Historic Shipwrecks
Pandora
HMS Pandora
The HMS Pandora was a 34.7m wooden carvel built in 1779. The Pandora was wrecked on 28th August 1791 while attempting a passage through Barrier Reef. When the Pandora sank it was carrying 135 crew and 10 prisoners from HMS Bounty to England to stand trial for their part in the famous mutiny. A total of 35 lives were lost (31 crew, 4 prisoners) in the sinking.
The Pandora Project - Museum of Tropical Queensland
Painting of Pandora from Picture Queensland
Quetta
RMS Quetta
The luxury passenger liner RMS Quetta was built in Dumbarton, Scotland in 1881. She was a steamer of 3481 tons. On the night of 28th February 1890 on her way to Europe she struck an uncharted coral mound at low tide in Adolphus Channel, Torres Strait, and sank with the loss of 134 lives. There were a total of 158 survivors.
Marine WatchPhoto 1, Photo 2, Picture 3 of the Quetta from Picture Queensland
Yongala
SS Yongala
The SS Yongala was built in Newcastle on Tyne in 1903. The Yongala sank off Cape Bowling Green south of Townsville on March 24th 1911 with the loss of all 122 passengers and crew. The wreck was a great tragedy for residents of North Queensland, as many of the passengers were local residents returning from voyages south.
SS Yongala - Museum of Tropical Queensland
Photo of Yongala from Picture Queensland
Marloo
SS Marloo
The SS Marloo was built in Newcastle on Tyne in 1891. The Marloo hit on Sandy Cape Shoal and as she was making water fast, was beached on Fraser Island, north of Waddy Point on 27th September 1914. The crew and all 38 passengers rescued and most of the steamer’s cargo was salvaged before a north-easterly gale frustrated attempts to refloat her and she soon went to pieces.
In Oct 2002, a misguided amateur archaeologist discovered "cannon from a pre-Cook era shipwreck" that were in fact the davits of the Marloo.
Photo1, Photo 2, Photo 3 of the Marloo from Picture QueenslandGothenburg
Gothenburg
The Gothenburg built in London in 1854, was a 197 foot steamer of 501 tons. She was originally built as the S.S Celt, and in 1866 she was lengthened and renamed the Gothenburg. She was carrying 84 passengers including various dignitaries and miners who were carrying gold-laden money belts, also cargo which included gold to the value of 40,000 pounds from Darwin to Adelaide. In February of 1875 she hit Old Reef and ran aground south of Townsville. Later that day a storm hit smashing her against the reef and sweeping her passengers and crew overboard. A few survivors were picked up, but 102 people perished.
Photo of Gothenburg from Picture QueenslandScottish Prince
Scottish Prince
The SCOTTISH PRINCE, launched in Aberdeen in 1878, was a 64 metre steel masted iron barque of 950 tons. She came to grief in early on the morning of the 3rd Feb 1887 with a cargo of iron, beer, whiskey and other goods whilst bound for Brisbane. She now lies in 10 meters of water almost 2 kilometres south of the Gold Coast Seaway, and approximately 800 metres from the beach. Today it serves as a popular dive site.
Photo of Scottish Prince from Picture Queensland
Cambus Wallace
Cambus Wallace
The Cambus Wallace was a 245ft steel barque of 1691 tons built in Port Glasgow in 1894. In the early morning of the 3rd September 1894, the Cambus Wallace ran aground in the heavy seas near a narrow stretch of Stradbroke Island called Tuleen. Most of the crew managed to swim to shore, but five men drowned.
The ship broke up where she struck and most of the cargo was washed ashore and plundered by local residents. During the subsequent cleanup, explosives from the cargo were piled up and deliberately detonated on the beach. Shortly afterwards waves caused by a large storm swept through the narrow neck of sand and formed the Jumpinpin Passage splitting Stradbroke Island into two islands. The damage to the beach and sand dunes caused by the explosions was blamed for the weakening of the sand dunes, which allowed the sea to sweep in.
Photo of Cambus Wallace from Picture QueenslandOne of the survivors - Gustav Kindmark's story
One of the survivors - John Markey's story
Cherry Venture
Cherry Venture
The Cherry Venture was a 1609 ton steel vessel owned by Sea Tankers Shipping Company Limited. She was built originally as the Scania, then renamed Slott, Timur Venture, and finally the Cherry Venture.
She was bound for Brisbane from New Zealand when on July 8th 1973 she was caught in a cyclone and driven ashore at Teewah, south of Double Island Point. After several unsuccessful attempts to refloat her were made they began to dismantle her. She has now become a rusting hulk on the beach for the tourist to see.
National Shipwreck Database (search for Cherry Venture)Other useful links
Picture Queensland
Queensland Maritime Museum
Shipwrecks, abandonments & strandings
Australian National Shipwreck Database
Queensland shipwrecks
1606 the Dutch visit Queensland
Last updated: 15 May 2008
