Top Deck
Kanangra has 225 windows, all shaped differently — the windows cannot be interchanged.
The story
The window frames are made from Australian Red Cedar, restored where required with Western Red Cedar — retaining as much of the original material as possible.
The original glazing was 3mm plate glass; it is now 6.3mm laminated safety glass. The counter weights were rebuilt to accommodate the increased weight of the glass.
Work has been completed on the aft deck and wheelhouse.
Timber seats are to be installed. The seats were built for 1912 passengers — but for present-day passengers they are too small and too narrow, as Australians have grown bigger and taller.
The bridge deck central area — the dance floor, work area and staircase railings — is a work in progress.
Work is in progress on the forward wheelhouse and deck, under scaffolding. The forward wheelhouse is being restored and will be installed once the T & G decking is completed.
The deep dive
A wheelhouse at each end
Two Rogers horizontal steam steering engines were provided; one in each wheelhouse. In the 1959 conversion, two Reid’s electric/mechanical steering engines were fitted.
Her colours
The original colour scheme followed the company’s tradition — white hull and bulwarks, maroon rails and sheerline, and varnished timber deckhouse. The funnel was black.
In the 1920s a more practical light Navy grey was substituted for the harder to maintain white. The maroon and varnished upperworks remained.
In the interests of economy, a new colour scheme was introduced during the 30s comprising green hull, yellow deckhouse and red rails and window frames. The funnel was buff with a black top.
In 1987, led by an enthusiastic group of ferry enthusiasts, the Kanangra was repainted in her bright and cheerful red, yellow & green livery.
The harbour cruise
On Sundays and public holidays, Kanangra would see service on the Harbour Cruise, a leisurely two and a half-hour journey down the harbour towards the Heads, across into Middle Harbour, up as far as Killarney and back. Many a Sydney-sider from suburbs not on the water had their first good look at the beauty of the harbour aboard the Kanangra. For tourists and locals alike, the multitude of coves and bays on a sparkling sunny day were a sight to behold — the myriad of thousands of pleasure boats with their billowing white sails. The excitement as a dozen or more skiffs race past — seemingly only a few feet away from Kanangra’s menacing sponson.
The upper deck
When the Museum’s offices were asked to vacate Birkenhead Point, Kanangra came to the rescue, her upper deck serving as the Museum’s office for about six years.
Volunteers have also been provided by members of the Pyrmont, Ultimo and Glebe Men’s Shed working on the windows and seats.
Use in future
Kanangra is to be used in future to show visitors Sydney from a heritage ferry.
FROM THE COLLECTION
3 photos · tap to enlarge- Kanangra — steering engine, Jan 1959Credit to confirm
- KanangraSHF Collection · DATE & CAPTION TO BE SUPPLIED
- The ferry Kanangra 1912 — “in better days”Credit to confirm · DATE TO CONFIRM