The historic steamship made her maiden voyage from Kingston to Queenstown on October 18, 1912, eight months after her hull was launched.
Built in Dunedin by shipbuilders John McGregor and Co, which was awarded the government tender of 20,850, Earnslaw was dismantled and, according to Malcolm Mackay's book Lady of the Lake, the 140 plates and 78 frames were transported by rail to Kingston, where she was rebuilt.
These days, Earnslaw's proud distinction of being the oldest working steamship in the southern hemisphere centres on her role as a major tourist attraction in Queenstown, but there were very practical reasons for her being commissioned nearly 97 years ago.
With no roads between Kingston and Queenstown (opened 1936) and Queenstown and Glenorchy (opened 1962), she was an integral part of farming life on the lake, being used to transport livestock, wool, timber, farming and mining equipment as well as passengers.
She shared these duties with Antrim, Mountaineer and Ben Lomond but has outlasted them all.
Earnslaw will be tied at Steamer Wharf for her survey from this Friday until July 3. Planned work includes installing combustion fans on both main steam boilers to improve coal-burning efficiency and reduce emissions. A new butyl covering will also be fitted over the promenade deck roof.
