Townsville Harbour Board Archive
In 1893 a conference was proposed to be held in Charters Towers in July to discuss forming a Townsville Harbour Board. The conference, held on 10 August 1893, unanimously agreed on a Harbour Board Constitution which was presented to the next session of Parliament. By 1894, with the board still awaiting parliamentary approval, Charters Towers, Ravenswood and Hughenden requested to be represented on it. By January 1895, the bill had been introduced to parliament but, despite constant urging by the Townsville Chamber of Commerce, delays in having it brought forward for discussion continued. By early December 1895, Clause 1 had been agreed to, with the bill fully passed by the end of the month. In February 1896 the following were elected to the board: W B Bartlam, M Rooney, J S Allen, and W A Ackers. Two government nominees, Messrs W Lennon and E D Miles, were also on the board as well as: James McIntosh, Chamber of Commerce; P F Hanran, Townsville Council; J Hodel, Thuringowa Shire; N Barnett, Charters Towers municipality; and R A Goldring, Hughenden municipality.
This collection is a comprehensive coverage of Harbour Board activities from 1915 to the 1970s.
Archive Location: 2R, 403R, 418R-419L
Series Listing
Collisions and minor casualties files, 1918 - 1956
Strandings, groundings and founderings files, 1918 - 1959
Pilot Station Building Files, 1938 - 1960
Port dues. Instruction and rulings, 1920 - 1960
Quarantine regulations, 1900 - 1944
Detailed Listing
Collisions and Minor Casualties files
THB/1 File contains details of the following enquiries 10/12/1918 – 12/6/1928 Collisions: Resolute – Hopewell 10/12/1918; Talawa – Jetty wharf 17/11/1920; Gartmore – Suction dredge H.A.M. IV 2/12/1924: Arkaba – Innisfail 14/1/1927; Changte – Jetty wharf 27/2/1928; Goondi – Herbert 12/6/1928;
Loss by fire: Nellbay 1/8/1925. Mss. 19p Typescript. 119p. In toto: 138pTHB/2 Minor casualties 19/3/1918 – 18/6/1923. File contains reports of minor breakdowns, collisions with beacons, and wrecking of small private 14 owned vessels. Mss. 7p. Typescript. 27p. Into 34p. THB/3 Missing vessels 15/5/ 1918 – 3/6/1945. File contains reports of searches for overdue vessels, sinkings and fires. Mss. 10p. Typescript 72p. In toto 82p. THB/4 Collisions and minor casualties 4/4/1924 – 1/11/1933 for which no enquiry was held. File contains reports of incidental damage to fender piles when berthing and/or minor repairs to vessels en route to another port. Mss. 2p. Typescript. 45p. In toto 47p.
THB/5 Collisions and minor casualties 28/10/1930 – 19/8/1938. File contains details of the following enquiries: Nellore – Alert 20/12/1932; Willesden – Orungal 16/9/1938 as well as inquiries into jetty collisions in Townsville, Brisbane and Port Douglas by ships out of Townsville.
Mss. 10p Typescript. 68p. In toto: 78p.THB/6 Collisions and minor casualties 24/3/1939 – 9/11/1951 File contains details of the following enquiries: Joseph Holt – Francis Lewis 30/1/1943; Marella – Charon 23/6/1945; Paluma – Maje Aljo 25/6/1947; Achener – Whileaway 4/11/1948; Ronronga – Empire Minotaur 19/9/1950, as well as enquiries into jetty collisions in Townsville. Mss. 13p. Typescript. 183p. In toto: 196p. THB/7 File contains preliminary and amended reported on the S.S. Rona’s collision with the jetty at Lucinda Point 24/6/1951. Mss. 5p. Typescript 17p. In toto: 22p.
THB/8 Collisions and minor casualties 9/5/1956 – 19/8/1960. File contains details of the following enquiries: Port Wyndham – Lalor 27/10/1953; Noora – Paxie 10/8/1954; Edenbank – Lalor 30/6/1956; Canberra – Lalor 2/12/1956; Munkara – Canopic 2/2/1957 as well as enquirires into jetty collisions in Townsville and two letters re the whereabouts of the Corahina, alleged to be operating an unlicensed radio transmitter.
Mss. 29p. typescript 209p. In toto: 238p.
Strandings, Groundings, and Founderings files
THB/9 File contains details of the following enquiries 27/2/1918 – 20/7/1920.
Groundings: Changsha 15/12/1918; South bulli 6/5/1918; Scott 21/11/1918; Mourilyan 4/9/1919 Kuranda 16/12/1919; Bombala 24/12/1919; Tully 11/6/1920; Galgabba 30/6/1920.
Mss. 24p. Typescript 81p. In toto: 105p.THB/10 File contains details of the following enquiries 31/1/1921 – 17/10/1927.
