In May 1924 the SS Urana left the Glasgow shipyard where she had been built to order of the North Coast Steam Navigation Company, and made her way across the oceans to Sydney and a life trading along the eastern seaboard of Australia.1
She was soon put to work and made an eagerly anticipated visit to Wingham in August 1924 when representatives of Council were on hand for a tour of the ship.2
The Urana proved a saviour for the crew of the Palm Beach Surf Life Saving boat in February 1926 when they ran into heavy weather while rowing to Newcastle to take part in a surf carnival. The Urana spotted their plight and gave them a tow!3
Responsible for saving lives in 1934,4 the Urana could have met an untimely end herself in March 1937 when the Captain mistakenly brought her through the Heads into Sydney Harbour when it was closed to shipping because of gunnery practice.5
It was in August of that year that the end finally came, when the ship was lost after striking a reef just off of Old Bar (luckily without loss of life).6 A piece of timber salvaged from the vessel was used to make a candle snuffer, one of a number of items dedicated for use in Tinonee Church of England in 1938.7
Author: Penny Teerman
References:
1 Caledonian Maritime Research Trust (www.clydeships.co.uk)
2 Wingham Chronicle Friday 15 August 1924 P4
3 Sydney Morning Herald Saturday 13 February 1926 P15
4 Newcastle Sun Thursday 11 January 1934 P9 & Daily Telegraph Wednesday 16 May 1934 P7
5 Daily Telegraph Friday 12 March 1937 P7
6 The Wrecking of the Urana – www.midcoaststories.com
7 Manning River Times Wednesday 16 February 1938 P2
