Shipwrecks and sea rescue: Shipwrecks, River Murray

• 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

Major wrecks of the River Murray

1842

5 December Government cutter Water Witch after performing survey work in Encounter Bay entered the Murray Mouth and sailed up river to the Government station at Moorundie (near Blanchetown). She sank here after leaking badly. There were no casualties. Water Witch is a protected wreck site.

1859

16 November Melbourne was wrecked at the Mouth of the Murray, after hitting the eastern shore. She subsequently rolled onto her anchor and was holed and sank. The vessel had negotiated the Mouth successfully on previous occasions.

1863

8 December Bunyip and two barges were destroyed by fire about 11 kilometres above Chowilla Station. A woman passenger and a child were killed and several crew were drowned. The cargo of 500 bales of wool was lost.

1874

21 June Moolgewanke was badly damaged in a boiler explosion near Swan Reach. Three lives were lost, the engineer was blown out of his cabin into the river and a passenger was scalded and bruised. The vessel was converted into a barge which was destroyed in a fire at Wentworth in January 1904.

1880

17 June Clara burnt at Morgan.

1882

8 July Vesta struck a sandbank near Overland Corner, and sank. Vessel appears to have been abandoned, but the register was not closed until November 1909.

1886

26 December Roma totally destroyed by fire at Tailem Bend. Her cargo of wool was insured for £1500.  Customs register closed August 1902.

1888

23 July Britannia burnt and sank at Craigie Creek 150 miles above Morgan.

1903

Waterlily a sailing vessel, built from one of the hulls of the Bunyip (which was burnt in 1863) sank near Point Malcolm, Lake Alexandrina.

1904

February Marinoa (sometimes Maranoa) register closed, vessel broken up.

1916

19 January Sapphire was burnt to the waterline near Renmark.

1921

22 May PS Mannum was burnt and scuttled at Mannum. Was raised and rebuilt 1922.  In 1928 it collided with Paringa Bridge. Register was closed 1961.

1928

29 March Struggler burnt near Mannum. 13 September Queen destroyed by fire and sunk at Mypolonga.

1929

12 September Waikerie was destroyed by fire at Morgan.

1930

January Corowa: register closed, vessel broken up. Derelict hull lay near Morgan wharf until mid 1940s. 22 January Ellen destroyed by fire at Morgan.

1951

2 February PS Renmark burnt and sank at Goolwa wharf.

1958

1 March Merle was burnt at Murray Bridge wharf and was a total loss.

1985

Houseboat Proud Lady burnt at Murray Bridge.