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On 30th August 1865, the first Stehbens ancestors stepped ashore in Maryborough, Queensland. They had migrated on the barque "SOPHIE” from Hamburg. The "Sophie" was a small vessel of 278 ton capacity and was 33.1 metres long. This 3-masted barque left Hamburg in April and for over 4 months had sailed to Australia without sighting any land or another vessel. The 181 passengers lived out the voyage between decks in a common area, the only privacy being created by the hanging of clothes. It was early on Wednesday morning, 30th August 1865 that under a clear blue winter sky with a gentle 2knot breeze blowing from the SW, the "SOPHIE" was sighted beating in to Hervey Bay. The “SS Eagle” had gone down the Mary River to meet the “Sophie” in Hervey Bay. The “Eagle” had on board the Immigration Agent and Pilot. The two vessels met in the Bay that morning. All the passengers and their chattels were transferred to the "SS EAGLE" in 2 hours, whence the "Sophie" set sail for South America with only ballast. The passengers were taken upriver to Maryborough on the "SS Eagle" arriving at the wharf just on dark at 6pm. Some of the younger adults were immediately recruited from the "Sophie" by a nearby plantation vessel and they went over the ships' rail, to be taken a few kilometres upstream to the Tinana Creek plantation of the newly launched "Maryborough Sugar Company Ltd." There on the banks of the Tinana Creek, they ate their first meal in Queensland from half-coconut shells by lantern. The others including Detlef and Anna Stäben and the remainder of their children (Kate, the ancestor of families of Anderson, Daniels, Ehlers, Entsch, Luthe, Martinod, Quabba, Willis, Zillmann... had gone to Tinana Creek) settled into the primitive immigration barracks to wait employment and a new future in Australia. We, the Australian clan, salute our courageous ancestors. (pic courtesy: John Oxley Library, Davis Collection)
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