Capricorn and Bunker Group - Known Shipwrecks On The Reefs

Known Shipwrecks On The Reefs

America a wooden ship of 391 tons and 108 feet in length. The vessel had been built in Quebec, Canada, in 1827, owned by James Gray and captained by Robert Donal. The vessel America had taken convicts to Sydney in 1829 and to Hobart in 1831.
But while en route from Sydney to Batavia in ballast, the vessel struck a reef near Wreck Island and was wrecked on 20 June 1831. The crew launched two boats and eventually reached Morton Bay. The whaling barque Nelson and the Caledonia were involved in salvage of anchors, spars and rigging.

Diana A wooden carvel schooner / brig of 103 tons and 70 feet in length built in Sydney in 1847 by the builder Ale and owned by C.L. Throck. The vessel ran aground on 1 June 1864 in the Bunker Group at the northwestern side of "middle island" (she was wrecked on Fairfax Island (middle island - Bunker group)) while loading guano.
The Diana was a vessel engaged in guano mining. The Boomerang sited the wreckage on the northwestern side of "middle Bunker island" on 13 August 1864 and the crew went ashore and found part of the wreck had been salvaged with equipment and tents hauled onto one of the islands and the wreck had broken into two parts with many timbers strewn about on the reef salvaged but no sign of life. The crew had been rescued by the schooner Caroline (also reported by press as Eleanor Palmer).

Pioneer Was wrecked on 12 March 1866 on Masthead Reef or Polmaise Reef. The 87-ton, 80-foot-long (24 m) two-masted schooner had been built in San Francisco in 1854. The Pioneer was a regular coasting schooner; during 1860s she had been carrying a cargo of timber and no lives lost.
The vessel struck an outcrop of Masthead Reef on 12 March, an anchor was dropped but she dragged along the rocks until stopped by a large rock which pierced her bottom and held her upright. The crew launched a boat and sailed to Keppel Bay.

Britons Queen struck Masthead Reef/Polmaise Reef on 21 March 1866. The 80-foot-long (24 m) 2 masted schooner of 119 tons had been built in 1837 at Cowes on the Isle of Wight and was a regular coasting schooner during 1850s and 1860s; it had on board a cargo of hides and tallow as well as 7 passengers.: All of the 14 passengers and crew landed safely on Masthead Island, then proceeded to Rockhampton.

Cosmopolite was wrecked on 15 October 1866 on Masthead Reef/Polmaise Reef. The vessel was a wooden carvel Brig of 145 tons and 85 feet in length and originally named David Henshaw built in Newcastle in Maine and had previously been registered at San Francisco (1849) at it arrived in Hobart on 17 April 1851 after having been purchased by Mr Boys for 700 stg.
When the vessel struck it had been in ballast and was salvaged with no lives lost. Bound from Sydney to Gladstone with cattle, she went ashore Masthead Reef and became a total wreck.

Willing Lass sunk 5 July 1868 on Masthead Reef or Polmaise Reef Brigantine (Barquentine?) of 107 tons and 81 feet in length. Built in Nova Scotia by Jam in 1852 the vessel was struck by a squall during a voyage from Rockhampton to Richmond River under the command of McNeil. A course was set to steer her ashore when the wind dropped, leaving her helpless to drift onto the reef where rising seas soon destroyed her no lives lost carrying ballast shallow site.

Jane Lockhart sunk between 11 and 17 December 1868 on Lady Musgrave Island / Heron Island / Masthead Reef or One Tree Island. The vessel was a two-masted schooner. Departed from Sydney with general cargo for Broadsound; and ran aground on Lady Musgrave Is; maybe on Heron Is or One Tree Island or Masthead Reef. Lost on a reef off Heron Island on the night of 17 December 1868. The crew took to the boat and safely reached the Pilot Station at Keppel Island.
The vessel was originally stated as having hit at Lady Musgrave reef (most unlikely) later news reports claim wreck on Heron Island with some other reports mention the wreck on either One Tree Island or Mast Head. The vessel was built in 1861 at Ulladulla New South Wales and registered in Sydney with the Official number of 36858 and a Registered number of 9/1861 with a gross tonnage of 80 tons and 82 feet in length

Hannah Broomfield a brigantine was lost on 30 April 1872 in the vicinity of the northern edge of the Capricorn Islands Most of her cargo and gear was recovered and the vessel was latter refloated from Broomfield Reef but some time later wrecked in New Zealand in 1880. Built in the Tweed River of New South Wales in 1865 and registered in Wellington she had a gross tonnage of 120 tons and was 90 feet long

Polmaise was a barque which hit Polmaise Reef off Masthead Island on 2 February 1873. She was outward bound from Rockhampton for London with a general cargo the vessel was subsequently salvaged. It is believed that the wreck site has been found and it lies in shallow water. The vessel struck the reef and remained fast on falling tide. The master and most of the passengers left in the pinnace to obtain assistance, leaving the mate in charge. The Polmaise After which the reef in named was a wooden Barque of 753 tons and 171 feet in length was built by Ale in Dundee England in 1853
Abandoned when a vessel was sighted bearing down to their assistance.,

Agnes was a two-masted wooden schooner 82 feet in length and 96 tons. Built in Singapore in 1875 was wrecked on North Reef or Tryon Island reef on a voyage from Sydney to Townsville with general cargo of wool on 16 September 1878

