Maid of Sker
City of Gold Coast
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Archaeology
The Maid of Sker is a restored paddle steamer built in 1884, and is the only known surviving trading vessel of its kind from the Gold Coast region, providing a unique interpretive example. Cosmos Archaeology was contracted to create a Conservation Management Plan to support the vessel’s preservation, and an action plan for repairs and ongoing maintenance. Our team of experienced maritime archaeologists also undertook interior and exterior archival recording of the vessel’s hull, as well as recording the ship lines of the vessel in its current state. The Maid of Sker was used in the Nerang region of southern Queensland to service timber and sugar mills until 1893. It was then used by the Kleinschmidt family for general transport purposes until it was retired in 1974. It was moved to its current location in Bischof Pioneer Park, Nerang in 1976.
Photography by Dan Tuck
