Shipwrecks and sea rescue: Shipwrecks, 1900-1907

• Introduction
• 1802-1850
• 1851-1858
• 1859-1862
• 1863-1873
• 1874-1880
• 1881-1889
• 1890-1899
• 1900-1907
• 1908-1918
• 1919-1930
• 1931-1945
• 1946-
• River Murray

Chronological list of shipwrecks continued

1900

1 February steel ship Glenpark, 1959 tons, struck a rock off Wedge Island, with a cargo of wheat from Port Germein. She sank rapidly. The crew was rescued by the barque Elda and were landed at Port Victoria. 26 February schooner Vale, with a cargo of wheat from Sceale Bay, developed a leak during heavy seas. Some cargo was jettisoned to lighten her, and an attempt was made to reach Wedge Island. Vale was abandoned off Cape Borda and crew reached safety on Wedge Island, before setting out again for Edithburgh.

1901

17 June barge Gwydir, with a cargo of wheat, and under tow to the tug Eleanor foundered north-west of the Tipara light. Three lives were lost. 2 April ketch Elsie was stranded on Coorong Beach.

1902

18 April steamship Franklin was lost near Point Malcolm. 7 June cutter Lord Roberts was forced ashore near Myponga jetty during a squall.

1903

23 January wooden brigantine Annie Brown was loading guano at Spilsby Island, Spencer Gulf, when she was driven ashore in a storm. No lives were lost. 29 June ketch Eliza was lost near Point Riley, Wallaroo. 17 August barque Inverlyon at Plank Point, near Franklin Harbor, Spencer Gulf.  Salvaged 20 August. 11 September ketch Osprey disappeared after leaving Port Julia, Yorke Peninsula. 19 September fishing boat Enchantress stranded at Port Adelaide and went to pieces. September steamer Eva, 8 tons, was lost in Antechamber Bay, Kangaroo Island.

1904

2 January iron barque Ethel ran ashore on Reef Head, near Cape Spencer (Yorke Peninsula).  One crew member died trying to get ashore, but the rest reached safety. The wreck was visible for many years from the cliffs in Innes National Park, before it broke up completely in 1980s. 31 January steam tug Acis went ashore near Port MacDonnell. Attempts to refloat her were unsuccessful and she broke up in worsening weather. February barge Miriam was lost at Goolwa. November wooden ketch Ruby was lost at Kangaroo Island.

1905

June wooden ketch Britannia was wrecked in Spencer Gulf. August schooner Cygnet was lost off the north coast of Kangaroo Island, with the loss of four lives. Wreckage was found but no bodies. September 16 ton fishing cutter Mermaid was lost near Cape Borda, Kangaroo Island. September Loch Vennachar, fully rigged iron clipper, with a crew of 26, disappeared while en route London to Adelaide. Sighted by SS Yongala on 6 September 160 miles west of Neptune Islands, she was reported overdue at Port Adelaide and on 18 September the Government steamer Governor Musgrave was sent to search for her, unsuccessfully.  ate in November a body and wreckage began to come ashore in West Bay, Kangaroo Island, but the wreck itself was not found until 1976.

1906

5 April the fishing boat Wanderer disappeared off D'Estrees Bay, Kangaroo Island. 26 June schooner New Arrival was stranded and became a total loss at Wallaroo. The vessel was built in 1875. 18 November steel barque Montebello, 2284 tons and 276 feet long, en route to Port Pirie from Hobart, was stranded on the south coast of Kangaroo Island. All crew reached safety, but the ship became a total wreck. Wooden barque Columbia, 1381 tons, loaded with wheat, disappeared en route to Falmouth.

1907

5 April wooden ketch Mary Ellis, with a cargo of superphosphate and general goods, was dismasted and subsequently wrecked in Sleaford Bay. 13 April steel steamer Willyama struck a rock at Rhino Head in Marion Bay. An attempt was made to free her, but rough weather damaged her severely and she was abandoned. 21 April 4-masted barque Ardencraig rammed the Norma another 4-masted barque, which was at anchor off Semaphore. This caused a series of further accidents. The Norma sank and was just a few feet beneath the surface. The Jessie Darling was holed the next day by the Norma's spars, and sank on top of the Norma. SS Palmer struck the double wreck the next day but escaped relatively unharmed. While salvage work was carried out on the Norma, SS Port Chalmers struck the wreck and was holed. Jessie Darling was raised in 1908, but eventually the Norma was dynamited to remove her as a potential hazard. July 1907 schooner Post Boy, 62 tons was wrecked in Arno Bay. She had previously foundered in 1876 west of Glenelg, was raised and returned to service. In 1895 she went ashore at Port Minlacowie but was successfully refloated. 12 October Aagot ran onto the rocks on the west side of Wardang Island during a storm. The crew managed to get ashore on the island, and later to cross to Port Victoria on the mainland. The ship was built in 1882. Originally named Firth of Clyde she was an iron barque of 1242 tons.