Canopus Boat

Statement of Significance

Vessels of this type were very important for transport and communication in the town and the region. The Canopus is the sole surviving ferry from this era. Its employment in the tourist industry reflects not only the improvement in transportation in the district, but the changing nature of Mandurah as a holiday/tourist centre for larger numbers of people from the 1920s onwards.

Physical Description

Timber sailing vessel, a replica of which is held in Mandurah’s Historical Society. In 1996 Council arranged for an independent assessment of the condition of the Canopus. The survey found that the state of the decay of the vessel was irreparable.

History

Mandurah had traditionally used sea transport for obtaining its supplies and sending it produce. At the turn of the century the route to the Mandurah settlement was still a long and arduous journey and entailed the crossing of
many properties and negotiating harsh terrain. The completion of a railway line from Perth to Pinjarra in 1893 helped alleviate Mandurah’s isolation to some extent, however the road between the two towns was still 12 miles long, and was sandy in summer and boggy in winter. The most economical route was still by sea.
The Canopus was a sturdy gaff-rigged, canoe-sterned vessel 25 feet in length. Made of New Zealand kauri, it was capable of carrying 6 tons of cargo. It was brought to Mandurah in 1912 by Bob Smart, who commenced a freight service in 1912 to ply supplies between Mandurah and Fremantle. After WWI this venture was no longer very lucrative as people were increasingly using the train for transport and, with the completion of the new Rockingham-Mandurah Road in the early 1920s, motor vehicles. By this time Mandurah was the new playground
of the West, a place for people who wanted to take holidays away from their city, goldfields or wheatbelt homes.
The Canopus became a fishing/tourist boat and was chartered for fishing parties. Its small draught was a design feature that enabled it to negotiate the sandbar for ocean and river cruises.
Over the years the Canopus assisted in several sea rescues and it is believed that it saved at least twelve lives. It was eventually acquired by Harold Blakeley Sr. and kept at the Peninsula Hotel, although it was subsequently
moved to the Mandurah backyard of Harold Blakeley Jr, where it remains today.
The Mandurah Sustainable Village Group has recently made a proposal to restore the vessel.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.