Groundings: Nellbay 26/1/1921; Lass O’Gowrie 16/9/1921, 7/10/1924 and 10/3/1925; Sealark 3/11/1921; Tarcoola 31/12/1922; Dinton 11/7/1925; Bopple 6/8/1926; Tully 1/9/1927.
Mss. 14p. Typescript. 113p In toto: 127p.THB/11 1 File contains details of the following enquiries 12/5/1924 – 25/9/1933
Standings: Junee 11/5/1924; Sunshine 10/2/1927; Hopewell 19/6/1927; Otira 27/2/1927; Konarra 1/8/1927; Kallatina 21/11/1927; Amy 24/9/1928; Innisfail 7/12/1928; Port Huon 24/71932; Poonber 6/7/1932; Ormiston 14/12/1932. Mss. 4p. Typescript. 30p. In toto: 34p.THB/12 File contains details of the following enquiries 25/9/1934 – 23/8/1938
Groundings: Dorothy 7/9/1934; Innisfail 27/2/1936; Poonbar 1/6/1937; Mangola 11/6/1937; Durham 9/8/1937; Marella 23/8/1937; Kooyong 25/8/1937; Koza 10/11/1937; Dalia 26/3/1938; J.A. Boyd 1/7/1938; Kintore 10/8/1938; Lindenbank 24/7/1937; Port Wyndham 8/8/1937.
Standings: Tranton 8/7/1936: Mirrabook 4/9/1936; Mss. 2p. Typescript 64p In toto: 66p.THB/13 File contains details of the following enquiries 25/7/1939 – 10/10/1951
Collisions: Canberra – Whyalla 19/6/1943 Groundings: Kintore 31/7/1939; Loania 13/11/1939; Beltona 10/12/1939; Momba 29/10/1942; Empire Silver 29/1/1945; Barossa 25/5/1947; Northern Star 8/6/1949; Dundula 29/6/1950; Jan Outhorn 25/2/1945; Time 26/5/1946; Inchkeith 18/5/1947; Columbia Star 9/10/1950; Bilkurra 22/8/1951.
Strandings: Tambua 12/6/1939; Cornwall 11/10/1939; Mackarra 3/11/1939; Australian Star 14/5/1942; Magnolia 6/7/1942; West Cactus 13/7/1942; Fort George 9/10/1943; Time 18/8/1944 Period 29/8/1944; Paluma 19/7/1947; Lochiel 9/9/1947. Salvaged: Bristol 22/4/1948
Mss. 2p. Typescript 121p In toto: 123pTHB/14 File contains preliminary and amended reports on the grounding of the S.S. River Derwent 15/2/1947. Includes newspaper cutting extracted from the Sunday Mail 6/2/1942. Printed 1p. Typescript 35p. In toto: 36p.
THB/15 File contains details of the following enquiries 22/1/1952 – 23/11/1955.
Groundings: Manunda 22/1/1952; Ringfjell 6/1/1954; Townsville 14/5/1954; Looralya 21/3/1955; Kookaburra 1/9/1955; Philippine Merchant 6/12/1955. Stranding: Port Wyndham 11/10/1955.
Casualties: Amin Rahamin accidentally killed 25/1/1954. Arafura – exploded and sank 6/9/1954.
Mss. 2p. typescript. 34p. In toto 36p.THB/16 File contains details of the following enquiries 8/3/1956 – 25/11/1959.
Groundings: Paul Carl 15/4/1956; Ulooloo 13/5/1956; South Breeze 6/8/1956; Bundaleer 25/4/1957; 5/8/1957; Manoora 21/6/1957; Barossa 1/7/1957; Eastern Queen 5/10/1957; Korara 18/6/1958; Nicholas K 10/9/1958; Konanda 9/4/1959; Amerskerk 2/9/1959. Mss. 40. Typescript. 161p. In toto: 165p.
THB/17 Cottage No. 2 Coxswain’s residence file contains correspondence re the removal of the cottage from Pilot Hill to the Harbour Board Reserve 21/7/1938 and servicing of the cottage to 10/1//1959.
Mss. 5p. Typescript. 43p. In toto 48 p.THB/18 Cottage No. 6 Lightkeeper’s residence. File contains correspondence re the occupation and servicing of the cottage during the period 3/12/1936 – 17/8/1960. Mss. 9p. Typescript. 81p. In toto: 90p THB/19 Cottage No. 8. Inspector of Fisheries residence. File contains correspondence re the occupation, servicing and rate payments 4/7/1927 – 26/11/1959. Typescript. 27p.
THB/20 Cottage No. 9 Inspector of Fisheries residence. File contains correspondence re the occupancy and damage to the property 8/3/1944 – 24/9/1952. Typescript. 6p. THB/21 File contains correspondence re the exchange of Reserve No. 149 (Flagstaff Hill) for Reserve No. 166 (Pilot Station Reserve) and the transfer of buildings, 22/12/1941 – 6/1/1956. Includes plan of Townsville Inner harbour with soundings taken 7/5/1942, Mss. 6p. Plan (Stencil) 1p. Typescript 78p. In toto: 85p.
