Aralla-Allara.The early years.

Part One-By Guy Reuter

ALLARA in 1928 with Tom at the wheel

The moon was just rising as the light on the anchored fishing vessel was turned down. The crew preparing for a well- earned sleep. The island giving them shelter was silhouetted against the sky. On the shore a stowaway, who had slipped overboard days earlier and followed the vessel from the rugged coast, knew this was his chance. He entered the cold water cautiously. Wary of giant kelp he swam silently towards the vessel. Boarding and feeling the deck under his feet he grinned, this was the best bit. Standing at the top of the companionway he spoke in a clear authoritative voice,

“Challenger here, the games up”. 

On another occasion Challenger spent a fruitless two weeks at Maria Island. The fishing vessel skippers heard of his presence and gave the island a wide berth. Challenger returned to Hobart, making sure he was seen around the waterfront. He then loaded his car with a fold-up boat drove to the coast near Maria Island and rowed out to a bay where the fishing vessels were now anchored and did his duty. The bay is now known as Fishermans Mistake. 

Obviously, Constable Thomas Challenger deserved a patrol boat! 

The Tasmanian Board of Sea Fisheries, administered by the Tasmanian Police in these early years, agreed. Alfred Blore was commissioned to do the design and he was soon meeting with Challenger to adapt a fast, seaworthy design for patrol of the rugged Tasmanian coast. 

Neave Brothers soon started construction in the boatshed of the Purdow and Featherstone yard at Battery Point, Hobart. ALLARA was launched on the 2nd March 1928. 

The topsail gaff yawl, 48ft on deck, 12ft beam 5ft draft was constructed of Huon Pine, hull, deck and coach houses with Blue Gum frames and Swamp Mahogany keelson. She soon had the reputation of a “Hoodoo Ship” that was too expensive, too luxurious, overpowered and very, very unlucky. 

How wrong can waterfront scuttlebutt be? 

The following are extracts from a letter written by Supt. Marc. Hindrum, one of her latter Police skippers:- 

“She was a good and faithful boat to me and never let me down, despite some pretty “Hairy” trips at times. Properly handled, she is a pretty good sea boat although inclined to be a bit wet and dirty if driven too hard in bad weather. This is not necessary, as she is very easily driven due to her due to her fine lines and she will usually make reasonable headway with the minimum of power or sail either in a head punch or running before it.” 

He goes on to say:- 

“She is very definitely a boat with character and at times I felt a “soul” as she would almost tell me when “enough was enough” and to ease off a bit”. 

And:- 

“I am a firm believer in the idea that a boat will “talk” to you if you are willing to listen. I believe this is possibly why many smaller boats, particularly yachts are lost at sea. I have spent a fair part of the last thirty years looking for some of them”. 

“ALLARA is not very heavily built but she is extremely well built and strongly fastened which makes the difference.” 

ARALLA in Hobart for her annual maintenance about 1966

ALLARA, with a name change to ARALLA when British Registered in 1942, served faithfully for another 30 years. The Trove site has a wealth of information on her exploits, rescues, collisions and arrests. The Board of Sea Fisheries was taken over by the Agriculture Dept. and ARALLA was retained by the Police Force 

In about 1972 ARALLA was sold to a surviving airman of the Battle of Britain. Ronald McCarthie nicknamed Gumnut! A staunch member of the RPAYC on Pittwater. A relative of Ronald, Graham Gibson, eventually took ownership.

To be continued.