Shipwrecks

The Australian coastline has many shipwrecks. Here are some of the ones we’ve seen during our trips.

Adolphe Wrecked at Stockton

Wreck of the Adolphe on Stockton Breakwall

Ajax Wrecked in the North Arm of the Hunter River

Remains of the Ajax Hunter Wetlands National Park With School of Yak Kayak Tours www.destinationsjourney.com — Remains of the Ajax

HMAS Karangi at Homebush Bay

HMAS Karangi Homebush Bay Ship Wrecks — HMAS Karangi

HMAS Parramatta on the Hawkesbury River

The wreck of Parramatta in the Hawkesbury River

Kate Tatham near Stockton Bridge

Built at Greenock, Scotland, in 1863 as the Yuh Shing and intended for the Chinese tea trade, she was instead sold to George Tatham in 1866 who renamed her after a member of the family. The Kate Tatham hauled coal from Newcastle to New Zealand and timber from New Zealand to Sydney. The 42.2m long, 275 tonne barquentine capsized and sank in 1907.

Subsequently salvaged and repaired, she became a gravel barge around Newcastle Harbour, until renaground in 1922. Nearly 100 years later, all that remain is a rusty shell, with masts and decks mostly gone, although at high tide, what remains is clearly visible among the mangroves.

The Wrecks of the Kate Tatham (R) and Sylvan (L)

The Wreck of the Kate Tatham With Stockton Bridge in the Background — The Wrecks of the Kate Tatham (R) and Sylvan (L)

Sylvan near Stockton Bridge

Built in 1882 by Murdoch & Murray, Port Glasgow, Sylvan was an Iron screw steamer, Weighing 192 tons, she worked the east coast of Australia until 1921 when she sank at her moorings in Newcastle Harbour. Salvaged and used as a log pint, she was abandoned in her present location, where she sank in 1924.

The Wreck of the Sylvan — The Shipwrecks of the Kate Tatham (R) and Sylvan (L)

SS Ayrfield at Homebush Bay

SS Heroic at Homebush Bay

Tug Heroic Homebush Bay Ship Wrecks — Tug Heroic

SS Maitland

SS Merimbulah

The remains of s.s. Merimbula, a large twin screw steamship, lie below Whale Point on Beecroft Peninsula, north of Jervis Bay. The vessel ran its bows onto the point on the night of 27 March, 1928, later breaking up on the steeply shelving reef.