Newcastle, situated at the entrance to the Hunter River 170 kn north of Sydney, developed as a major port due to the discovery of coal in 1797. The entrance to Port Hunter was not altogther sympathetic to shipping, and over two hundred vessels were lost entering or leaving the port, many on the infamous Oyster Bank. As port facilities developed, some of the vessels were interred in groynes, no doubt exciting some future archaeologist. The listing includes vessels lost at Port Hunter, Hunter River, Nobbys Head, Stockton Bight, Stockton Beach (Newcastle Beach), Oyster Bank, Williams River and inland Raymond Terrace. Several very large vessels have been lost in the region. The largest vessel to be losst in the vacinity happened only recently, with the loss of the  53,000 ton Norwegian bulk carrier Sygna, on Stockton Beach in 1974.  The next largest was a sailing ship, the four masted barque Adolphee, lost on Oyster Bank in 1904. We then have the 2286 ton steamer Colonist, again on the Oyster Bank, in 1894. In fact, such were the closeness of many of the wrecks that five years latwer the steamship Lindus, 1678 tons, sank on top of the Colonist. The 1747 ton steamship Mareeba was lost in 1908; the 1640 ton Steamer Wendouree in 1898, the 1239 barquentine Adderley went shore on Stockton Beach in 1897, and the 1204 ton wooden barque Susan Gilmour in 1884.

References:
The maritime history and wrecks of New South Wales are well covered by a number of respected authors, many of whom have concentrated on a small coastal region, even on one or two specific ships, thus providing a wealth of information. The base of this listing is Loney [LN], however it is by no means the most comprehensive, with excellent contributions from Bateson [AS1], Berry [GB], Makean [JM], Gleeson [MGS], and Richards [MR]. The Shipwreck Atlas of New South Wales [SAN] provides a comprehensive listing, albiet without much detail. Byron [BN] adds informative current wrecksite status.

[206 records]

Associated links: NEW SOUTH WALES      PORT JACKSON

Active. Composite ketch, 40 tons. Built NSW, 1850; reg. Sydney, 57/1850. L 48.9 ft. Lost Newcastle, Hunter River entrance, 18 February, 1852. [SAN]

Ada. Ketch, 50 tons.  Wrecked on the Oyster Bank, Newcastle, NSW, 29 April   1897. [SAN]

Adderley. Steel barquentine, 1239 tons. Built Scotland, 1888; reg. Liverpool. L 215 ft. Ashore Stockton Beach, 3 nm south of Morna Point during a ‘furious squall’, 23 April 1897. The Newcastle lifeboat was unable to reach her in the heavy surf but the crew of twenty landed safely next day when the seas abated. [SAN],[LN - barque, 1141 tons]

Adelaide. Wooden schooner,  217 tons. #75062. Built NSW, 1879; reg. Sydney, 28/1880. L 144.6 ft. Lost between Newcastle and New Zealand, May 1898. [SAN]
Note: It was on the night of 5-6 May 1898 that the "Maitland (qv) Gale" struck the coast off NSW.

Adeline. Screw steamer. Lost at Newcastle Harbour, NSW; beached near Callens slip, 1898. [SAN]

Adolphe. French four-masted barque, steel, 3204/2676 tons. Built and reg. at Dunkirk, 1902. Lbd 296.7 x 44.9 x 26 ft.Inward bound from Antwerp, lost on the Oyster Bank, Newcastle, 30 September 1904.  As she was being towed through the entrance, the tugs Hero and Victoria could not hold her and she was swept on to the wreck of the Colonist, then battered by giant waves. The lifeboat hurried to the scene and within two hours all 32 of the crew had been taken off.The northern breakwater of the entrance to the port of Newcastle was extended after the loss of the Adolphe. The French consul made an offical visit to Newcastle to recognise the efforts of the lifeboat crew.   [LN],[#NH],[LH],[SAN - barquentine]
@When the breakwater was extended in 1906 and reached the remains of the Adolphe, her remaining two masts and jib-boom were removed for safety reasons;  she is actually resting across the remains of SSWendouree, wrecked in 1898, and SS Lindus, lost in 1899. [LAH]

Afghan. Screw steamer. Lost on the Newcastle Harbour dyke, 1889. [SAN]