Port dues. Instructions and rulings
THB/22 File covers queries as to interstate and foreign port rate and/or pilotage, 2/6/1920 – 29/9/1959. Includes copy of Queensland Government Gazette No. 150, 14/11/1950 Act to amend the Port Dues Revision Act of 1882. Printed 4p. Typescript 33p. In toto: 37p.
THB/23 File covers queries on both general Interstate and Intercolonial trade limits and specific companies and/or vessels. Includes Queensland Government Gazette No. 21, 16/1/1932, Proclamations 28 and 29.
Mss. 2p. Printed 1p. Typescript 38p. In toto: 41p.THB/24 File contains correspondence relating to the carriage and definition of coastwise cargo, 11/1/1922 – 14/6/1939. Mss. 1p. Typescript. 23p. In toto: 24p. THB/25 File contains correspondence on exemption from pilotage dues for vessels, owned by John Burke Ltd., operating on a Queensland Government subsidised run. Mss. 1p. Typescript 29p. In toto: 30p. THB/26 File contains correspondence on the exercise of option to pay port or tonnage dues by foreign going vessels not carrying coastwise cargo, 5/2/1926 – 4/7/1960. Typescript. 20p. THB/27 File contains correspondence relating to the issue in advance of port dues certificates, 21/6/1922 – 9/6/1949. Typescript. 3p.
THB/28 File contains instructions as to payments by small vessels trading outside and inside port limits. Typescript. 9p.
THB/29 File contains semi-annual port rates 21/9/1955. Typescript. 1p.
THB/30 File contains correspondence on quarantine regulations 29/6/1911 – 30/11/1944. Included are 6 blank Supplementary Health Report forms. Mss. 2p. Printed 6p. Typescript 53p. In toto: 61p.
THB/31 File contains section of the following Queensland Government Gazettes:
V. 73, N. 58 2/3/1900; N. 76, 21/3/1900; N. 123, 28/4/1900; N. 126, 5/5/1900; N. 145, 19/51900; N. 183, 30/6/1900 V. 75 N. 26, 23/1/1901, which contain regulations under the Queensland Health Acts. Printed. 15p.
THB/32 The Port of Weipa – North Queensland. Facilities, services, port charges, By-Laws and regulation (revised) as at 25/10/1962. Also includes alteration to By-law No. 2, By-Law No. 3, which took effect 17/6/1964. Printed 27p. THB/33 Report of the Townsville Harbour Board 1/1/1933 – 31/12/1935. Illustrated. 19p. Printed.
THB/34 1965-66 Greetings card
1963 Tide Tables - Dept. Harbours & Marine
1965 Tide Tables - Dept. Harbours & Marine
1962 Tonnages for 1962 THB
1969 booklet - official opening of searoad service
1975 Coloured Supplement Townsville: Gateway to Australias North
Newspaper clipping THB Harbours Scheme planTHB/35 1974 THB by-laws and 1985 correspondence regarding town planning approvals THB/36 Leases between THB and:
The Honourable Kenneth Burgoyne Tomkin
Wright Prospecting Pty. Ltd.,
Mt. Isa Mines (1982)
Hayles Magnetic Island Pty. Ltd.,
A.L. Bennison, A.J. Montague, Taste Holdings & Quality Livestock Pty. Ltd., (1984)
Paluma Pavilion Pty. Ltd., (1984)THB/37 1983 - 1985 Roberts, Leu & North Solicitors correspondence file on THB regarding leases THB/38 Explosive Test Book, 1 August 1947 to 30 October 1953 (using 'date of storage' information) THB/39 Port Dues or Rates, Pilotages, and Tonnage Dues, 25 volumes:
i. May 1915 – May 1918
ii. June 1918 – June 1920
iii. July 1920-June 1922
iv. June 1922 - June 1924
v. July 1924 – December 1925
vi. January 1926 – September 1928
vii. October 1928 – October 1930
viii. November 1930 – October 1932
ix. November 1932 – August 1934
x. August 1934 – April 1936
xi. May 1936 – September 1937
xii. September 1937 – February 1939
xiii. March 1939 – August 1940
xiv. August 1940 – May 1942
xv. June 1942 – July 1943
xvi. July 1943 – July 1944
xvii. August 1944 – June 1946
xviii. July 1946 – August 1949
xix. July 1949 – July 1952
xx. August 1952 – June 1955
xxi. June 1955 – November 1957
xxii. November 1957 – May 1960
xxiii. June 1960 – December 1962
xxiv. September 1965 - February 1971
xxv. October 1937 – 1950 [summaries of harbour dues, pilotages and tonnages]
THB/40 Log books of Pilot Station, Townsville, 5 volumes:
i. July 1944 - November 1945
ii. July 1952 – December 1955
iii. January 1956 – June 1959
iv. July 1959 – June 1962
v. Personal log, June 1955 – December 1957
