MV Surprise History

Surprise began life in 1925. She was built for John Clark in his shed on Norman Creek by local boat builder Bob Woods.

Surprise was 42 feet long (12.8m), with a beam of 11 feet 6 inches (3.5m) and a draught on 4 feet 3 inches (1.3m). She was planked with 7/8 inch white pine (22mm) on ribs 2 inches by 1 inches (50mm by 25mm).

One of Surprise’s roles many people remember very fondly is that of taking holiday parties down into Moreton Bay for long weekends and at holiday times, mostly on charter to organisations such as YMCA and other youth groups.

By 1940 it was realised that a raised wheelhouse was required, especially in the crowded Brisbane River when 18 footers were racing. Surprises was permitted to carry up to 76 passengers in Morteon Bay and up to 86 in sheltered waters.

Surprise was fitted with many engines over this forty year period – “about fifty”, says Jack. Almost all of them were car or truck engines, petrol driven and fresh water cooled.

John Clark died in 1948, and Surprise was passed to George Clark. In 1965 George Clark died and she was then passed to Val and Jack Noyes.

The Noyes business had grown over the years, and from 1965 Surprise served in the island communities running twice daily with passengers and mail Redland Bay to the islands, and carrying school children from the rich red soil farms on the islands to the only primary school in the area on Russell Island.

In 1969 the Noyes family moved from Lamb Island to the Gold Coast, and began Tropicana Cruises, operating from Southport to Tippler’s Resort on Stradbroke Island. Surprise then took on a new role of two hour cruises on the canals of the Gold Coast which is why Jack Noyes had the engine moved forward so a bigger wheelhouse could be built over it.

Jack Noyes dies in 1976 and Surprise was sold in 1980 to Gordon Davis and was transported to Newcastle. In 1981 John and Margaret Wynter bought Surprise for their Manning River cruise operation in Taree. The Wynters added the bulwark on the forward deck, which gives Surprise a much better profile than she had from 1969-1981.

Surprise was once again sold and came to the Albert River in 1993.

Today Surprise is owned by Peter Bender and is known as MV Surprise.