Protest

Vessel numberHV000348

Vessel Registration NumberKR722N

Previous owner Sydney and Suburbs Timber Merchants Association

Previous owner Nicholson Bros Harbour Transport Pty Ltd

Date1922

DimensionsVessel Dimensions: 9.45 m x 9.14 m x 3.05 m x 1.22 m, 10 tonnes (31 ft x 30 ft x 10 ft x 4 ft, 9.84 tons)

DescriptionPROTEST was commissioned for the Sydney and Suburbs Timber Merchants Association for use as a workboat, and took the name SASTMA from their initials. There is no record of the vessel's builder. Its work involved loading and moving timber punts around the Balmain and nearby waterfront.

The vessel was later acquired by Nicholson Bros as one of their extensive fleet of workboats that serviced the harbour. They renamed it PROTEST and it became a line launch, taking mooring lines from berthing ships to the wharf to be secured. It also performed other general duties and continued to work with the timber ships around the Balmain waterfront.

Stannard Bros acquired PROTEST in 1967 when they took over Nicholsons and the launch continued similar work duties. Stannard’s made some changes to the internal layout of the vessel when they removed the centrally mounted Kelvin 4 cylinder engine. The current engine is a Lister diesel installed in the 1960s.

During World War II PROTEST is thought to have been contracted to the Navy as a personnel transport launch.

Under the ownership of Nicholson Bros, PROTEST was assigned launch number 19. When acquired by Stannard Bros (which had 20 launches) the number became Launch 39.

In 2009 PROTEST was in use as a private launch having recently undergone a major overhaul.

SignificancePROTEST is a wooden Sydney Harbour line launch and workboat that operated for at least 60 years in Sydney. Workboats of this type were common place for decades, and while a number have survived and been modified by new owners for recreational use, PROTEST remains true to its functional layout from the period after Stannard Bros. acquired it. Built in 1922 it remains in good original condition and shows the typical construction and arrangement of this type of working craft.