Tambaroora on 22 July 1879 the steel steamship struck Polmaise Reef The steamship was 162 feet in length and 406 tons built in Glasgow in 1875, she was wrecked on Polmaise reef while on a voyage to Rockhampton from Sydney via Brisbane and Maryborough, carrying general cargo of grain/produce no lives were lost. The wreck was later purchased for 140 pounds and hopes were high that she could be refloated until examination showed her to be breaking up underwater She lies in shallow water about 100metres from the reef and her stern post comes very close to the surface, a hazard to boats trying to find the wreck. The wreck is mostly flattened but her boilers a compound single screw motor, rudder and propeller still remain making it a nice change from the reef dives in the area. Within 50metres of the Tambooroora lies the unidentified remains of a timber wreck and within half a mile lie two other wrecks of historical significance, including the wreck of the Polmaise, which the reef is named after, all four ships are declared historic shipwrecks

Deutschland A German wooden three-masted barque of 833 tons built in Ost Hammelwarden (Hamburg)., Germany in 1858 of 150 x 32 x 17.5 ft. hit Polmaise Reef on 22 July 1883 Carrying 1,000 tons of general cargo for Rockhampton from London including cast-iron screw piles for the Port Alma Wharf a church organ built to order in London for St. Pauls Church, this German barque ran onto Polmaise (Masthead?) Reef and eventually with plans underway to have her refloated but a gale on 29 September 1883 broke her up became a total loss. The cargo was salvaged during the same year by a large number of vessels the salvaged cargo was sold at auction in Rockhampton
The wreck has been found and lies in shallow water

Waterwitch a brigantine of 165 tons built 1873 stuck on 27 August 1884 Polmaise Reef or Masthead Reef

Bannockburn an 85-foot-long (26 m), 110-ton brigantine built at Mechanic's Bay, Auckland in 1880 on 9 November 1884 struck no. 1 Bunker Island and was refloated after cargo (timber) salvaged, taken to Rockhampton. Eventually became a total loss due wrecking in Fitzroy River 1905.

Italy The 285-ton wooden 133-foot-long (41 m) barque built in Cardiff, Wales in 1867 on a voyage to Cooktown from Newcastle with coal struck a reef (Boult Reef) to the north of No.3 Island in the Bunker Group on 16 November 1885. The master and crew landed safely on the island and after a short rest proceeded to Gladstone. Following and enquiry the master and mate were severely censured.

Wisteria Sunk 14 September 1887. The wooden 131-foot (40 m) barque built as the 387-ton Look At Home in 1865 at Gloucester, Mass. On a voyage from Adelaide to Townsville with a cargo of flour, bran, chaff and cement broke up on One Tree Island. An inquiry found that her loss was caused by the incompetence of her master and mate. The master's certificate was cancelled.
Wreck site found in 1957 in twenty-eight metres. Only the anchor chain, windlass and cement barrels were found.

Eastminster An iron emigrant vessel of 226 feet and 1208 tons Built in Glasgow in 1876 Last seen after departing Maryborough after ignoring a warning from the pilot but still headed out to sea in a rising gale on 17 February 1888 bound for Newcastle, presumed lost during cyclone; wreckage reported on a coral reef approx. 100 miles east of Rockhampton.
Louisa Lamont A wooden schooner of 74 tons and 81 feet built on the Williams River, NSW lost at Lamont Reef/Wistari Reef on 22 February 1888. The vessel salvaged and refloated and subsequently lost in Bass Strait March 1901.

Darcy Pratt on 21 January 1893 the wooden carvel brigantine / barquentine Darcy Pratt struck Polmaise Reef while on a voyage to New Zealand with cargo of bone/bone dust from Rockhampton ; not salvaged. She was 96 feet long and 149 tons and built in Jervis Bay NSW in 1876

Progress on 29 May 1900 the 20-ton ketch Progress hit Polmaise reef on the southern side while carrying a cargo that included explosives. The vessel had left Brisbane on 23 May 1900 and as the vessel passed Bustard Head during the night on a North West course. At 2:30 am the vessel struck Polmaise Reef and was carried onto the reef by a strong spring ebb

Pacific The 132-foot, 252-ton screw steamer on 3 July 1903 was wrecked on Fitzroy Reef . The Steamer was specifically designed for transporting timber .

Norna On 15 June 1914, near Masthead Island the 89-ton two-masted wooden Schooner built at Brooklyn, New York in 1879 went aground .

Cooma was a steel passenger steamer of 3839 tons. She had a triple-expansion single screw and had been built 1907 for Howard Smith Line 330 x 46 x 21.4 ft.
While running from Brisbane to Cairns with passengers she ran gently on to North Reef near Heron Island, Queensland, 7 July 1926 and sent out an S.O.S call. The S.S.Burwah responded to her call and rescued her crew of 84 and 200 passengers. After several unsuccessful salvage attempts she was abandoned to the underwriters it was latter gutted by fire on 26 January 1927. She now lies broken up and scattered over the reef and a few beams and machinery parts in the coral in 4 metres of water her boiler remains visible on the beach near the North reef lighthouse. .

Joyce a 42-foot wooden motor vessel struck the southeast corner of Masthead Island on 4 April 1927.

Valante 28 January 1957 Masthead Island.

Kokotu motor vessel struck a reef off Lady Musgrave Island during cyclone Emily, 1 April 1972.