Popeye (or 'The Popeye') is the name given to a series of motor launches which take paying passengers on pleasure cruises on
Torrens Lake, in the North Parklands of
Adelaide, capital of
South Australia. It is one of the city's "top tourist attractions".[1]
History
The original Popeye, a 25-foot (7.6 m) boat holding up to 20 passengers, was built for Gordon Stanley Watts, a
Gallipoli veteran, by Harold Lounder in 1935 in one of several workshops which were then dotted along the banks of
Torrens Lake. She proved so popular that in 1939[2] a second boat, Miss Centenary, was purchased, which had previously run cruises at
Glenelg. She did not however (according to the local legend) gain the same acceptance with the children, who preferred to "wait for Popeye", prompting Watts to re-christen her Popeye II.[3]
Later, three new 38-foot (12 m)
jarrah-hulled boats, capable of carrying 40 passengers each, were built at
Port Adelaide; they were numbered Popeye 3, Popeye 4 and Popeye 5, running round trips between
Elder Park and
Adelaide Zoo. Apart from scheduled runs on weekends and holidays during the warmer months, Popeyes were available for private hire, for weddings, children's birthday parties and other events.[4]
During the years that he was skipper of Popeye, if there were a large number of children, Watts would call out "Anyone's birthday today?" If so, the lucky child would be allowed to steer the boat. Amongst the other Popeye skippers were the boatbuilder Harold Lounder and Roland "Sunny" Grey.[5]
In March 1962 Keith Altmann, owner of riverside café, later restaurant, Jolley's Boathouse, took over the Popeye business. In 1982 three new fibreglass launches Popeye I, Popeye II and Popeye III were launched as replacements for the ageing original wooden boats.[6] These boats were launched by then Australian Prime Minister
Malcolm Fraser.
After 49 years as the owner, Altmann sold the business to current owners Tony and Lidija Shuman in 2011.[1] He also sold adjacent business Captain Jolley's Paddleboats. The Shumans already owned and operated Elder Park Paddleboats business which operated alongside,[7] as well as a successful bike hire business.
In 2017, the business was taken over by their 23-year-old daughter Bianca Shuman. There are only 3 permanent employees, but the workforce grows to 15 during busy summers. Ms Shuman also runs
Captain Jolley's Paddleboats and
BBQ Buoys on the same section of the river.[8]
Awards
In 1988, Popeye was named the winner of the South Australian Tourism Award
In 1942, Popeye was employed as a gunship, when police with a shotgun attempted to rid Torrens Lake of cormorants (possibly the
great cormorant), which had become a pest, attacking the lake's population of
swans.[10]
In 1947, patients of the
Adelaide Children's Hospital spastic centre were treated to a ride in Popeye in recognition of the centre's first birthday.[11]
In 1951, the two Popeyes acted as floating stages for a choral concert performed by four Adelaide choirs under the banner of the S.A. Arts Council for the state's jubilee[12]
In 1953, following a collision between Popeye 5 and a rented rowboat, Antonio Iuliano, a 24-year-old Adelaide man drowned. One of his companions was rescued by Ray Jolley,[13] of Jolley's boathouse, and a third was rescued by Popeye 5.[14]
In March 1977, Popeye 5 hosted
Queen Elizabeth II and
Prince Philip followed by a choir in Popeye 4 during the Queen's third[15] official visit to South Australia.
In 1982, the Prime Minister,
Malcolm Fraser, officially launched the three new Popeyes[6] as replacements for the wooden boats.
References
^
abMarsh, July (20 June 2011).
"New Era for Popeye". The City of Adelaide. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
^"Passing By". The News. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 14 November 1939. p. 4. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
^*Altmann, Keith; Butcher M, Rodda L, Stacey B, Stewien R, Venus R (1999). Ponds, ponts & Pop-eye : notes for an afternoon afloat on Adelaide's River Torrens. North Adelaide: Institution of Engineers Australia, South Australian Division.{{
cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link), p.21