Agnes. Cutter, 13 tons. Built NSW, 1853; reg. Sydney, 35/1853. Length 59.3 ft. Ashore and lost in a gale off Newcastle, 13 July 1860. [SAN],[LN]

Ajax. Iron screw steamer, 344 tons. Built at Morts Dock, Balmain, 1874; reg. Sydney. Lbd 128.7 x 21 x 12 ft. Operated as a pilot boat at Newcastle from 1897 till 1927. Abandoned, enclosed in a pond at Koorangang, north of Stockton Bridge, NSW.
[LH],[SAN - lost 1928 at  Newcastle, north of Stockton Bridge]
In June 1900, involved in rescue - see steamer Croki, lost at Seal Rocks, NSW. [MGS]
In December, 1908, involved in search for casualties from the barque Iverna - tug Advance collision, NSW; later crew were criticised for not effecting an immediate search after the collision.  [MGS]

Alexander & John. Schooner, 117 tons. #32300 Built USA, 1849; reg. Sydney, 45/1852. L 80 ft. Lost ashore under Nobbys when leaving Newcastle, 1861. [SAN],[LN - lists as Alexander John]

Alice. Wooden schooner,  80 tons. #31505. Built Tasmania, 1849; reg. Sydney, 4/1860. L 64.6 ft.  Lost when struck rocks at Newcastle, Nobbys Head, 2 April 1861. [SAN],[LN]

Alice Cameron. Wooden barque or barquentine, 347 tons. Built USA,1854; reg. Auckland. Left Newcastle for Manila in February 1874 but not seen again. Her remains might lie off the NSW north coast. [LN],[SAN],[LAH]
On 16 October 1871, involved in rescue - see barque A.H.Badger, lost 1871, in the Tasman Sea, after a collision with the paddle steamer Nevada. The Nevada continued on her way, leaving the hapless crew of the barque to abandon ship with their vessel holed beneath the waterline, to be picked up by the barque Alice Cameron.
Loney also lists this same vessel as being lost in 1894.

Ann. Wooden ketch, 28 tons. #64371. Built NSW 1871; reg. Sydney. Lost ashore 3 nm of Newcastle, 13 March 1886.  [SAN - also lists ketch of this name and number, lost 9 nm from Newcastle on 12 March 1887],[LN lists ketch of this name and tonnage ashore and lost at Port Stephens during a gale, March 1886; the master decided to beach her to save lives]

Ann. Wooden schooner,  62 tons. #32466. Built NSW 1832; reg. Sydney, 34/1855. L 54.7 ft. Lost on the Oyster Bank, Newcastle, 26 January, 1856.  [SAN],[LN - 103 tons]

Arthur. Wooden ketch, 39 tons. #49272 Built NSW 1864; reg Sydney 73/1864. L 55.8 ft.  Lost in Newcastle Bight during ‘the great gale’, 12 July 1866. Foundered when attempting to enter the channel into Newcast;le, with the loss of five lives. See also loss of Cawarra, William Watson, Lismore, and Keder. [SAN],[LN - last seen off Lake Macquarie, NSW],[MGS]

Bell Flower. Schooner,  98 tons. Built NSW. L 106 ft.  Lost on the Newcastle northern breakwater, 9 July 1904. [SAN]

Bengal. Barquentine, 428 tons. #13744. Built Scotland, 1845; reg. Dinedin, NZ, 11/1870. Lost off  Newcastle, 6 May 1872.  [SAN]
On 5 October 1868, from New Zealand under Captain Jamieson, sighted an upturned vessel 20 miles SSE of Norah Head; it could have been the schooner Elizabeth, lost in September. [GB - barque]

Berbice. Ship, composite, 717 tons. #55470. Built Scotland, 1868; reg. Greenock, UK. Captain Ross. Swept on to the Oyster Bank, Newcastle, in a gale and lost, 5 June 1888.The Newcastle rocket crew were quickly on the scene and after a line had been fired out to her, all the crew were brought to safety. [LN],[#NH],[SAN - 760 tons, lost ashore half a nautical mile north of the breakwater, Newcastle]

Berlinda. Steamship, 36 tons. Reg. Newcastle, 1881. Broken up at Newcastle, 1896. [ASR]

