Details

• Historic Artifact: Wooden cutter “The Rambler”

• Built: 1875 - 1878

• Builder: Peter Sharp

• Constructed: Birkenhead, Port Adelaide, SA

• Owners: Rumbelow Family (Victor Harbor), Jameson Family (Kangaroo Island), Kingsley Haskett.

• Current Location: Victor Harbor, SA

• Current Custodian: Victor Harbor Branch of National Trust of SA.

• Custodian Since: 7/6/2017  

• Term of reference addressed: (d) the management and preservation of heritage assets under the care or control of the National Trust; 

• Additional historic information: https://www.rumbelow.net/boats/rambler 

Timeline

For almost 20 years, the historic fishing vessel Rambler has been wasting away at the old Victor Harbor dump, only a few kilometers from the waters of Encounter Bay, where it first began its working life. 

The Rambler was built in 1875 and in 1878 the first recorded owners were the Rumbelow family of Victor Harbor. She was first purchased in 1904 by Malen Rumbelow of Victor Harbor. It was the second boat in South Australia to have been granted a cray fishing licence and is now the oldest fishing vessel remaining in South Australia, possibly Australia.  As Malen and his family pioneered the fishing industry in the waters around Encounter Bay and Kangaroo Island, the Rambler not only caught snapper, snook and crayfish, but also delivered mail between Victor Harbor and Kangaroo Island. Famously, Malen Rumbelow (3rd) used the Rambler to transport ballot boxes from Kangaroo Island during SA elections.

After The Rambler was sold by the Rumbelows it changed hands many times. It was still being used within SA waters and around Kangaroo Island in the 1980s before an American River resident Kingsley Haskett purchased it with the intention of restoring it.

In 2009 the Victor Harbor Mayor Mary-Lou Corcoran was contacted by the Ramblers owner.  He explained Searles boatyard in Birkenhead was to be demolished for a SA State Government development. He advised that within the next three months the boat would be disposed of or destroyed.

Mayor Mary-Lou and others arranged to have the Rambler relocated from Port Adelaide to Victor Harbor through sponsorship and personal connections. During council deliberations, the elected members agreed to allow the Rambler to be housed on Council land near Waitpinga Road. 

In 2017, following 8 years of inactivity, Don Rumbelow and Kay Ewens on behalf of the extended Rumbelow family transferred custodianship of the Rambler to the National Trust of South Australia. It was believed that as custodians, the National Trust of SA could apply for and work with other agencies to preserve the early fishing history of this area should be retained for future generations.

An article published in the Victor Times stated The National Trust South Australia had enthusiastically accepted custodianship of the MV Rambler from the Rumbelow Family and because of its historic value, absorbed the local preservation of the vessel as a project within their organisation as a Trust Conservation Project. It was proposed that the vessel would be preserved and featured in a local public park or location.

Despite featuring in several more articles and hosting meetings with managers of the South Australian Maritime Museum, The National Trust of SA and the Victor Harbor Branch made no progress in the subsequent 6 years.

The condition of the vessel deteriorated as it was exposed to the harsh weather, and also cattle who grazed within the council property.

In 2023 Dr Wendy van Duivenvoorde and students from Flinders University's Marine Archaeology program visited the vessel several times and supported the need for the boat to be preserved as a historic artifact. Over 12 months, Dr van Duivenvoorde and her team documented the boat, noting the original timbers in its construction and how it was repaired and renewed over its working life.

Dr van Duivenvoorde said there was also a lot of Indigenous "agency" in the ship, pointing out that the very early shipwrights depended heavily on Indigenous knowledge of local trees and their properties in the water, and for labour in the shipyards.

"It's probably the earliest surviving fishing vessel in South Australia, and possibly even in Australia, that's Australian built," she said. She said the Rambler was close to being unable to be saved.

"It's not doing so well," Dr van Duivenvoorde said. "The deterioration; it's going really fast now." She said if left as it was now, the Rambler would likely fall to pieces within five to 10 years.

Present

In 2025 discussions with the Victor Harbor branch undertook to engage with the Flinders University Marine Archaeology to conduct another survey to establish which part(s) of the vessel could be retained and relocated on display at the National Trust of  Victor Harbor museum.  Enquiries by the author with Dr van Duivenvoorde determined that no contact from the Victor Harbor Branch had been made almost a year later.

In 2026, the Fleurieu Sun followed up with the Victor Harbor Branch given the undertakings it had committed to in a 2025 meeting with the Rumbelow family. The then incoming CEO of the National Trust SA Nicolette Di Lernia advised she would visit the site of The Rambler and see what condition the vessel is in. 

"I understand it has been neglected and there are a number of options we will look at," Ms Di Lernia said. 

"We will also be discussing the future of The Rambler with the Victor Harbor Council and the Maritime Museum."

