4 minute read
Adventure, survival, death and myth: Wrecks on the Reef
By Maddy McAllister, Queensland Museum and James Cook University
Shipwreck tales of adventure, survival, death, and myth have long captured the imagination of divers, historians, archaeologists and others. The study of shipwrecks (and other wreck types) falls within maritime archaeology, a sub-discipline of archaeology. Considered a relatively ‘young’ field of study, maritime archaeology almost certainly took its place within scientific study around the advent of Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) equipment.
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Australia played a critical role in the early days of maritime archaeology with the discovery and archaeological investigation of the Dutch wrecks on the western Australian Coastline.
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is known for its natural beauty and myriad of ecosystems stretching nearly the entire length of Queensland’s coast. However, the reef also holds a non-renewable resource few know about – shipwrecks.
Approximately 114 historic wreck sites are located along the Great Barrier Reef. This includes eight ship and two aircraft wreck zones protected under Commonwealth legislation, indicating the wealth of culturally and archaeologically significant maritime heritage situated on the reef. With approximately a further 900 unlocated wreck sites, much of this maritime heritage resource remains undiscovered (see Map on right with wrecks marked in red!). In particular, two shipwrecks have captured our imagination over the last 50 years: HMS Pandora and SS Yongala.
HMS Pandora is one of Australia’s most infamous shipwrecks. The 24-gun British naval frigate’s major notoriety is in association with its final and fateful voyage to apprehend mutineers from HMS Bounty. The mutiny and the subsequent loss of Pandora off the far North Queensland coast in 1791 were both followed by epic voyages in open boats from the south Pacific Ocean, through the Torres Strait to Indonesia. The shipwreck sits 30m below the surface, at Pandora Entrance (near Raine Island) off Cape York Peninsula and within a gazetted Protected Zone.
After discovery in 1977, the Queensland Museum led multiple archaeological investigations of the site from 1979 to 1999. Excavations recovered over 6,800 incredibly wellpreserved artefacts that survived over 200 years underwater, from enormous 6 pounder iron cannons to the most delicate ceramics, ivory and brass officers’ accessories. Notably, public interest in the wreck, the story and the archaeology played a considerable role in the success of the excavation projects. This culminated with the establishment of the Pandora Foundation in 1996 who raised $2 million dollars for the retrieval and conservation of artefacts from HMS Pandora.
Ivory ruler from the officer’s store, HMAS Pandora. Image credit Maddy McAllister Map of Queensland showing historic shipwrecks – green are located and red unlocated (accessed online 13 October 2021 www.qld.gov.au https://www.qld.gov.au/data/assets/pdf).
At the launch of the Foundation, the Queensland Government announced an additional $17.5 million to go towards a new museum to house the Pandora collection and tell the story. In 2000, the Museum of Tropical Queensland opened with an iconic gallery focusing on the story of HMS Pandora, a testament to the significance and influence of public interest and support of maritime heritage.
Fast forward 120 years after Pandora sank and another maritime tragedy would go down in Australian history books and eventually create one of the world’s best dive sites. SS Yongala disappeared without a trace in March 1911, likely having encountered an unexpected cyclone during a journey from Mackay to Townsville. All 122 people on board went down with the ship and the location of the 100m long steamer remained a mystery until it was found in the 1950s.
Yongala is one of the most intact historic shipwrecks in Australian waters and has become the habitat for a remarkably diverse range of marine life (particularly coral) causing the wreck to be ranked as one of the top 10 best wreck dives in the world. In 2019, Yongala had over 4,000 tourists dive the site, the majority of whom accessed the site through commercial dive charter operators with permits for dive-tourism.
Shipwrecks can be potential markers for reef management and monitoring, they provide a baseline for survey data and an intriguing study of unique ecosystems like those on Yongala. With just two of the 114 known historic sites described here, there is an enticing potential for discovery of new shipwreck sites along remote stretches of the reef. There is undoubtedly a wreck that equals Pandora or Yongala waiting to be discovered on the reef.
Diver prepares a ceramic spruce jar for lifting to the surface on the Pandora wreck. Image Credit Queensland Museum.
