Above: The Cape Otway Lighthouse is considered Australia’s most significant lighthouse and is also known as the ‘Beacon of Hope.’ It is perched on towering sea cliffs 90 metres above where Bass Straight and the Southern Ocean collide, along the rugged Australian coastline where tourists now watch whales at play and hike the Great Ocean Walk.
Source: visitgreatoceanroad.org
According to the Heritage Council of Victoria (vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au), there were a total of 778 shipwrecks listed as at 16 August 2024, 130 of them in Port Phillip Bay, but many more have yet to be discovered.
Above: The Cape Wickham lighthouse in the distance showing the rugged coastline Source: abc.net.au
The Rip, the infamous strip of water that lies at the entrance of Port Phillip Bay is considered to be some of the most treacherous waters in the world and is only 2.8 kms wide. As a result, many ships have met their fate here and the remains now lie at the bottom of the ocean. Source: nepeanhistoricalsociety.asn.au
Prince Albert – 19 November 1840, believed to have been the first vessel wrecked at Port Phillip Heads. Schooner, 27/19 tons. Built Sydney 1840; Washed ashore in a gale about two nautical miles east of Point Nepean. Four lives were lost. There was a letter and a small Indian cigar case with a lock of hair inside found along with several newspapers.
Source: nepeanhistoricalsociety.asn.au/history/shipwrecks
The article at below was taken from The Port Phillip Gazette 25 Nov 1840 page 3.
William Salthouse – 28 November 1841
Source: Trove; Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas.: 1828 – 1857) Tue 14 Dec 1841 Page 3 ENGLISH NEWS
INTELLIGENCE RESPECTING THE LOSS OF THE WILLIAM SALTHOUSE.
The first vessel which has actually been wrecked within our Port is the unfortunate barque William Salthouse, 260 tons, and bound from Quebec to Port Phillip, laden with timber, flour, saltfish, beef, cider, and vinegar. … and was the first vessel with merchandise from British North America to the British Australian Colonies. On Sunday November 28th, the William Salthouse was standing into the bay, with the wind at S. S. W. blowing hard, the tide at first quarter ebb. From the narrowness of the entrance and the opposition of the wind and tide, which were meeting at the entrance, the ripples, so well known to old navigators, were presenting a formidable aspect to the eye of the stranger … stood too close to the reef which runs out from Point Nepean, and was in consequence wrecked. This reef represented as terminating abruptly at the last rock which shews itself above water, whereas the dangers continue under water at various depths, to the length … of about 110 fathoms. On the extremity of this hidden danger the William Salthousefirst touched when running in, subsequently striking with such violence as to knock off her rudder and part of her forefoot; the strength of the tide at this moment cast her athwart and finally carried her off; upon finding deep water again she let go her anchor, and was presently boarded by one of the pilots from the station at Shortland Bluff … Slipping the chain, the pilot endeavoured, by steering her under sails and such part of the rudder as remained, to bring her up the bay; finding however, that she was unmanageable, the pilot gave her a second anchor, which let go in the tide way, snapped as it veered out of the hawse hole, and the ill-fated barque ran without redress upon the sand known as Pope’s Eye. It was soon found that the water, which had risen six feet within the hour, would sink her, every exertion was therefore made to save the men, who with the commander, the pilot, and the ship’s papers alone saved, were landed at the pilot station. No sooner had the report reached town, than Mr. Ashhurst, embarking in the cutter Emily, then lying at Williams Town, sailed down the harbour, to render every assistance … and much to the credit of … the commander, the Emily arrived at the wreck twenty four hours ahead of the revenue cutter Ranger, and the other vessels despatched to her assistance. On reaching the wreck, it was seen that no hope remained of saving the vessel or the cargo … lying in three fathoms had six feet on her deck … It is expected that she will go to pieces … especially as the weather has been very rough. The greater part of her cargo as well as the hull is insured, and as the vessel was old, the loss, except the discredit which it will tend to bring on the navigation of this Port, will hardly be felt. – Port Phillip Gazette.
LOSS OF THE THETIS 26 May 1848 – Two masted wooden schooner, built Moruya River, NSW, 1847;
The Thetis was a new vessel of 94 tons, the property of Mr. Rayner, of Sydney. Her estimated value was £2000. She was not insured. The following is the cargo shipped from Sydney in the Thetis — 2 rolls lead, 5 bars iron, 20 barrels raisins, 5 caroteels currants, 50 hogsheads beer, 13 logs cedar, 30 bags maize, 17 cases wine, 3 cases, 2 casks tar, 1 cask pitch, 11 packages iron guttering, 16 casks iron pipes, 1 case, 65 bars single iron, 1 bundle seeds, 2 casks, 4 cases , 256 chests and 140 half chests tea, 3 cases, 1 bundle of wire, 5 hogs head sugar, 12 kegs butter.
Inward bound from Sydney, struck Point Lonsdale reef, Port Phillip Heads, 26 May 1848. Fifteen minutes after she struck she was on her beam ends with her masts lying over the rocks. At the time, the night was frightfully cold, intensely dark and the rain was descending in torrents. The twenty-four passengers, most of whom were in bed at the time, rushed on deck, half naked and clung to the side of the vessel till low tide when they climbed on to the fallen mast and then dropped on to the reef. Two children were swept from their mother’s arms and drowned. Due to the severe exposure to the cold and wet, their parents, who reached the reef in such a distressed and exhausted condition perished before reaching the shore. It took about five hours to get the exhausted passengers and crew to the safety of terra firma. They then travelled some five miles to the pilot-station where every attention was given to them.
Source: The Sydney Daily Advertiser (NSW:1848) Wed 7 Jun 1848 Page 2 LOSS OF THE “THETIS,” SCHOONER.
The article (right), came from the Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser 21 June 1848 page 2
ANOTHER WRECK AT PORT PHILLIP HEADS. It is our melancholy duty to record another fatality similar to that which occurred to the Thetis only a week ago. Two total wrecks within the space of six days; under precisely similar circumstances, form, indeed, an awful spectacle for contemplation. On Thursday morning last, the schooner Sophia made the Heads about 4 o’clock, a.m. The light on Shortland’s Bluff was visible, but the night was so dark that the land could not be distinguished. Steering by the light (but with no other object from which to take bearings), the Captain determined on entering without waiting for daylight. Standing in towards the Heads the vessel suddenly struck on what was afterwards ascertained to be the reef off Point Nepean. A sea struck the vessel at the same time, carried away the boat, and washed the captain overboard. The captain rose near the boat, got into her, and managed to get her alongside the vessel. By this time the schooner was rapidly settling-down, and the crew and passengers accordingly got into the boat. Almost immediately afterwards, the ill-fated vessel sunk in deep water alongside the reef, not ten minutes having elapsed from the time when she struck till she went down. The crew had not even time to put oars in the boat, but as it was slack-water, they managed to paddle their way to the pilot station, where they were of course, hospitably received, and were on that same day conveyed to Melbourne in the Government schooner Apollo. The captain and crew, in this instance, as in that of the Thetis, behaved with the greatest presence of mind and promptitude; and although the result was calamitous, we must remember that, in such weather, it is a choice of evils to attempt the entrance, or beat about outside. Not one, either of the crew or passengers, saved anything except what they stood in. The captain, himself, had not even shoes on his feet. The Sophia was a vessel of about 60 tons, and was not more than nine months old. She sailed from Hobart Town on the 24th of May. We have not heard whether she was insured. Source: The Geelong Advertiser 3 June 1848 page 2
Contributed by Dianne Wheeler PPPG No. 1505