Bessie Maud. Wooden schooner, 63 tons. #83611. Built NSW 1880; reg. Sydney 57/1880. Length 76.4 ft.  Rammed and sunk by SSVirawa when outward bound from Newcastle, 4 October 1898. [LN],[SAN - lost 4 September 1898]

Bluebell. Wooden screw steamer,  40 tons. #128785. Built NSW 1914; reg. Newcastle,  1/1915. Length 65 ft. Collided with the coaster Waraneen in Newcastle harbour and sank within minutes, 9 August 1934. Three passengers drowned. A Court of Inquiry at Newcastle blamed the ferry's master for the collision. [LN - Bluebell],[SAN - Blue Bell I]
[ASR lists vessel Blue Bell Island, steamship, 18 tons. Built Newcastle, 1914. Sunk Newcastle Harbour, reg closed 1935]

Boambee. Wooden steamer, 236 tons. Built Bellinger River, NSW, 1908. Rerenamed Illalong. Ashore on Belmont Beach, south of Newcastle, after losing her rudder, and was later dismantled where she lay, 10 March, 1948. [LN],[MR]
In 1934 she sank at Clarence Town, but was refloated.
In 1947 she sprang a leak when leaving Newcastle and sank shortly after returning to port. Again she was re-floated, and renamed Illalong..

Boyd. Wooden schooner,  18 tons. Lost on Stockton Beach, Newcastle, 16 July  1812.   [SAN],[LN lost near Port Stephens]

Bungaree. Paddle steamer, tug, 62 tons. #69736. Built NSW 1872; reg. Sydney, 84/1873. Length 78.2 ft. Stranded on rocks, Nobbys Head, Newcastle, 17 July 1866. [SAN]
On 8 October 1865, whilst leaving her bearth at Newcastle, backed under the bows of the steamer City of Newcastle, entering Newcastle, and sank. [NH],[LN]

Burnett. Brig, 137 tons. #32391. Built NSW 1853; reg. Sydney, 11/1862. Length 85 ft. Broke up in huge seas near Oyster Bank, Newcastle, in a gale that claimed several ships, 9 May 1869. Crew lost. [LN],[NH],[SAN]

Canmore. Wooden schooner,  131 tons. Reg. Sydney, 108/1832. Length 82 ft. Lost on the Oyster Bank, Newcastle, 21 October 1854. [SAN]

Caroline. Ketch. Foundered in full view of a number of Newcastle residents inside Nobbys Head, 18 July 1866. There were no survivors. [LN],[SAN]

Cawarra. Iron paddle steamer, 552 ton. #49282. Built Glasgow, Scotland, 1864 for the Australian Steam Navigation Company; reg. Sydney, 88/1864. Lbd 207 x 25 x 13 ft.  Arrived in Sydney Harbour under Captain Vaircross on 7 December 1864. Captain Chatfield. Foundered in raging seas during ‘the great gale’off Oyster Bank, (Newcastle), 12 July 1866. When almost across the bar she was swept by a succession of enormous seas which destroyed her within a few minutes, sweeping passengers and crew into the raging water. Sixty-two lives were lost. Wreckage and bodies of those lost littered a large area both in and out of the harbour. The sole survivor, seaman Frederick Hedges grabbed a plank as the ship sank and was eventually washed more dead than alive against a harbour buoy. He was rescued by James Johnson (and two others), the sole survivor of the Dunbar lost in 1857.  See also loss of Arthur, William Watson, Lismore, and Keder. [#LN],[#NH],[GB],[SAN],[#MJ],[#MGS],[LAH],[DG - 438 tons]

Ceylon. Vessel lost near Newcastle, February 1834. [SAN]

Champion. Lighter, 42 tons. #51584. Built NSW, 1863; reg. Newcastle, 3/1872. Length 70.5 ft.   Sliced in two by SS Maitland and sank off Newcastle, 10 April 1877. One man  lost. [LN],[SAN - lost Hunter River entrance, Newcastle, 10 May 1877]

Champion. Ketch, 42 tons. Sank following a collision off Newcastle, June 1879.
[LN],[SAN]

Chance. Ketch. Lost near Newcastle, September 1851.
[LN],[SAN simply lists vessel lost in 1851]

