Site 79 River Barge Ferry

Adjacent to 1 Upper Roy Street

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At this location in the early 1850s, a large decked barge was built to transport people and goods across the river. The vessel was about 35 feet long with a 6 foot beam and a hold of 5 foot depth.

It unfortunately sank in 1870 with a cargo of flour. During the 1882 drought, Mr Arthur Scott who was residing at Tullyvea and had once been a mariner, attempted to refloat the barge, however it broke up during the attempt. It was discovered that the boat was constructed of Red Gum, Native Pine and iron fixtures. The timber was said to be as sound as the day it was built.

Construction of a low level bridge was started here but was never completed.

The new bridge was built in 1891 near the golf course.

Disclaimer: All information contained on these pages has been prepared over years of research from a small local volunteer group. The information is correct to the best of our knowledge. We always welcome suggestions for corrections or further information to add to the heritage sites. Please forward any comments to info@hindmarsh.vic.gov.au.