{{Short description|Tourist attraction in Adelaide, South Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{italic title}} '''''Popeye''''' (or '''''The Popeye'''''') is the name given to a series of motor launches which take paying passengers on pleasure cruises on Torrens Lake, in the North Parklands of Adelaide, capital of South Australia. It is one of the city's top tourist attractions.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.cityofadelaide.com.au/media-centre/media-releases/new-era-for-popeye|title=New Era for Popeye|last=Marsh|first=July|date=20 June 2011|work=The City of Adelaide|access-date=2 March 2018}}</ref>
==History== [[File:Popeye lll, March 2018.jpg|alt=|thumb|Popeye I on the River Torrens, 27 September 2015]] The original ''Popeye'', a {{convert|25|ft|m|adj=on}} boat holding up to 20 passengers, was built for Gordon Stanley Watts, a Gallipoli veteran, by Harold Lounder in 1935 in one of several workshops which were then dotted along the banks of Torrens Lake. She proved so popular that in 1939<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131988718 |title=Passing By. |newspaper=The News |location=Adelaide |date=14 November 1939 |accessdate=17 April 2014 |page=4 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> a second boat, ''Miss Centenary'', was purchased, which had previously run cruises at Glenelg. She did not however (according to the local legend) gain the same acceptance with the children, who preferred to "wait for ''Popeye''", prompting Watts to re-christen her ''Popeye II''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54899351 |title=Torrens Lake Has Story to Tell |newspaper=The Mail |location=Adelaide |date=26 September 1942 |accessdate=17 April 2014 |page=12 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Later, three new {{convert|38|ft|m|adj=on}} jarrah-hulled boats, capable of carrying 40 passengers each, were built at Port Adelaide; they were numbered ''Popeye 3'', ''Popeye 4'' and ''Popeye 5'', running round trips between Elder Park and Adelaide Zoo. Apart from scheduled runs on weekends and holidays during the warmer months, ''Popeyes'' were available for private hire, for weddings, children's birthday parties and other events.<ref>*{{cite book |last=Altmann |first=Keith |author2=Butcher M, Rodda L, Stacey B, Stewien R, Venus R |location=North Adelaide | year=1999 |publisher=Institution of Engineers Australia, South Australian Division |title=Ponds, ponts & Pop-eye : notes for an afternoon afloat on Adelaide's River Torrens}}, p.21</ref>
During the years that he was skipper of ''Popeye'', if there were a large number of children, Watts would call out "Anyone's birthday today?" If so, the lucky child would be allowed to steer the boat. Amongst the other ''Popeye'' skippers were the boatbuilder Harold Lounder and Roland "Sunny" Grey.<ref name=ww/>
In March 1962 Keith Altmann, owner of riverside café, later restaurant, Jolley's Boathouse, took over the ''Popeye'' business. In 1982 three new fibreglass launches ''Popeye I'', ''Popeye II'' and ''Popeye III'' were launched as replacements for the ageing original wooden boats.<ref name=A2>Altmann et al. 1999, p.22</ref> These boats were launched by then Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser.{{cn|date=July 2024}}
After 49 years as the owner, Altmann sold the business to current owners Tony and Lidija Shuman in 2011.<ref name=":0" /> He also sold adjacent business Captain Jolley's Paddleboats. The Shumans already owned and operated Elder Park Paddleboats business which operated alongside,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://thepopeye.com.au/history/|title=The Popeye History|date=16 October 2016|access-date=1 July 2017}}</ref> as well as a successful bike hire business.{{cn|date=July 2024}}
In 2017, the business was taken over by their 23-year-old daughter Bianca Shuman. There are only 3 permanent employees, but the workforce grows to 15 during busy summers. Ms Shuman also runs [https://www.captainjolleys.com.au/ Captain Jolley's Paddleboats] and [https://www.bbqbuoys.com.au/ BBQ Buoys] on the same section of the river.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://citymag.indaily.com.au/commerce/business-profile/bianca-shuman-popeye-adelaide/ |title=Bianca Shuman: Meet The Popeye's new captain |newspaper=InDaily |location=Adelaide |date=11 June 2019 |accessdate=17 May 2022}}</ref> == Recognition == * 1988: Winner, South Australian Tourism Award{{cn|date=July 2024}} * 2011: Recognised as the first State Heritage Icon, a list of quintessential companies established through a partnership with the National Trust SA and the Bank of South Australia. (Other State icons include the Balfours frog cake, the Hills Hoist, Haigh's Chocolates, and Coopers Brewery.){{cn|date=July 2024}}