Chance. Wooden ketch, 39 tons. #32674. Built NSW, 1849; reg. Sydney, 1/1853. Length 51.5 ft.  Lost in a gale that took four other vessels, on inside Oyster Bank, Newcastle, 28 July 1857. [SAN],[GB],[LN]

Chance. Cutter, 20 tons. #59561. Built NSW, 1870; reg. Newcastle, 27/1870. Length 44 ft.  Lost on the south spit, 12 nm north of Newcastle, 17 June 1879. [SAN]
Also listed:
Chance. Ketch. Abandoned in a gale and drifted ashore several kilometres south of Newcastle, 11 June 1879. The crew saved ‘suffered severely’ before being rescued. [LN]

Charlotte. Sloop, 10 tons. Left Sydney for places north of Newcastle on 7 September 1827, and was returning when she foundered during a gale, 19? September 1827. Two passengers and the crew of two lost their lives. Wreckage was found six miles north of Newcastle. [LN],[SAN],[ASW1]

Chipperkyle. Barque, 1709 tons. Built 1892. Disappeared having left Newcastle, 1905.  [LAH]

City of Newcastle. Iron paddle steamer, 390/293 tons. #41117. Built Great Britain 1859; reg. Sydney,  53/1859. Length 192 ft. Captain Summerbell. With a full list of passengers and cargo, wrecked ashore in a fog at Shepherds Hill, 2 nm south of Newcastle, 12 September 1878. Passengers landed by walking along planks to the beach. Cargo was removed and the vessel abandoned, to break up after several years. [NH],SAN],[DG],[BNN]
On 8 October 1865, collided with and sank the tug Bungaree.

Colonist. Steamer, steel, 2286/1467 tons. #96673. Built at Sunderland, Great Britain, 1889; reg. London. Lbd 290 x 38, x 20 ft. Captain Mars. Ashore on the Oyster Bank, near the buoy marking the remains of the Cawarra, 10 September 1894. The lifeboat was called and eventually the complement of 29 was rescued. A decade later the Adolphe stranded on her remains and when the breakwater was extended a few years later she disappeared under the boulders.
[LH],[LN - built 1887],[LAH - built 1887],[LAH],[SAN - lost 9 September],[DG - wrecked 6 September]

Comet. Wooden schooner,  87 tons. #32319. Built NSW, 1845; reg. Sydney,  65/1863. Length 70 ft. Lost ashore in a gale at Newcastle Bight, NSW, 11 June 1866. [SAN],[LN]

Commodore. Iron paddle steamer,  187 tons. #74986. Built Great Britain, 1878; reg. Sydney, 52/1878. Length 130 ft.  Operated for some fifty years as a tug and as a passenger vessel in the Sydney area and between Newcastle and Sydney. She was a popular vessel on the weekends, taking people to Manly, and thus helped develop the residential and holiday suburb. Stripped of her fittings and scuttled 3 nm east of Nobbys Head, Newcastle, 3 September 1931. [SAN], [MGS],[BNN]
In 1908, towed stricken Iverna into Sydney Harbour, December, 1908.
@ Wrecksite known, in 35 metres. Only the boiler, engine and paddle wheel shafts and scattered wreckage remain.

Coolabah. Iron, hulk, 479 tons. # 131503. Built Scotland, 1911. Reg. Sydney 10/1912. Length 148.9 ft. Hulked Newcastle, North Stockton, 24 September 1949.  [SAN]

Cumberland. Colonial Government, wooden vessel. Stolen by convicts, Broken Bay, NSW, September 1797. A search for the Cumberland by the Government vessel Reliance, Lieutenant Shortland, failed to find the vessel but it was during this search that coal was discovered at the entrance to the Hunter River 'and this important discovery made up for their failure to recapture the pirates'. [JM],[SAN - lost of  Jervis Bay, 1797]

Cumberland. Wooden schooner,  59 tons. #32652. Built NSW, 1848; reg. Sydney, 22/1848. Length 57.4 ft. Foundered suddenly 2 nm off Newcastle while reducing canvas when running for shelter during a gale, 8 April 1862. The ketch Elfin, which was nearby, saw men in the water but was powerless to save them. [SAN], [LN - lost 6 April 1862]]

