, Kirawa (and Kanangra) were riveted steel hull vessels, although like the rest of the K-class, their decks and superstructures were timber. Both ferries had five watertight bulkheads. The two were built by Mort's Dock at their Woolwich yard for Sydney Ferries Limited for a cost of £17,873 each.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article238642212 |title=NEW STEAMER FOR SYDNEY FERRIES. |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |issue=10329 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=3 July 1912 |access-date=20 December 2021 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221988328 |title=SYDNEY FERRIES |newspaper=The Sun |issue=2853 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=25 August 1919 |access-date=20 October 2021 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}

She had triple expansion coal-fired steam engines, with cylinders of 14-inch, 22 1/2 inch, and 37 inch. diameters respectively and a stroke of 21 inch. Steam was supplied by two navy type boilers, fitted with corrugated furnaces, and having a working pressure of I80 lb. The auxiliaries included an independent centrifugal circulating pump, automatic feed pump, feed heater, and filter, etc. The engines produced 68 hp and pushed her to 13 knots.

File:Kirawa & Kanangra passing in Mosman Bay c.1938mosman.jpg

Kirawa was launched on 2 July 1912 and christened by Miss Goddard, daughter of W C Goddard, director of Sydney Ferries Limited. Her official trials were held on 29 October 1912 where she averaged 13 knots.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15371327 |title=STEEL STEAMERS. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=23,339 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=30 October 1912 |access-date=29 December 2021 |page=17 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Kirawa, Kanangra and the three similarly sized "Kirrule-type" ferries were built for the booming Cremorne and Mosman routes, with each vessel having an approximate capacity of 1,000 passengers. Demand for ferry services across the harbour were booming in the early 20th century, and in 1911, Sydney Ferries Limited had begun services to the new Cremorne Wharf with new tram connection.

Following the 1932 opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Kirawa was kept in service, while 18, most older ferries, were decommissioned due to the drop in demand. Prior to the bridge opening, Sydney Ferries Limited had transported 40 million passengers a year, which dropped to 15 million after the opening. The drop in demand for the remaining ferry fleet was somewhat mitigated as many could not afford their own transport in the Great Depression of the 1930s and rationing of fuel during World War 2 made the coal required for the steam ferries relatively cheap.[https://web.archive.org/web/20160227124230/http://ferriesofsydney.com/DeeWhy.html Kirawa on ferriesofsydney.com]

In 1951, as the demand for ferry services dropped further to 9 million following the end of the war, the NSW State Government took over Sydney Ferries Limited and its remaining fleet and assets. The Port Jackson and Manly Steamship Company, which ran the Manly service, was paid to run the services. The services and fleet were quickly rationalised with most of the larger remaining timber K-class steamers being decommissioned. A number of the smaller coal burners were converted to diesel (including Kameruka and Kosciusko). In December 1952, Kirawa was reported as running a showboat excursion.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article261412488 |title='Showboat Dance |newspaper=The Sydney Jewish News |volume=XVI |issue=12 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=5 December 1952 |access-date=29 December 2021 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Kirawa was laid up at the time in need of a new boiler. As there was no longer need for two large ferries, she was sold to be broken up in 1953. Hulked, she was renamed Demolisher and, along with the stripped-down Manly ferry Balgowlah, was used in the demolition and removal of the old Iron Cove Bridge.{{cite book |last1=Andrews |first1=Graeme |title=A Pictorial History of Ferries: Sydney and Surrounding Waterways |date=1982 |publisher=AH & AW Reed Pty Ltd |location=Sydney |isbn=0589503863 |page=98}}

Kanangra was converted to diesel power in 1959, and her tall smoke stack was replaced with a smaller exhaust funnel, and the boilers became the fuel tanks. One of the longest serving ferries on Sydney Harbour, Kanangra was withdrawn from service in 1985 and moored adjacent to the Pyrmont Bridge in Darling Harbour. As of 2020, she is currently moored in Rozelle Bay under restoration.

