Great news! The oldest just barely surviving composite clipper ship in the world, the City of Adelaide appears likely to be moved to Australia to its namesake city, Adelaide. The ship, which is currently at the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine, Scotland, has been threatened by scrapping as the museum lacked the fund to care for the ship. The announcement, made by Scottish Culture Minister, Fiona Hyslop, was a disappointment to a competing group which wanted the old clipper to be moved to Sunderland – where she was built in 1864.
Historic clipper City of Adelaide to be sent to Australia
A bid to keep the 145-year-old City of Adelaide in the UK, by sending the ship to Sunderland – where she was built – was rejected.
Speaking in Irvine – the current home of the ship – Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop said she would be returning to the city after which she was named.
She said: “We can now have a link between Scotland and Australia which allows both nations to share the vessel’s historical, cultural and social significance through tourism, interpretation and education.
“I was impressed and inspired by the enormous commitment shown by the Australian and Sunderland groups for the vessel.
“I am aware that everyone who worked on the unsuccessful bid will be disappointed. However, because of the need for the vessel to be removed from its current location, a viable alternative to deconstruction had to be identified in order to save the ship.”
City of Adelaide Preservation Trust chairman Creagh O’Connor said he was “thrilled and delighted” after a decade-long campaign. The trust aims to preserve the vessel on a land-based maritime precinct at Port Adelaide in time for the 175th anniversary of settlement next year.
Campaigners from Sunderland vowed to fight on. Peter Maddison – who briefly “occupied” the clipper last year – was told his group’s bid “did not contain sufficient detail in practical terms”.
He said: “There will be a lot of broken hearts in Sunderland today. But after all, the ship lies there still. It will be months before anything can happen and the Australians have now got to demonstrate they can do this.
“I wish them well and congratulate them on their success but we will fight on.”
The clipper had faced being deconstructed if relocation plans could not be agreed.
Good news at last! It is sad to see the old ship leaving ,having remembered it as a young boy ,moored in Glasgow.I also feel a bit sorry for Sunderland on not winning the bid to take it back but as Australia is such a young country in modern terms I am sure that it will be much more appreciated there than here.I would not be surprised if 99% of people even in the local area here had ever heard of the ship or indeed cared what. happens to it.I look forward to seeing her in her glory again and perhaps visiting it–good luck to Adelaide
i’m happy this has worked out.
Let’s see if they can get it to the Antipodes without destroying the old girl.
That is truly Brilliant News! Just holding my breath it is not another false dawn!
Named after the city. Built to take quality emigrants to the city. Responsible for the ancestry of up to 60% of the New South Wales Population! It must find a safe haven in the City of Adelaide at last!
Heave away! Haul away! We’re bound for South Australia!
great news that the city of adelaide will be returning to adelaide. at the risk of sounding negative $25,ooo,ooo sounds a lot of money to retrieve and restore a vessel to a certain level, but restoring an old vessel is like throwing millions of dollars into a bottomless bucket for very slow progress/achievement.also our state government and developers saw fit to push shipbuilding/repair yards from the port area, so now we are going to find it hard to recruit skilled shipwrights to restore the old girl, or perhaps we could have an industry/government supported shipwright apprenticeship scheme in order to train up unemployed people to achieve a trade with traditional skills.
as a retired shipwright who worked on the mayflower 11 {replica) for work experience at stuart uphams brixham yard in the late fifties prior to my 6 year apprenticeship i have a love for timber boats whatever the size.
for those knockers who say a waste of money, no one will want to visit an old clipper i suggest they visit my home town whyalla and check out hmas
whyalla and the number of visitors.
cheers skippy milton.
I remember getting married on that ship and she was beautiful. I am so happy that they are going to restore her and not destroy her. My love for that ship was ever since she got to Glasgow.
whats happen to the old ship.
is she comeing to adelaide or not.
i thought she was as good as on her way.
as they had a place for the old girl in port adelaide.
but seeing i have heard no more about the old ship.
maybe she is not on her way ,as i thought.
that would be tearable.
a lot of people here were so happy to think she was coming back to adelaide at last.
so does any body know whats going on with the old girl.
if some one does know could you please let me know
thanks.
Ivor hayne in adelaide australia.
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I was married on that beautiful ship and would just love it if it could be preserved and refurbished to the way she was!
Being married on that beautiful ship tells me I want her to be restored to original!
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