Currumbene. Wooden screw steamer,  245 tons. #150180. Built NSW, 1922; reg. Sydnet, 12/1922. Length 125 ft. Lost at Williams River, near Seaham (Hunter River tributary), 9 January 1934. [SAN]

D.Flawless. Catamaran. Lost near Newcastle, 9 April 1988. [LN]

Daisy. Wooden screw steamer, 32 tons. #83662. Built NSW, 1882; reg. Sydney, 24/1882. Lenth 56 ft. Lost at Raymond Terrace, Hunter River, 1 October 1885. [SAN]

Davenport. Wooden screw steamer,  911 tons. #210507. Built Coos Bay, USA, 1912; reg. San Francisco. Length 200 ft. Gutted by fire and sank off the the Newcastle breakwater, 17 January 1944. No loss off life.  [LAH],[SAN - lost on the Oyster Bank, Newcastle, 300 ft off the wreck of the Adolphe, 1 October 1943.],[BNN - lost 1943]
@ Wrecksite in ten metres, scattered over a wide area, with boilers, winches and propeller recognisable.

Delight. Wooden cutter, 35 tons. Built Williams River, NSW, 1837; reg. Sydney, 4/1837. Lbd 45 x 13 x 7.6 ft. Master William Dyer. Lost on the Hunter River entrance, Newcastle, 12 April 1838. [SAN],[LN],[ASW1]

Doorebang. Iron screw steam tender, 61 tons. #32702. Built NSW, 1881; reg. Newcastle,  5/1861. Length 80 ft. Ashore, eventually broke in two, between Stoney Point and Nobbys, Newcastle, 31 July 1873. [LN],[SAN]

Dundee. Wooden full rig ship. Master peter Cummings. Ashore near Hunter River, NSW, broke up, 15 August 1808. Left Sydney for Fiji but rough weather forced her to return. Two crew drowned. [LN],[SAN - lost on the Oyster bank, Newcastle],[ASW1]

Duneam. Barque, 1632 tons. Built 1894. Left Newcastle 1910, and disappeared.  [LAH]

Durisdeer. Iron barquentine, 989 tons. #48911. Built Scotland, 1864; reg. Glasgow. Length 202 ft. Ashore at Stockton Beach, Newcastle, 27 December 1895. [LN - barque],[SAN]

Elaine. Wooden screw steamer,  18 tons. #83692. Built NSW 1882; reg. Sydney, 70/1882. Length 52 ft. Lost on the river bank at Stockton, Newcastle, 1914. [SAN]

Elamang. Iron screw steamer, 946/495 tons. #74903. Built Scotland, 1876; reg. Sydney, 63/1877. Length 232 ft.  After useful service, was dismantled, filled with sank, and sunk at the Newcastle breakwater, February 1905. [DG],[SAN - lost on the northern arm of the breakwall]
In 1893, stranded in the Botanical Gardens, Brisbane, during raging floods.

Eleanor Lancaster. Wooden barque, 480/430 tons. #31652. Built Great Britain, 1839; reg. Melbourne, 132/1855. Length 109 ft. Ashore and lost in gale on Oyster Bank, Newcastle, 7 November 1856. Crew clung to the rigging throughout the night and were finally rescued due mainly to the efforts of a seaman, William Skilton, who made three trips to the wreck in a small boat, despite raging seas. One of eight vessels lost ina violent gale that hit the NSW central coast.  [LN],[#NH],[GB],[SAN - fully rigged ship],[LAH]

Electra. Steel twin screw steamship, 395 tons. #93190. Built Port Glasgow, 1887; reg. Sydney, 6/1889. Length 160 ft. Owned by North Coast Steam navigation Company. The first ship in the country to be fitted with electric light, hence the name. Hulked 1920; used by BHP as a tar store; scrapped 1930. [MR][SAN indicates 295 tons, lost at Stockton Beach, Newcastle, 3 March 1909]
In August 1895, involved in the rescue of survivors from the steamer Catterthun, lost of Seal Rocks, NSW, 8 August. [MGS]
In 1906, hardly damaged in a collision with the steam tug Energy off Sydney heads; the tug sank within minutes.  [LN]

Eliza Appleton. Brig. Broke her back when she ran on to the Oyster Bank at Newcastle, NSW, 4 July 1853. She was carrying 40 passengers from San Francisco; no lives lost. [LN]

