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 return)
Melbourne-Hobart-Bluff-Dunedin-Lyttelton-Wellington-Sydney
She undertook 21 return voyages on this route up to January 1907.
NB: For about two years the Wimmera was the largest vessel in the Huddart Parker fleet until the arrival of the Riverina, at 4500 tons (4758) about January 1906.
January 1907
After the Wimmera’s arrival in Sydney in early January 1907 she was temporarily replaced on the horseshoe run by the newer Riverina which had been operating on the Company’s West Australian service.
For three voyages, from January to March 1907, the Wimmera joined her sister ship Victoria servicing the Sydney to Dunedin run via New Zealand ports, ie:
Sydney-Auckland-Gisborne-Napier-Wellington-Lyttelton-Dunedin
(and return)
Dunedin-Lyttelton-Wellington-Napier-Gisborne-Auckland-Sydney
April 1907
In April 1907 the Wimmera undertook a single shortened voyage from Sydney to Auckland and return.
Sydney-Auckland
Auckland-Sydney
April 1907
On her return to Sydney from Auckland she once again resumed the horseshoe route and completed a further nine voyages to Melbourne and return up until the end of February 1908, ie:
Sydney-Wellington-Lyttelton-Dunedin-Bluff-Hobart-Melbourne
(and return)
Melbourne-Hobart-Bluff-Dunedin-Lyttelton-Wellington-Sydney
March 1908
In March 1908 the Wimmera was again replaced on the horseshoe run, on this occasion by the newer and larger 5700 ton TSS Ulimaroa.
Under command of Captain Waller the Wimmera then returned to her previous shorter service from Sydney to Dunedin via other New Zealand ports, in conjunction with the Victoria. This was the beginning of the ship’s longest uninterrupted period of service over the same route, with 55 voyages undertaken between March 1908 and June 1912, ie:
Sydney-Auckland-Gisborne-Napier-Wellington-Lyttelton-Dunedin
(and return)
Dunedin-Lyttelton-Wellington-Napier-Gisborne-Auckland-Sydney
NB: In October 1909 the Huddart Parker Timetable changed. In it was mentioned Australian-New Zealand traffic over three routes, ie.
- From Sydney via North. First port of call – Auckland
- From Sydney via Cook Strait. First port of call – Wellington
- From Melbourne via South. First port of call – Bluff
June 1912
Following her return to Sydney in June 1912, her next voyage, temporarily under the command of Captain Wyllie, was a modified “horseshoe” run in that she undertook a voyage from Sydney to Melbourne via southern New Zealand ports and Hobart but returned to Sydney direct from Melbourne, ie:
Sydney-Wellington-Lyttelton-Dunedin-Bluff-Hobart-Melbourne (and return)
Melbourne-Sydney
While on this run her previous route was undertaken by the Westralia.
July 1912
On departing Sydney on Thursday 18 July 1912 the Wimmera again took up her previous route servicing Sydney and northern and southern New Zealand ports and was to remain on this route for a further 14 voyages until August 1913.
Sydney-Auckland-Gisborne-Napier-Wellington-Lyttelton-Dunedin (and return)
Dunedin-Lyttelton-Wellington-Napier-Gisborne-Auckland-Sydney
August 1913
In early August 1913 the Wimmera arrived in Sydney and her New Zealand route taken over by the Riverina.
On Monday 11 August 1913 the Wimmera departed Sydney direct for Hobart and return. It was the beginning of 34 voyages she would undertake on this route until after the First World War began in August 1914.
NB: The Wimmera replaced the Westralia on this route which was run co-jointly firstly with the Union Co.’s Paloona (ex-Zealandia of Huddart Parker) then the Mokoia from Jan 1914 and the Paloona again from May 1914
Detail from postcard. Author’s Collection.
September 1914
In September 1914 the New Zealand services of Huddart Parker were reduced from the three runs to two, ie.
- Sydney-Auckland direct
- Melbourne-Sydney-Wellington-Lyttelton (and return?)
The Riverina was to stay in New Zealand waters and the Westralia also was placed on NZ coastal service.
October 1914
In October 1914 the Wimmera conducted two voyages to Hobart on modified routes which now included Melbourne, ie:
Sydney-Hobart-Melbourne (and return)
Melbourne-Hobart-Sydney
After her arrival in Sydney and then coaling in Newcastle she then bypassed Sydney and steamed directly to Hobart and then on to Melbourne.
October 1914
From her departure from Melbourne on Saturday 31 October 1914 she operated a new service to Hobart and southern New Zealand ports, ie:
Melbourne-Hobart-Wellington (via Cook Strait)-Lyttelton-Dunedin-Bluff (and return)
Bluff-Hobart-Melbourne
She was scheduled to leave Melbourne every third Saturday to cover this route.
