The boat, which was built by Taree shipwright William (Bill) Ryan in 1933 and operated by Manning River Dairy Cooperative, has been restored by museum volunteers and is on display in the museum grounds.

The 'Sunlight' commenced work on December 9, 1933. She was the smallest vessel in the dairy cooperative's fleet, being specifically built for the Ghinni Ghinni Creek Run.

She continued operating daily, and sometimes twice a day in the summer months, until 1969, a period of 36 consecutive years of service, collecting cream cans full of milk from the dairy farms that had access to the river.

The museum was notified that the Sunlight had been accepted onto the ARHV in December, 2023.

"We are thrilled to have the vessel completed and listed on the National Maritime Museum Historic Vessel Register," president of the Cundletown and Lower Manning Historical Society, Margaret Love said.

"Bruce Gibson and Mick Allison have done a magnificent restoration on the vessel with the advice of Graham Steber of First Class Marine Survey as consultant,' Margaret said.

The museum has submitted a development application for a "boatport' to protect the Sunlight for future generations to enjoy.

Whilst she was owned by the Manning River Dairy Co-Op to collect cream and milk, the Sunlight had many additional uses such as taking children to school, transporting families to Taree for shopping, conveying expectant mothers to Taree hospital, as well as carrying goods from stores in Taree back down river to farmers who had pre-ordered them.

The addition of the cream/milk boat completes the museum's collection of the early history of milk transport from the farm to the factory.