From the time of her first arrival at her home port of Melbourne, the Wimmera was engaged on various routes which took her to four major ports in three States on the East Coast of Australia, and across the Tasman Sea to seven principal ports on both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. She also called at minor locations on several occasions.
© Ralph L. Sanderson 2004-2021
The following is a summary of the sailing routes undertaken by the Wimmera during her period of service 1904 to 1918. From December 1904 the Wimmera relieved the SS Westralia by being placed into service on what was colloquially termed the “horseshoe” run, ie: from Sydney to Melbourne via New Zealand ports and Hobart, ie: Sydney-Wellington-Lyttelton-Dunedin-Bluff-Hobart-Melbourne (and…
The city of Melbourne and homeport of the Wimmera where she arrived in November 1904 was, as is now, the second largest city of the Commonwealth, with an estimated population in the Greater Melbourne area of over 508,000. It was then also the seat of government for the Commonwealth.
The port of Hobart was visited by the SS Wimmera on 144 occasions between December 1904 and November 1916. Her most prolific periods being between December 1904 and December 1906 and between August 1913 and April 1916. Located on the Southeast coast of Tasmania, the port of Hobart was the principal port of State. The…
The port of Sydney was first visited by the Wimmera on 24 November 1904 only two days following her arrival at her homeport of Melbourne. In 1904 Sydney was the largest city in the Commonwealth with an estimated population of over 518,000 – only 10,000 more than her southern rival, Melbourne.
The port of Newcastle was visited on almost every occasion that the Wimmera called at Sydney. Her first visit was made on Friday 25 November 1904, the day after her first call at Sydney. Here she took on coal before departing the following day direct for Melbourne. In 1906, Newcastle was the fifth largest city…
The port of Auckland, and largest city in the Dominion, was visited by the Wimmera on 179 occasions beginning with her first arrival in January 1907, over two years following her first New Zealand visit. In that year, Auckland and her suburbs, comprised a population of over 82,000.
The Wimmera‘s first arrival at the Gisborne Roadstead was on 16 January 1907 and her last visit on 6 June 1918 – only weeks before her final voyage. Visits to Gisborne were made by the Wimmera and her sister ships on their coastal voyages between Auckland and Wellington and return – hence the large number…
The Wimmera‘s first arrival at the Port of Napier was on 17 January 1907 and her last visit on Wednesday 5 June 1918 – only weeks before her final voyage. Visits to Napier were made by the Wimmera and her sister ships on their coastal voyages between Auckland and Wellington and return – hence the same…
The SS Wimmera first arrived in the port of Wellington, the capital of the Dominion of New Zealand at 6:27 am on Christmas Eve, Saturday 24 December 1904. It was the first of 277 visits, the most made to any New Zealand port by the Wimmera between then and June 1918. In January 1905 the…
The Wimmera first called at the port of Lyttelton on Friday 23 December 1904. It was the first of over 256 visits made up to June 1918 prior to her loss. Visits
Dunedin / Port Chalmers was first visited by the Wimmera on Wednesday 21 December 1904 on her initial voyage to New Zealand. It was the first of about 184 visits made to that port up to May 1918 prior to her loss. Visits
Bluff is located near the southern tip of New Zealand’s South Island. “Bluff Harbour, or Awarua, the Port of Invercargill…though small in the navigable part, is a safe and convenient one for a limited number of vessels. It was formerly a large whaling-station…” “Campbelltown, on the northern side of the Bluff, is the port of Invercargill,…
The Wimmera was removed from her regular itinerary on a number of occasions for the purposes of undergoing surveys, repairs and maintenance.
SS Wimmera 