Visit Port Adelaide Ship Graveyards, Adelaide, South Australia

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The remains of at least 40 abandoned vessels lie embedded in silt and partially hidden by mangroves in the backwaters of the Port River, in Adelaide's north west. As vessels within the Port fell into disrepair or were no longer viable, harbour authorities needed to cater for their disposal. South Australia's relatively shallow gulf waters meant that scuttling at sea was not generally an option. The alternative was that most obsolete vessels were beached and broken up at various sites around Port Adelaide - some were completely salvaged but others were only partially scrapped. The Port Adelaide graveyards are made up of five abandonment sites (ships' graveyards), including: Garden Island: The Garden Island ships' graveyard is the largest site, with 25 known vessels to have been abandoned between 1909 and 1945. Dorothy H Sterlingwas a 6-masted wooden schooner built in Portland, Oregon, in 1920. It arrived in Port Adelaide with a cargo of timber during the Great Depression in 1929. It was seized for unpaid harbour dues and systematically dismantled. In 1932 the gutted hill was towed to North Arm and abandoned as a source of free firewood. Enterprisewas built in Sydney in 1868. It assisted in the construction of the Overland Telegraph and construction of the bridge at Murray Bridge. In 1913 it became a water-tender and was abandoned at Garden Island later that year. Flinderswas built in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1878. It operated in the southeast Australian coastal trade for 33 years before being damagaed by fire and hulked in the North Arm. In 1931, it was beached at Garden Island and abandoned. Garthneillwas built in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1895. It ran the grain trade between Europe and Australia, as well as other trades and routes. In 1921 it became Australia's only floating grain mill. In 1935 it was abandoned at Garden Island. Gemwas built at Yarra bank, Melbourne, in 1868. It worked as a ferry, then as a silt-pumping barge, then assisted the construction of Port Adelaide's No.2 Dock before being repurposed as a floating footbridge. It was laid up in 1927 then towed to Garden Island and abandoned. Glaucuswas built in Sunderland, England, in 1878. Used for coastal and interstate trade and then for grain storage at Williamstown in Victoria and Port Adelaide, it was broken up at Ethelton then towed to Garden Island and abandoned. Grace Darlingwas built in Hardinxveld, Netherlands, in 1907. It was used mainly in the local coastal passenger and cargo trade. It was abandoned at Garden Island in 1931 and only its bottom hull remains. Successwas built at Port Adelaide in 1910 and used as a ferry until it was refitted and renamedKillarneyin 1920. It was abandoned and broken up at Garden Island in 1928. Today the most prominent feature is the boiler. Lady Dalywas built in Williamstown, Victoria, in 1876. The schooner worked the SA coastal trade for more than 50 years before being abandoned at Garden Island in 1929. Manganawas built in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1876. It traded between Tasmania and mainland Australian ports and later to Sydney and Noumea. In 1901 it was hulked in Port Adelaide and then abandoned at Garden Island in 1931. Moewas built in Liverpool, England, in 1876, originally namedZoe. Subsequently namedGlyciniaand thenHebe, it was namedMoewhen purchased by a Melbourne business in 1912. From 1928, abandonment of the hulk at North Arm needed several attempts, with the hulk breaking free several times. It was finally laid to rest in 1931. Santiagowas built in Methil, Scotland, in 1856. The barque arrived in Australia in 1900 and was converted to a coal hulk in Port Adelaide in 1901. It was abandoned in the North Arm in August 1945 and is still relatively intact. Sarnia(No.4 Dredge) was built in Port Adelaide in 1878. It operated as a dredge at Port Adelaide and Port Pirie until it was converted to a coal hulk in the 1920s. After sinking in the Port River in 1926, it was transferred to the North Arm and abandoned. Seminolewas built in Mystic, Connecticut, in 1865. After working on both coasts of the United States,Seminolearrived at Newcastle in New South Wales in 1899, and was towed to Port Adelaide and used as a coal hulk. After a couple of fires on board, the vessel was abandoned at North