 At the time South Australia was struggling to retain its population due to emigration to the Victorian goldfields.In 1852, with no experience in the steamboat construction, Randell commissioned local carpenters to build the frame of a , paddlewheel boat of shallow draught, capacity 20 ton in Gumeracha.It was dismantled, taken by bullock cart across the plains to Reedy Creek Station and the Noa No landing about 2 miles north of the present Mannum.