In a followup article in The Times, it reported that National Trust SA CEO Nicolette Di Lernia visited with the Victor Harbor branch and the Victor Harbor council to ascertain the possibility of preserving an important part of South Australian maritime history. 

"Council has not received a formal proposal for relocation, however we remain open to working collaboratively with the National Trust and other stakeholders on an appropriate outcome. At present, the boat remains accessible to the National Trust as the responsible custodian, subject to standard site and safety considerations.

"The Rumbelow's have always championed the preservation of the historic Rambler boat and why ownership was transferred to the National Trust in 2017 almost 10 years ago," a family spokesperson said. The family continues to believe the National Trust is best placed to liaise with local government and bodies to ensure the story of the Rambler remains available to the community."

The Victor Harbor branch made contact with the author (Matt Rumbelow) to discuss the recent media coverage.  At the same time, the author made contact with Mrs Jo Lokan, newly appointed Vice President of the National Trust of SA.

Jo advised that the Trust would be able to offer the $2300 raised to date for the Rambler and transfer the ownership of the Rambler back to the Rumbelow Family. This offer was rejected as impractical.

Message of Support

Many messages of support have been received during the research and compilation of information regarding the Rambler vessel.

David Basham MP, Member for Finniss, 25/3/2026  (Sallee Shepherd, Finnis Office)

"I am pleased to offer my support for the important work being done to preserve and share the story of the historic vessel Rambler. 

The Rambler is an important part of the Fleurieu's maritime history. As South Australia's oldest known colonial-built fishing boat, it holds a unique place in our State's heritage. Its long and varied history, including service as a fishing boat, racing yacht, mail boat and as a vessel used to collect ballots in early South Australian elections, reflects an extraordinary legacy closely tied to Encounter Bay and Victor Harbor. 

Greg Mackie OAM, Past CEO, History Trust of SA, 25/09/2025

“With the benefit of a long time at the helm of the History Trust of SA, I strongly commend the efforts of the Rumbelow clan to see preserved the remains of the family’s historically significant cutter ketch, ‘Rambler’. The rich trove of stories embodied in its timber hull make this an object of value to South Australia’s nineteenth and twentieth century coastal history and narratives.” 

Maureen Jones, Marketing Manager, Australian Maritime & Fisheries Academy, 21/04/2026

"I am very sorry about this sad news. It is a disgrace, that this beautiful vessel has no funding or love to keep her in a better state so she could be displayed"

Ron Kandelaars, Producer & author of Victor Harbor - Down Beside the Sea, 26/09/2025

"It’s vitally important that we preserve and maintain our unique maritime history which played such a pivotal role in the development of communities such as Victor Harbor"

Stephen Conway, Vice President and Editor, WBASA 25/09/2025

“The Wooden Boat Association of SA recognises the incredible historic value to South Australia that the Rambler holds. The boat is an important artefact that reflects much of this State’s very early  colonial  fishing, transport, and boat building enterprises. As such WBASA supports immediate action to preserve what is left of this vessel.”

Mary-Lou Corcoran - Former Mayor,  City of Victor Harbor, 03/2025

"The Rambler needs a CHAMPION to lead a project to at least retain the vessel in a stable state. Even if it never returns to the water (due to the deterioration of the hull) it would be great to have as a museum piece or relocated next to the Whale Centre or somewhere under cover where it can also get some needed TLC."  

Victor Harbor Councillor Terry Andrews 23/09/2016

“The Rambler boat has a lot of historical significance attached to it and this is the sort of thing we need to preserve. By 2020 we will have a vibrant public places arts and cultural centre including the town hall make over and the start of the Sculpture Park on Granite Island and the Rumbelow boat historical monument.” 

"The National Trust South Australia has enthusiastically accepted custodianship of the MV Rambler from the Rumbelow Family and because of its historic value, (and) absorbed the local preservation of the vessel as a project within their organisation as a Trust Conservation Project." 

Michael Simmons, Editor, The Victor Harbor Times, 30/06/2017

In Summary

In summary, this submission shows that there has been little to no progress made by the Victor Harbor Branch of the National Trust of SA to manage or preserve this historic artifact since they became its custodians in 2017.

Family and followers of the Rambler plight have been at pains to point out the opportunities and tourist treasure this vessel could have provided, but are mostly resigned to the outcome that the boat is no longer salvageable.

A “historic” waste to the State and a clear example of how the National Trust of SA and its branch structure are not able to manage or preserve artifacts in their care.

Further information

• Rambler research: https://www.rumbelow.net/boats/rambler 

• Rambler articles: https://www.rumbelow.net/boats/rambler/themedia

• Complete timeline of events: https://www.rumbelow.net/boats/rambler/timeline 

• ABC Online article: https://youtu.be/2lUsvfzUJIo?si=zH57JA-8DUvRWwWs
  
  

• Messages of Support: https://www.rumbelow.net/boats/rambler/support