ST Wattle Steam Tug Wattle is a vessel which is out of survey . She was launched in 1933 as a tug in Sydney , Australia . She operated as a civilian crewed Royal Australian Navy tug in Sydney Harbour until 1969 and then ran commercial cruises around Melbourne and surrounding areas . She suspended her marine commercial service in 2003 and is located at 19 South Wharf , Docklands , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia . History . Construction . The S . T . " Wattle " was built in 1933 at Cockatoo Island dockyard in Sydney , Australia . It was often reported that it was set up as a project to keep the dockyard ' s apprentices in work during the depression . Recent review of the Cockatoo Island Dockyard board minutes from the National Archives of Australia shows that the project was actually intended to keep the senior tradesmen employed . The project was named " Codeco " . Navy service . When tug was completed it was offered to the Royal Australian Navy . It was renamed " Wattle " , was manned by a civilian crew and carried out general duties around the harbour . There are also records of the " Wattle " towing targets outside Sydney Harbour . Commercial service . In 1969 the " Wattle " was laid up by the RAN with the intention of selling it for scrap . A Sydney syndicate was formed which bought the " Wattle " and used her for tourist cruises around Sydney Harbour for a few years but by 1976 she was once again laid up . In 1979 she was transferred to a Victorian group who towed her to Melbourne and spent several years refurbishing her . From the 1980s through to 2003 the " Wattle " was used as a passenger vessel around Port Phillip , taking tourists for day trips around the bay . In 2003 she failed survey and had to be withdrawn from commercial service . Preservation . The " Wattle " was recognised by the National Trust as being significant as an example of depression era Australian shipbuilding and of the transition to welded construction from riveted construction . The machinery onboard has changed very little despite undergoing regular maintenance and refurbishments . For a period of time , the " Wattle " was moored at Victoria Dock ( Melbourne ) , near the Docklands Stadium whilst volunteer members attempted to raise the required funds to get " Wattle " back into survey . The " Wattle " was then moved to No . 2 Victoria Harbour due to the new construction work going on to redevelop Melbourne Docklands . In 2009 the " Wattle " was lifted from the water and placed on blocks in a temporary shipyard at 19 South Wharf , Docklands . She is undergoing refurbishment and upgrade to return her to commercial survey as a passenger vessel . In addition to returning the vessel to service the current operators are researching the history of the vessel and have plans to publish a comprehensive history of the vessel , up to and including the current refurbishment . Sorrento Steam . During the latter part of 2007 , a group of ten Melbourne - based businesspeople formed an organisation called Sorrento Steam P / L , a syndicate of vintage steam and Australian steam heritage enthusiasts , that has entered into close collaboration with the Bay Steamers Maritime Museum . The extensive restoration of the Steam Tug " Wattle " , and its return to active service form part of Sorrento Steam ' s plans for reinstating the early 1900 Sorrento Steam Trams . The scheme is also aiming for the introduction of a heritage paddle steamer capable of ferrying large numbers of steam enthusiast visitors from Melbourne to Sorrento and back .