Queensland's Gunboats

Thunder and Lightning

Background

In 1882, the Queensland Parliament set aside the substantial sum of £60,000 to purchase two gunboats. This was the culmination of heated debate in parliament regarding the cost of the vessels, but it was fear that won the day.

In the 1880’s it was widely believed that Russia was likely to go to war with England, reinforced by the fact that in 1884 Russia had increased her Pacific fleet. Meanwhile British leaders had made it clear (both through their words and actions) that Britain was not committed to the defense of the colonies. The British ‘men-of-war’ in Australian waters were seldom seen in Queensland, a point noted in parliament by the Hon Mr. Groom. The absence of the British Navy, he said, was sufficient reason for him to support the vote on a motion to purchase for Queensland her own naval equipment. In the end it was the navy men who won the day.

Two identical boats were ordered and constructed in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England's famous boat building city, by the firm of Sir W.G. Armstrong, Mitchell and Company.

The Queensland Government named the boats Gayundah and Paluma - Aboriginal words meaning thunder (Paluma) and lightning (Gayundah).

Journey to Queensland

On 13 November 1884 Gayundah sailed from Newcastle-on-Tyne, under the command of Captain Henry Townley-Wright (Royal Navy).
She called at the ports of Dartmouth, Gibraltar, Algiers, Malta, and then traveling via the Suez Canal and Red Sea to Aden, Colombo, Batavia, Thursday Island, Townsville, Woody Island (where she took on coal), and through Hervey Bay and over the Wide Bay bar. Gayundah finally steamed up the Brisbane River on 28 March 1885.

The voyage was prolonged, as Gayundah had not been designed for long sea voyages. She sat low in the water and the waves frequently crashed over her deck.

Being fitted with masts and yards, Gayundah could carry sail, and though her sails were inadequate to move such a heavy ship alone, they were used to provide assistance to the engines during this journey.

Immediately on arrival in Brisbane, at the height of the Russian invasion scare, Gayundah went to work patrolling the mouth of the Brisbane River.

Arrival

The arrival in Brisbane of Gayundah was reported with some disappointment:

“This gunboat is a very ugly craft to look at, with none of the trimness or fine lines one naturally associates with vessels of Her Britannic Majesty’s Navy… It is a very stumpy vessel [suitable] for river service, or assisting troops on land where she would be invaluable, but her shrift would be short if she came within the range of a modern ironclad, for an 18-ton gun would blow her clean out of the water” - Brisbane Courier, 28 March 1885.

Indeed Gayundah was well adapted for her intended role as a coastal defense vessel. Her shallow draft made her capable of operating in the many bays and estuaries along the coast, while in 1885 she was the most heavily armed ship of her size in the British Navy.

[Paluma, sister-ship of the Gayundah, arrived in Brisbane 6 weeks after her stable mate and was modified to serve as a coastal survey vessel.]

White Ensign

On 2nd September 1886, Admiral Tryon (Commanding the Australian Station) forwarded to Brisbane the Warrant authorising Her Majesty’s Queensland Ship Gayundah to wear the White Ensign and Pendant of Her Majesty’s Fleet. This was the first time the privilege had been granted to any colonial ship.

Mutiny

In 1888 a mutiny of sorts occurred aboard Gayundah. This is detailed in a separate section of this site.

Paid Off

On the 30th September 1892 Gayundah was paid off and laid up in reserve at Brisbane, being manned as required for Easter training parties of the Naval Brigade. [Her sister ship Paluma, joined her in 1895.]

Wireless Telegraphy

1898 saw Gayundah recommissioned under the Blue Ensign for the Queensland Government, beginning another history making period of service. This time, Gayundah became the first British warship of the Australian station to successfully operate wireless telegraphy. This is detailed in a separate section of this site.

Naval Career

Although the ships of the Queensland Marine Defense Force were never involved in any hostile action, both vessels had long naval careers.

In 1911 (I have been unable to discover the exact date) Gayundah fired her first and only shots in anger, by way of a warning to poaching pearling luggers off Broome. Evidently this warning was sufficient as there is no report of subsequent action.

 

So, the Gayundah was the first ship of Queensland’s colonial navy. Along with her sister-ship Paluma and two torpedo boats Mosquito and Midge, she protected Queensland from the perceived threat of Russian invasion.

 

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