PS Enterprise

{{short description|19th-century Australian paddle-wheel steamboat}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}

{{coord|-35.2921|149.1218|display=title}}

{{Infobox ship begin |infobox caption=yes }} {{Infobox ship image |Ship image=Paddle Steamer Enterprise 02.jpg |Ship image size= |Ship caption= }} {{Infobox ship career |Ship name=PS Enterprise |Ship owner=National Museum of Australia |Ship builder=William Keir |Ship laid down=1876 |Ship launched=1878 }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship type=Paddle steamer |Ship tonnage=55.9 |Ship displacement={{convert|30

32|tonne}} |Ship length= {{convert|17.3|m}} |Ship beam= {{convert|4.6|m}} |Ship height= {{convert|5.9|m}} (from waterline) |Ship draught= {{convert|0.75|m}} |Ship power= Single expansion steam engine |Ship propulsion=Paddle wheel |Ship speed={{convert|5|kn|sigfig=1}} |Ship capacity=25, including crew }}

PS Enterprise is an 1878 Australian paddle steamer, currently owned by the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. It is still operational, and one of the oldest working paddle steamers in the world. It is listed on the Australian Register of Historic Vehicles.{{cite web|url=http://www.nma.gov.au/collections/highlights/paddle-steamer-enterprise|title=Paddle Steamer Enterprise|publisher=National Museum of Australia|access-date=2018-04-08}}{{cite web|url=http://arhv.anmm.gov.au/objects/182243|title=PS Enterprise|publisher=Australian National Maritime Museum|work=Australian Register of Historic Vessels|access-date=2018-04-08}}

Enterprise is built from river red gum wood; the engine is a two-cylinder single expansion steam engine made by the Beverley Iron and Wagon Company in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England in 1877. The original boiler was replaced in 1988. It is {{convert|17.3|m}} long, {{convert|4.6|m}} wide, and {{convert|5.9|m}} high (from waterline).{{citation|url=http://www.nma.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/5622/PS_Enterprise_Specs_and_Statistics.pdf|title=PS Enterprise specifications and statistics|publisher=National Museum of Australia|date=2011-06-07|access-date=2018-04-08}} It has a shallow draft of {{convert|75|cm}}, allowing it to cope with the low water levels of the Australian rivers, and a maximum speed of {{convert|5|kn|sigfig=1}}.

Enterprise was built in Echuca by William Keir between 1876 and 1878,Display signs at the jetty where Enterprise is moored on Lake Burley Griffin, near the National Museum of Australia. 2014-09-18 and initially owned by his family, until they sold it in 1893. It changed hands several times over the years, and has been used as a cargo ship (towing barges{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/120907425|title=Canberra's old river steamer makes a splash|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=1989-01-30|page=1|access-date=2018-04-08}}), a store, a fishing boat and a houseboat, operating on the Murray, Darling and Murrumbidgee Rivers. From 1919 until 1945 it was owned by Augustus Creager, who, with his wife Hilda, raised a family of five children living on board.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2014/03/11/3960740.htm|title=Treasure Trove: PS Enterprise|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|author=Louise Maher|date=2014-03-11|access-date=2018-04-08}}

In 1973, amidst a general renewed interests in steamboats, Enterprise was restored by enthusiast Graeme Niehus and his father, and subsequently raced against other paddle boats.{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136992742|title=Paddle-steamers race on Murray|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=1974-10-21|page=3|access-date=2018-04-04}}

The National Museum of Australia bought Enterprise in 1984 and further restored it, including replacing the boiler.{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102073820|title=The Enterprise moves to new launch site|newspaper=The CanberraTimes|date=1988-09-23|page=5|access-date=2018-04-08}} In 1988, as part of the Australian Bicentenary celebrations, it was recommissioned on Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra.{{cite news|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/national-museum-of-australias-paddle-steamer-enterprise-undergoes-restoration-20171020-gz5dbw.html|title=National Museum of Australia's paddle steamer Enterprise undergoes restoration|publisher=The Canberra Times|author= Kimberley Le Lievre|date=2017-10-22|access-date=2018-04-08}} It was opened to the public in January 1989.{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/120906792|title=Paddle steamer open to public|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=1989-01-26|page=10|access-date=2018-04-08}}

On 4 December 1993 Enterprise was temporarily recommissioned as HMA PS Enterprise of the Royal Australian Navy and allowed to fly the White Ensign for the day, as part of the Navy's Maritime Pageant.

Enterprise is operated by the museum {{ndash}} it is the largest functional object in the museum's collection {{ndash}} and crewed by volunteers. It undergoes regular maintenance and occasional restoration work.