Wyuna facts for kids
Wyuna at Beauty Point, Tasmania
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 Australia |
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| Name | Wyuna |
| Owner |
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| Port of registry | Melbourne |
| Builder | Ferguson Shipbuilders, Glasgow, Scotland |
| Launched | 16 April 1953 |
| Identification | IMO number: 5393907 |
| Status | Museum ship |
| Notes | Architect: Charles Stewart Mackinnon |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Pilot Tender |
| Tonnage | 1304 GRT |
| Length | 63.58m |
| Beam | 11.91m |
| Draught | 4.57m |
| Propulsion |
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The Wyuna is a special ship that used to help big ships enter and leave Port Phillip Bay in Australia. Later, it became a training ship for students learning about the sea. Today, it is a museum ship, which means it's kept for people to visit and learn from.
Contents
A Ship's Journey: The Story of Wyuna
The Wyuna was built in 1953 in Port Glasgow, Scotland. It was made for an organization called the Port Phillip Sea Pilots. Their job was to guide large ships safely into and out of Port Phillip Bay.
How Wyuna Helped Ships
The Wyuna was known as a "pilot cutter." This means its main job was to carry special guides called "pilots" out to sea. When a big ship needed to enter the bay, the Wyuna would sail out to meet it.
The pilots would then transfer from the Wyuna's smaller workboat to the large ship. This usually happened when the big ship had stopped moving. The Wyuna would even provide shelter from the waves during this transfer.
A Special Engine: Diesel-Electric Power
The Wyuna has a unique way of moving. It uses a "diesel-electric" power system. This means it has diesel engines that create electricity using generators. This electricity then powers electric motors, which turn the propeller shafts to push the ship through the water. Because of this special engine, the ship is sometimes called de Wyuna.
From Pilot Ship to Training Vessel
In the early 1970s, the way pilots boarded ships changed. Faster boats were used, allowing pilots to get on ships even while they were still moving. Because of this, the Wyuna's original job became less common.
In 1979, the Wyuna was sold to the Australian Maritime College in Launceston, Tasmania. Here, it became a training vessel, helping students learn about ships and the sea. It continued in this role for many years.
New Homes and Future Plans
In 2004, the Wyuna was sold again and used as a place for people to live, like a floating hotel. Then, in 2013, it was given to the Western Port Oberon Association. This group plans to make it part of the Victorian Maritime Centre in Crib Point.
For a while, the ship was docked at Beauty Point, Tasmania. After some repairs, there were plans to move it to Docklands in Melbourne, Victoria. However, that spot became unavailable. The Wyuna then stayed at Inspection Head Wharf in Beauty Point before being towed to Bell Bay, where it is currently anchored.
The Western Port Oberon Association hopes to display the Wyuna in a special spot next to another famous ship, the former Royal Australian Navy submarine HMAS Otama. This will happen when they get enough funding to make it possible.
