William the Fourth is a replica of the first ocean going paddle wheel steamer. She was originally built in 1831, in Clarance Town, on the Williams River.

The replica building was overseen by shipwrights Ken Wikner, Ted Morgan, Wal Turnbull the volunteer who rigged the vessel, an engineering team headed by Bob Lees and many, many volunteers, as a Bicentennial project to honour the seafaring tradition of the port of Newcastle and the Hunter River.

The community supported this project financially and emotionally and she was launched in 1988 on Australia Day.

The Newcastle City Council who are custodians of the vessel commissioned Alkira Boatshed to replace some sections of the deck that had rot in them.

This was done by cutting out the rot, cleaning out the seams, paying them with oakum and sealing them with pitch.

The restoration went only as far as the Council's budget would allow and William the Fourth is now awaiting more funds so that she can be launched and once more grace the harbour.