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CATARAQUI
The wrecking of the Cataraqui in 1845 remains Australia’s worst civil and maritime disaster: 400 emigrants drowned when the ship struck rocks just a hundred metres offshore on the west coast of King Island. And it was just one of many during the 19th century.
NETHERBY
The outcome for passengers aboard the Netherby was a happier one: the crew managed to get all the passengers safely on shore after the ship ran aground. Second mate Mr Parry was the hero of the day. He trekked 35km to Cape Wickham lighthouse to raise the alarm, then borrowed the keeper’s whaleboat to seek help from Melbourne.
Despite a lack of food and shelter, the Netherby castaways held on for eight days until rescue arrived. Their numbers even increased, with a baby girl born at their makeshift camp on the beach.
BRITISH ADMIRAL
The British Admiral, on her maiden voyage from Liverpool, struck a reef off the coast of King Island on 23rd May, 1874 at 2.30 a.m. and sunk in less than half an hour. Of 88 passengers and crew, only nine survived.
Kangaroo hunters on the Island took them in, making them as comfortable as they could in their spartan camps. The hunters also took on the unwelcome task of burying the bodies. Without spades to dig with, they used their bare hands to make shallow graves in the sand.
LOCH LEVEN
Rushing the first wool clip of the season from Geelong to the early London wool sales, the Loch Leven was only two days into her journey when disaster struck. In heavy fog and boisterous seas, she was caught by the heavy current that rounds the northern tip of King Island and struck the rocks at 2.30 a.m. on 24th October, 1871.
Daylight presented what must have been the unforgettable sight of a clipper ship under full sail, high and dry on the reef. As there was nothing they could do to move her, the 33 crew and 10 passengers left the ship in the boats and headed for Cape Wickham. Later the captain decided to return to the wreck for his instruments and the ship’s papers, but on the return trip the boat overturned and Branscombe, who was believed to have been hit on the head as the boat rolled over, was drowned. Captain Branscombe’s body was later recovered and buried at Cape Wickham. You can see his grave at Victoria Cove.
NEVA
Listen for the despairing cries of the female convicts aboard the Neva: only a handful survived the wreck. At the Neva cairn, you’ll be able to read about the miraculous escape of one of the ship’s most troublesome passengers, the Irish convict Rose Ann Hyland.
CAPE WICKHAM LIGHTHOUSE
Stand beside Cape Wickham lighthouse, the tallest in the southern hemisphere, and imagine yourself as a lighthouse keeper, having to climb a never-ending set of stairs before you start work. See if you agree with the opinion of the late Col Cotter on the romantic nature of a keeper’s lifestyle.
SHANNON
Walk Yellow Rock Beach and look for the forlorn remains of the paddle steamer Shannon, once the pride of the Murray River-and find out how she came to grief there.
BLENCATHRA
Visit the site of the Blencathra wreck. Maybe you’ll stumble upon some undiscovered flotsam and jetsam.The ship’s cargo included a large amount of alcohol: 800 cases of whisky were salvaged from the wreck, but 75 of these ‘evaporated’ overnight, despite an armed guard.
Even if salt water doesn’t run in your veins, there’s a fascinating world to explore on King Island!
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