There are quite a few shipwrecks on Magnetic Island, so decided to visit one on 4th June 2018 -
The wreck of the SS City of Adelaide rests on the tidal flats about 300 m from Cockle Bay, near the SE corner of Magnetic Island. I first found out about it in a news article, (then found that there's a "wreck trail" for visitors to the Island)
A brief History
The SS City of Adelaide was built in Glasgow, Scotland in 1863 and launched as a 263 ft passenger steam-ship operating between Melbourne, Sydney and across the pacific to Honolulu and San Francisco until 1890.
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| SS City of Adelaide circa 1864 (credit, Wikipedia) |
In Sydney she was converted an operated as an engineless 4 masted sailing Barque through the 1890's.
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| City of Adelaide Barque rigged circa 1892 (credit, ABC net au) |
In 1902 she was stripped and became a coal storage hulk in Townsville, until she caught fire and burnt out in 1912. In 1915 the hull was being towed to picnic bay to be scuttled as a breakwater, but it grounded permanently at Cockle Bay where it remains to this day.
Dinghy trip #45
On the day the tide and winds were right and the family was busy, so snuck off for an afternoons sail to visit the wreck site.
Cape Palleranda ramp is about the closest point on the mainland. The ramp was sand free which is fairly unusual, the city council workers had pushed the sand off recently, so my 2WD trayback ute could drive the trailer all the way down. Set off around 11am into a total flat calm, so rowed all the way across. The only mishap was an oar rowlock repair but fixed that with some braided twine. It took over an hour as it's about 4 nautical miles.
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| Palleranda ramp - View to Magnetic Island |
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| Oar repair |
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| Middle reef navigation marker, Townsville coastline behind |
I also planned the trip so the tide was rising near high tide , so the crossing of the extensive reef flat area was safe with no chance of being stranded.
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| Magnetic Island fringing coral reef |
It was nice to
glide over the coral reef under oar power and eerie stillness, the surface like a huge glass pane. Had about 1-2 foot of water under the dinghy. The coral reef seemed to be in reasonable condition, coral bleaching was minimal. It's not something you would try when the usual wind is blowing and the wave chop makes the coral hard to see and easier to strike.
The 103 year old wreck is well camouflaged when approaching over the reef flat from the south west
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| The wreck is well camouflaged against the Islands hills - it is nearly dead ahead |
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| Wreck becoming more discernible from a few hundred meters away |
Finally got alongside and was able to row (and scull) around. The wrecks on a sandy/muddy bottom about 100 m out from the mangroves on the island. The was about 3-4 feet deep of water around the high tide of the day.
Only the bottom quarter of the hull is now left, all above that has collapsed into the sea. Mangrove trees grow up from the muddy hull and it forms an artificial island in which sea birds roosted.
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| The stern post and propeller aperture |
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| Exposed ribs along the port side |
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| Sea bird fly off, mangrove roots growing through |
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| A section of fallen hull side |
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| The bow - the stem post fell away to the side |
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| A gaping hole in the starboard side with some fallen hull ribs in front (also some steel mast remains) |
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| Dinghy anchored along starboard side into shade of mangrove tree |
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| A nice place to have a peaceful lunch break |
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| View looking away from Island |
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| The view of wreck if approaching from Picnic Bay through the Cockle Bay channel. |
It was good place to have lunch given the flat calm conditions and shady Mangrove trees growing conveniently out of the wrecks hull.
To Picnic Bay and home
Shipped both oars again and rowed along the coastline to Picnic Bay, turning every now and then to peer over the shoulder for navigation. Passed Cockle Bay which has a nice a hard gently sloped beach, good for drying a boat out between tides.
There's a shallow tidal boat channel, with a sandy - loose rock bottom, near the rock shore which runs around the headland into Picnic Bay (inside the fringing reefs)
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| The coastline from Cockle Bay towards Picnic Bay. |
Rested up at Picnic bay beach, then sailed out and caught an easterly wind back towards Palleranda.
The wind died a mile or so out, so rowed the final bit to the mainland.
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| Sailing from Picnic Bay |
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| Back at Palleranda ramp |
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| On the trailer, heading home for a good rest. |
References
ABC news article -
"Magnetic Islands forgotten shipwrecks.."
Whats on Magnetic Island - Shipwreck trail
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| Wreck of SS City of Adelaide (credit, ABC news) |
A good drone
video of SS City of Adelaide wreck by DroneHack productions
Recently found that there is another surviving ship with a similar name from the same era
Clipper ship "City of Adelaide" which was saved from demolition in Scotland and bought back by barge to Adelaide, South Australia for restoration. This ship did 25 runs from UK to Adelaide bringing early settlers over and transporting cargo back. She is the only surviving "composite" ship in the world (the other being the famous "Cutty Sark" which was partially destroyed by fire)
She is opening to the public as a museum ship in March 2022
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