The Wimmera conducted 26 voyages on this route up to April 1916 although on several of these voyages not all ports were visited.
May 1916
From the beginning of May 1916 the Wimmera’s service to New Zealand no longer included calls at Hobart and so her route became:
Melbourne-Wellington (via Cook Strait)-Lyttelton-Dunedin-Bluff (and return)
Bluff-Melbourne
This route was covered by the Wimmera on eight voyages over the next six months.
November 1916
In November 1916 the Wimmera operated a slightly modified single voyage to New Zealand and return by including a call at Hobart only on her return voyage to Melbourne.
She was scheduled to depart Melbourne again on 25 November but this departure was cancelling owing to the strike by coal miners in New South Wales which not greatly interrupted coastal shipping in general but lead to the Wimmera being laid up in Melbourne for about six weeks.
The Wimmera was scheduled to depart Melbourne for Wellington on Sat 4 November 1916, to return from Bluff on 22 November and to depart from Melbourne again on 25 November. However due to the coal strike the departure of the Wimmera was cancelled. (wef Fri 17 Nov 1916 – Argus)
December 1916
No Huddart Parker timetable issued due to the strike of New South Wales coal miners
January 1917
On 6 January 1917 the Wimmera finally departed Melbourne for Wellington and southern New Zealand ports and return. She undertook two voyages on this route, ie:
Melbourne-Wellington (via Cook Strait)-Lyttelton-Dunedin-Bluff (and return)
Bluff-Melbourne
February 1917
On 15 February 1917 departed the port of Melbourne for the last time and steamed direct for Newcastle.
After coaling in Newcastle the Wimmera then proceeded to Sydney, from where she would now undertake a new service from Sydney to northern and southern New Zealand ports, replacing the Westralia on the following route:
Sydney-Auckland-Gisborne-Napier-Wellington-Lyttelton-Dunedin (and return)
Dunedin-Lyttelton-Wellington-Napier-Gisborne-Auckland-Sydney
This was a route that she would operate for six voyages until August 1917 although not all ports were called upon on every voyage.
She was to depart Sydney each alternate Wednesday and to return from Dunedin each alternate Tuesday.
Her last known date to arrive Sydney on this route was 13 April 1917.
NB: April 1917
In April 1917 new censorship regulations regarding vessels arriving from or proceeding overseas came into effect. As a result all New Zealand services in the Huddart Parker timetables were no longer published but “particulars” of sailing times were only available “on application”.
NB: September/October 1917
No timetables were issued due to a strike
August 1917
In August 1917 the Wimmera departed Sydney for New Zealand yet her return voyage terminated at Auckland and she did not continue on to Sydney, ie:
Sydney-Auckland-Gisborne-Napier-Wellington-Lyttelton-Dunedin (and return)
Dunedin-Lyttelton-Wellington-Napier-Gisborne-Auckland
Her next three voyages would now only see her operating a New Zealand-only coastal service, ie:
Auckland-Gisborne-Napier-Wellington-Lyttelton-Dunedin (and return)
Dunedin-Lyttelton-Wellington-Napier-Gisborne-Auckland
October 1917
Her next voyage (her 190th) beginning 17 October 1917 would see her continuing on to Sydney where she arrived from Auckland on 7 November, ie:
Auckland-Gisborne-Napier-Wellington-Lyttelton-Dunedin (and return)
Dunedin-Lyttelton-Wellington-Napier-Gisborne-Auckland-Sydney
Between November 1917 and January 1918 the Wimmera again operated a service between Sydney and Dunedin via other New Zealand ports although not all ports were visited over the three voyages undertaken.
Sydney-Auckland-Gisborne-Napier-Wellington-Lyttelton-Dunedin (and return)
Dunedin-Lyttelton-Wellington-Napier-Gisborne-Auckland
February – June 1918
From February 1918 her next seven (and final) voyages saw her operate on two alternate routes, in conjunction with the Victoria, ie:
Sydney to Auckland (and return) service, followed by
Sydney-Auckland-Gisborne-Napier-Wellington-Lyttelton-Dunedin (and return)
Dunedin-Lyttelton-Wellington-Napier-Gisborne-Auckland
The Wimmera‘s 200th voyage was the direct Sydney to Auckland service and saw her depart Sydney for the final time on 17 June 1918. Her return (and uncompleted) journey from Auckland commenced on the 25th June 1918.
© Ralph L. Sanderson 2004-2021
SS Wimmera 