File:Sydney ferry Kirawa in Mosman Bay.tif|Kirawa at Mosman Wharf, early 1912-1920 (estimate)

File:Kirawa ferry Sydney c. 1920.jpg|Kirawa approaching Mosman Bay with her original varnished timber and white/grey trim livery, 1920s

File:Sydney Ferry KIRAWA Mosman Bay early 1950s.jpg|Kirawa in Mosman Bay in her 1930 yellow and green colour scheme, early 1950s

==Incidents==

File:Sydney ferry KIRAWA after collision.jpg, 1949]]

• 14 August 1914 - Kirawa collided with Manly ferry Barrenjoey with the former sustaining damage to her bulwarks, but the latter remaining undamaged.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article141857380 |title=Ferries in Collision. |newspaper=The Daily Advertiser |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=15 August 1914 |access-date=28 December 2021 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}
• 28 August 1920 - Kirawa collided with Kurraba off Kirribilli resulting in about 40 feet of the Kurraba's bulwarks being ripped out.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222663530 |title=FERRY COLLISION |newspaper=The Sun |issue=3100 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=5 October 1920 |access-date=29 December 2021 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}
• 28 May 1925 - Kirawa (travelling from Circular Quay to Mosman) collided head-on with Koree (travelling from Mosman to Circular Quay) off Cremorne Point with both vessels sustaining damage.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224054821 |title=FERRIES COLLIDE |newspaper=The Sun |issue=4544 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 May 1925 |access-date=28 December 2021 |page=11 (FINAL EXTRA) |via=National Library of Australia}}
• 20 July 1925 - ferry steamer Kirawa collided with tug Gamecock in Sydney Harbour resulting in a two week suspension of the master of the Kirawa, William Clarabert Cross, Master's Certificate by the Marine Court.{{cite news |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/57299687/4596162 |title=Sydney Harbour Collision |newspaper=The Register (Adelaide) |date=1925-08-15 |access-date=2025-01-12}}
• 9 December 1927 - Kirawa collided with sister Kanangra off Cremorne Point.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article246212799 |title=No title |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |issue=33 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=11 December 1927 |access-date=13 March 2022 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}
• 24 October 1928 - Kirawa collides Barwon near the entrance to Sydney Cove with Kirawa suffering significant damage with about 30 feet of her upper deck smashed.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article180991242 |title=TURNED THE HOSE ON REPORTERS. |newspaper=Daily Standard |issue=5026 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=25 October 1928 |access-date=13 March 2022 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}} A marine court of inquiry found that the collision was caused by the Barwon manoeuvring in congested waters and the Kirawa's master not realising the Barwon had no headway on her.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article192043257 |title=MARINE COURT FINDING. |newspaper=The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=30 November 1928 |access-date=28 December 2021 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}
• 30 October 1928 - Travelling between Mosman Bay wharf and Old Cremorne wharf, Kirawa lost control and struck a moored 25-foot private launch, Banoon, with Kirawa's propeller fouling the launch's anchor chain. With the prospect of the disabled Kirawa striking rocks, the nearby Kanangra was brought over to assist. However, the smaller £300 launch was caught between the two larger ferries, was crushed and sank. Kirawa's passengers were transferred to Kanangra and the former towed to safety.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article178464350 |title=Ferry in Danger |newspaper=The Telegraph (Brisbane) |issue=17,446 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=1 November 1928 |access-date=29 December 2021 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16505683 |title=LAUNCH SUNK. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=28,339 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=1 November 1928 |access-date=29 December 2021 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}}
• 12 August 1936 - On leaving Mosman Bay Wharf with a full morning load, Kirawa's went off course and her propellers scraped over rocks, however, no damage was found.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article161434295 |title=SCRAPED ROCKS. |newspaper=Daily Commercial News And Shipping List |issue=14,848 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=13 August 1936 |access-date=12 March 2022 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}
• 13 August 1937 - Kirawa collides with ''Kosciusko causing substantial damage to the latter's bow.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article247226238 |title=HARBOR FERRY IN THE WARS |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |volume=II |issue=125 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=14 August 1937 |access-date=13 March 2022 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}
• 4 March 1949 - Significantly loaded with passengers, Kirawa's engines were started at Circular Quay without her master on board. With her steering locked, she travelled across Sydney Cove and crashed into wharf 5 causing significant damage.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article231071875 |title=PROBE ON FERRY'S WILD RUN |newspaper=The Sun |issue=12,201 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=5 March 1949 |access-date=29 December 2021 |page=3 (FINAL SPORT LASTACE) |via=National Library of Australia}}

• List of Sydney Harbour ferries
• Timeline of Sydney Harbour ferries

{{Reflist}}

• Register of Australian and New Zealand Ships and Boats compiled by Mori Flapan; www.boatregister.net

• {{commons category-inline|Kirawa (ship, 1912)|Kirawa}}

{{Sydneyferries|state=collapsed}}

Category:Ferries of New South Wales

Category:Ferry transport in Sydney

Category:Ships built in New South Wales

Category:1912 ships

Category:Sydney K-class ferries