Arm but little of the hull remains. Stanleywas built in Paisley, Scotland, in 1876. After an eagerly awaited arrival in Adelaide, its performance proved disappointing. The vessel was laid up and sold for demolition in 1930, but was moved to the North Arm and abandoned the same year. Very little remains. Sunbeamwas built in Kirkaldy, Scotland, in 1857. In 1886, the vessel was converted to a coal hulk in Melbourne. Soon after, it was brought to Port Adelaide and in 1910 it was abandoned in the North Arm. Today, the vessel is generally intact along its entire length. Jervois Basin: Has several wrecks including: Alert was built in Hobart in 1872. For nearly 90 years Alert worked the SA coastal trade under a succession of owners. In 1960 the ketch was moved from where it lay derelict near the Jervois Bridge to the Ethelton Log Pool at Jervois Basin. There it was gradually broken up and eventually burnt to the waterline. Trafalgar was built at Echuca, Victoria, in 1877. It originally operated on the Wentworth trade but later operated as a passenger vessel between Echuca and Mildura. In 1933, it was converted to a dumb barge and, in 1947, an attempt was made to convert it to a ketch. It proved unsuitable for conversion so was abandoned at Ethelton Log Pool and partially broken up. Fides was built in Risor, Norway, in 1918. The vessel arrived in Port Adelaide in 1928 but lay idle for four years. After failed attempts to re-purpose the vessel, in 1932 it was seized for non-payment of harbour dues and partially broken up over time, first at Commercial Wharf and later at Portland Canal. It was then beached at Ethelton and scrapping continued. Today remains are partially covered by reclaimed land. Fitzjames was built at Richibucto, Canada, in 1852 and became part of the White Star Line trading the Atlantic and transporting emigrants to Australia. After springing a leak and being towed to Australia it was condemned and hulked in Melbourne. It then became a floating boy's reformatory and some time after 1891 it was beached at the end of the Cable Company Wharf in Jervois Basin. The remains are believed to be covered by reclaimed land. Alba was built at Dundee, Scotland, in 1867. Around 1900 it was sold to the Adelaide Steam Ship Company for use as a hulk. In 1956-57 the hulk was purchased by Hines Metal Co. for scrapping. Records regarding the location are not conclusive - some records state that it was in the North Arm, while others state the Ethelton Log Pool. The Hines Metal Co. was responsible for scrapping a number of vessels in the Jervois Basin, so it is likely the remains are there. Mutton Cove: Has two wrecks: The substantial remains of the Excelsior are a familiar sight at the northern end of Mutton Cove, near Pelican Point. A favourite for maritime photographers, the vessel was abandoned in 1945. Jupiter was originally built as an iron barge in 1866, but it was converted to a side-paddler in 1868. It was abandoned at Mutton Cove in about 1945. Today the hull is basically intact to deck level, but is predominantly covered by silt and the tides. A detached iron superstructure is lying off the stern. Broad Creek: Has two main wrecks: Dorothy S was built at Sandridge, Victoria and launched as Stephen in 1868. For more than 50 years Stephen worked the Victorian coastal trade before moving to Adelaide in 1922. By 1926, the vessel was derelict at Garden Island and soon after was moved to Broad Creek to service two hydroplaces. By 1928 the vessel was abandoned. An ron bucket dredge probably originally built as an iron bucket dredge in 1852, the hulk, known today as No.1 Hulk, was later used as a hulk for storing explosives in the North Arm. It was condemned in 1915 and grounded the same year as reinforcement for the Broad Creek embankment. Angas Inlet: Around 6 shipwrecks at various locations along the northern bank of Angas Inlet. Kadina is the main wreck and was built at Phippsburg in Maine, United States, and launched as Jeannie W. Paine in 1853. For a while the vessel was part of the Black Diamond Line transporting coal from Newcastle to Wallaroo. By 1876, the vessel was a coal hulk at North Arm of the Port River. In 1879 the vessel caught fire and was towed ashore and allowed to burn out. The exact site is unknown but the remains of a large timber vessel in Angas Inlet are thought to be Kadina. Source: Department for Environment and Water

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