Guiding Star, steamer: The steamer went ashore in the New River (Invercargill), on September 27, 1862, and became a total loss. After being detained at Invercargill for six days, the vessel sailed for Riverton with passengers and cargo. When abreast of Bombay Rock the Guiding Star struck heavily, and commenced to fill so rapidly that the shortest course to the shore had to be taken to prevent her sinking. The steamer was run onto a sandy beach at the Maori Kaik, about twelve miles from Invercargill. The passengers experienced no difficulty in getting ashore, and most of the cargo was salvaged by the sloop New Chum. The steamer grounded at low water, and at high tide the swell swept over the ship. She gradually worked herself higher up on to the beach until at low water she was low fore and aft, and at high water there was only three feet of water at her stern.The Guiding Star, No. 40,356, was an iron screw steamer of 104 tons gross and 74 tons net register, built at Bluff Harbour in 1861 from the wreck of the steamer Oberon, and her dimensions were; length 96.6ft, beam 20ft, depth 8ft. Her engines were of 25 h.p.
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