==Significant events== *In 1938, boys from Prince Alfred College hired ''Popeye'' to celebrate their win in the annual "Head of the River" rowing eight race against St. Peter's College.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55843870 |title=Half Canvas Win to P.A.C. |newspaper=The Mail |location=Adelaide |date=28 May 1938 |accessdate=17 April 2014 |page=24 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> *In 1942, ''Popeye'' was employed as a gunship, when police with a shotgun attempted to rid Torrens Lake of cormorants (possibly the great cormorant), which had become a pest, attacking the lake's population of swans.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article128555962 |title=Popeye, Armed, Starts Attack on Torrens |newspaper=The News |location=Adelaide |date=6 May 1942 |accessdate=17 April 2014 |page=3 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> *In 1947, patients of the Adelaide Children's Hospital spastic centre were treated to a ride in ''Popeye'' in recognition of the centre's first birthday.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article127073525 |title=Happy Ride For Children |newspaper=The News |location=Adelaide |date=6 March 1947 |accessdate=17 April 2014 |page=3 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> *In 1951, the two ''Popeye''s acted as floating stages for a choral concert performed by four Adelaide choirs under the banner of the S.A. Arts Council for the state's jubilee<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55857562 |title=Pleasure Boats in New Role |newspaper=The Mail |location=Adelaide |date=31 March 1951 |accessdate=17 April 2014 |page=10 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> *In 1953, following a collision between ''Popeye 5'' and a rented rowboat, Antonio Iuliano, a 24-year-old Adelaide man drowned. One of his companions was rescued by Ray Jolley,<ref>Ray was a son of Ern Jolley, who before operating the boathouse was a champion cross-country runner, rower and athlete.</ref> of Jolley's boathouse, and a third was rescued by ''Popeye 5''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48290480 |title=Two Drown In S.A. Boating Tragedies |newspaper=The Advertiser |location=Adelaide |date=6 April 1953 |accessdate=17 April 2014 |page=1 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> *In early 1958, Elizabeth, the Queen Mother toured the Lake aboard ''Popeye 5'', a spotlight on her while 200,000 voices sang ''Will Ye No Come Back Again''.<ref name=ww>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51599770 |title=Adelaide's Pride: "Popeye" Fleet |newspaper=The Australian Women's Weekly | date=19 November 1958 |accessdate=18 April 2014 |page=32 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> *In March 1977, ''Popeye 5'' hosted Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip followed by a choir in ''Popeye 4'' during the Queen's third<ref>Previous visits by Elizabeth II were in March 1954 and February 1964 (when John Dowie's fountain "Three Rivers" in Victoria Square was unveiled)</ref> official visit to South Australia. *In 1982, the Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, officially launched the three new ''Popeyes''<ref name=A2/> as replacements for the wooden boats.
==In popular culture== ''Popeye'' features in the 2023 film ''Emotion Is Dead'', written and directed by Pete Williams.<ref name=watts2024>{{cite interview | interviewer-last=Watts | interviewer-first=Tim|first=Pete |last=Williams | title=Emotion is Dead May Be the Most South Australian Movie Ever Made | website=Broadsheet | date=1 July 2024 | url=https://www.broadsheet.com.au/national/entertainment/article/punky-independent-film-emotion-dead-may-be-most-south-australian-movie-ever-made | access-date=24 July 2024}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{official|https://thepopeye.com.au/ }}
Category:Tourist attractions in Adelaide Category:Passenger ships of Australia Category:History of Adelaide