Falie
Encyclopedia
The Falie is a 46-metre ketch
which traded for many years in South Australia
n and Australia
n waters. During World War II
, she served in the Royal Australian Navy
. When she retired from commercial service in 1982 she was bought by the South Australian Government and restored as a historic vessel.
She was built in Holland as a gaff rigged motor schooner
collier
in 1919 and named Logger. She was bought by the Spencer’s Gulf Transport Company Limited in 1922. In 1923, she sailed to South Australia where she was renamed as the Falie and participated in the extensive ketch trade to isolated towns along the coast of South Australia. Later she was converted from her original configuration to a ketch.
During World War Two, the Royal Australian Navy requisitioned the Falie, renaming her as HMAS Falie. Initially she was used as an inspection vessel. On the night of 31 May, she was acting as a watchdog outside Sydney Harbour, when she struck one of three Midget Submarines
trying to gain access to the harbour through the anti submarine nets. In 1943 she was converted to a stores vessel and sailed up to Papua New Guinea
where she saw action landing troops in enemy territory by night.
In 1946 she was paid off and returned to her owners. For the next 15 years she carried explosives around the Australian coast. In 1968 she returned to South Australian waters where she continued to operate as a trading vessel until she retired in 1982, the last ketch to operate commercially in South Australian waters, and the last sail powered trading vessel in Australian waters.
The Falie was then purchased by the Government of South Australia and restored for the state's sesquicentenary celebrations in 1986. She was re-masted and given new sails, and was fitted with accommodation and a galley below decks. With this arrangement she could carry up to 90 passengers on day trips and 20 passengers plus nine crew overnight.
In 2005, a survey revealed that her hull plates had corroded to the point where she was unseaworthy. She was not returned to seaworthiness as no sponsor could be found to cover the cost of repairs, estimated to be more than a million dollars.
Currently the Falie is sitting unused at Port Adelaide. An investigation is being carried out to determine how best to permanently preserve her.
In 2007, it was proposed to move the Falie to the wharf at American River, Kangaroo Island
as an interpretive maritime museum but by 2009 had not been acted on. It was suggested that the South Australian Government was looking to divest itself of the Falie, and that the estimated cost of repairs to the hull was in excess of $3 million.
Ketch
A ketch is a sailing craft with two masts: a main mast, and a shorter mizzen mast abaft of the main mast, but forward of the rudder post. Both masts are rigged mainly fore-and-aft. From one to three jibs may be carried forward of the main mast when going to windward...
which traded for many years in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n waters. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, she served in the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
. When she retired from commercial service in 1982 she was bought by the South Australian Government and restored as a historic vessel.
She was built in Holland as a gaff rigged motor schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
collier
Collier (ship type)
Collier is a historical term used to describe a bulk cargo ship designed to carry coal, especially for naval use by coal-fired warships. In the late 18th century a number of wooden-hulled sailing colliers gained fame after being adapted for use in voyages of exploration in the South Pacific, for...
in 1919 and named Logger. She was bought by the Spencer’s Gulf Transport Company Limited in 1922. In 1923, she sailed to South Australia where she was renamed as the Falie and participated in the extensive ketch trade to isolated towns along the coast of South Australia. Later she was converted from her original configuration to a ketch.
During World War Two, the Royal Australian Navy requisitioned the Falie, renaming her as HMAS Falie. Initially she was used as an inspection vessel. On the night of 31 May, she was acting as a watchdog outside Sydney Harbour, when she struck one of three Midget Submarines
Attack on Sydney Harbour
In late May and early June 1942, during World War II, submarines belonging to the Imperial Japanese Navy made a series of attacks on the cities of Sydney and Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia...
trying to gain access to the harbour through the anti submarine nets. In 1943 she was converted to a stores vessel and sailed up to Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
where she saw action landing troops in enemy territory by night.
In 1946 she was paid off and returned to her owners. For the next 15 years she carried explosives around the Australian coast. In 1968 she returned to South Australian waters where she continued to operate as a trading vessel until she retired in 1982, the last ketch to operate commercially in South Australian waters, and the last sail powered trading vessel in Australian waters.
The Falie was then purchased by the Government of South Australia and restored for the state's sesquicentenary celebrations in 1986. She was re-masted and given new sails, and was fitted with accommodation and a galley below decks. With this arrangement she could carry up to 90 passengers on day trips and 20 passengers plus nine crew overnight.
In 2005, a survey revealed that her hull plates had corroded to the point where she was unseaworthy. She was not returned to seaworthiness as no sponsor could be found to cover the cost of repairs, estimated to be more than a million dollars.
Currently the Falie is sitting unused at Port Adelaide. An investigation is being carried out to determine how best to permanently preserve her.
In 2007, it was proposed to move the Falie to the wharf at American River, Kangaroo Island
American River, South Australia
American River is a town situated on the western shore of Eastern Cove, on Australia's third largest island, Kangaroo Island.- History :The area now known as American River was first visited by Europeans in 1802 when Matthew Flinders sailed around Kangaroo Island. In 1803, a group of American...
as an interpretive maritime museum but by 2009 had not been acted on. It was suggested that the South Australian Government was looking to divest itself of the Falie, and that the estimated cost of repairs to the hull was in excess of $3 million.