At a time when many Australians could not swim, the bravery required to save a drowning person was perhaps more impressive than it is today. These acts were often publicly celebrated. The Royal Shipwreck Relief and Humane Society of New South Wales (RSRHS NSW), originally established as the National Shipwreck Relief Society of New South Wales, was inaugurated on 25 July 1877. Sadly, the impetus for the creation of the society was a harrowing tragedy.
The fate of the Yarra Yarra
On the morning of 15 July 1877, the iron paddle-steamer was attempting to re-enter Newcastle Harbour, having delayed
