THE WAY WE WERE
on the ocean floor UNDERNEATH THE DEEP BLUE LIES A LITTLE-KNOWN PIECE OF ILLAWARRA HISTORY. AN ESTIMATED 105 SHIPWRECKS LIE OFF THE COAL COAST, EACH WITH ITS OWN STORY OF STORMS BATTLED, ATTEMPTED RESCUE AND LIVES LOST Words Diana Ioppolo ignitecontent.com.au Sources Wollongong City Library, Heritage NSW, Shellharbour City Museum, UOW, ABC News Images From the collections of the Wollongong City Libraries and the Illawarra Historical Society
A costly rescue Ship name: Cities Service Boston Date sank: 16 May, 1943 Location: Bass Point The Cities Service was a United States oil tanker that set out on rough seas from Bass Point. The storm quickly escalated, creating nine metre waves and flooding parts of Lake Illawarra and Shellharbour.
If you’re a Coal Coast local, you’ll know that ships dotting the horizon are part of the landscape. From cargo vessels to bulk carriers to the odd cruise ship, our south of Sydney location and deep-water port at Port Kembla attracts ships of all shapes and sizes. Ships that are spotted by kids at the beach, surfers in the water and those fortunate to enjoy an ocean view at home. But do you know the story of the ships that came and never left?
10
Soldiers from the 6th Australian Machine Gun Battalion that were camped at Kembla Grange were called to help. Thanks to their efforts, all 62 American crew were saved, but not without sacrifice. Four Australian soldiers were swept off the rocks and lost their lives in the rescue. A memorial dedicated to the lives lost was created at Bass Point in 1968, with a memorial now held every year at the site. Did you know? The Shellharbour City Museum houses a double pulley from the ship along with further information and photos.
