We shall seek information from our maritime experts as to the period loosely called 1950s and to the vessel. DRG responded thus/twice:
Dear all
Hard to see on the image. The tug is not related to Garden Is as its tugs were (and are if they still have any) grey. The green hull makes it a commercial vessel from an Adsteam forerunner Co or maybe Fenwicks.
It is in a position that it is leaving Wooloomooloo. Rob, if you can pick out a couple of consecutive letters I may be able to pin it down. There was a series of W named tugs starting with the steam driven Waratah built in 1907 and carried through later generations of tugs.
A separate line were those named after Coves; Sydney Manly etc...... Later, DRG said: All I can say after spending some enjoyable time this evening doing a bit of research is that it is steam driven which required at least 4 different sets of crew and unions.
It's pilothouse is similar to the "Waratah" class, but it is difficult to identify. Certainly leaving Wooloomooloo Bay which was a working harbour bay into the 1980's
Cheers
DRG