Elizabeth Henrietta. (Elizabeth Henriette). Colonial government brig, wooden, 160 tons. Built 1797 following the condemnation of HM armed vessel Supply, as the Portland, but when launched at Sydney on 13 June 1816, renamed Elizabeth Henrietta as compliment to the wife of Governor Macquarie. Driven onto rocks at the north-eastern end of Nobbys, Newcastle, total loss, 19 December 1825.No lives lost. [LN],[SAN],[ASW1]
On 30 July 1816, under Captain Joseph Ross, capsized at her moorings in the Hunter River, NSW. Two drowned, one being the wife of the master. The brig was raised and arrived in Sydney. [ASW1]
On 25 February 1824, run aground at Ruapuke Bay, Goulburn Island, NZ, having parted her cables. After eight months of considerable effort, was refloated. [ASW1]

Emily. Wooden launch. Lost Stockton Beach, Newcastle, 27 February 1919. [SAN]
Emily and Mary. Woden ketch, 23 tons. #74058. Built NSW, 1878; reg. Sydney, 6/1878. Length 53 ft.  She was leaving Newcastle for Port Stephens when she collided with the barque Othello. Apparently undamaged, the Emily & Mary continued her voyage but suddenly filled and sank, 13 January 1892. [LN],[ASR],[SAN]

Ena. Schooner, 125 tons. #112506. Built NSW, 1900; reg.Sydney, 38/1900. Length 106 ft.  Lost North Stockton, Newcastle, 1900s.  [SAN]

Endeavour. Wooden schooner. Built just before her loss. Master M. McEllis. Driven ashore in a gale and lost on the Nobbys, Newcastle, December 1817. Crew saved. [LN],[SAN],[ASW1]

Express. Wooden schooner. Lost Newcastle, 4 August 1844. [SAN]

Fanny. Brig.  Lost on the Oyster Bank, Newcastle, 11 November 1853. [SAN]

Ferryman. Ketch, 41 tons. #51573. Built NSW, 1870; reg. Newcastle, 4/1871. Length 9 ft. Lost on North Beach, Newcastle, 24 June 1876. [SAN],[LN]

Fido. Barquentine, 525 tons. #106152. Built Norway, 1876; reg. Sydney, 39/1897. Length 142 ft. Lost off Nine Mile Beach, Red Head, Newcastle, 6 or 7 May 1898.  [SAN]
She was one of fifteen vessels lost during the "Maitland (qv) Gale" which ravaged the central NSW coast.
Also listed:
Fido. Barque, 536 tons. Built 1876. Lost between New South Wales and Auckland, 1898.  [LAH]

Fox. Schooner. Lost outside Scotts Point, Newcastle north shore, 18 April 1864. [SAN]

Frederick Griffiths. Wooden schooner. Sprang a leak in a gale and sank at Nobbys Head, Newcastle, 13 July 1860. [LN],[SAN]

Frederick. Schooner. Lost on the Oyster Bank, Newcastle, 26 June 1854.  [SAN]

Garnet. Wooden screw steamer,  50 tons. #83779. Built NSW, 1883; reg. Newcastle.  Length 80 ft. Lost at Seaham on the Williams River, a tributary of the Hunter River, NSW, 3 January 1930.  [SAN]

Gazelle. Schooner. Ashore when leaving Newcastle, 23 July; 1860; the lifeboat rescued the crew. [LN],[SAN]

Gem. Wooden schooner,  99 tons. #40901. Built Great Britain, 1844; reg. Sydney, 74/1878. Length 69 ft. Lost Sydney harbour, 1880. [SAN]
Loney records:
Gem. Schooner. Struck a rock and run ashore while entering Newcastle harbour, March 1880. [LN]

Gertrude. Wooden brig, 117 tons. #31921. Built Canada, 1853?; reg. Sydney, 14/1859. Length 80 ft. Destroyed in gale on the Nine Mile Beach, Red Head, Newcastle, NSW, 1864.All saved except the cook. Surviving crew met up with crew of the schooner James lost in the same gale. [LN]

Gilbert Jamieson. Woden schooner, 150/106 tons. #31876. Reg. Sydney, 13/1858. Length 69 ft. Sank on reef north of Nobbys,  Newcastle, 1859. Her crew reached safety. [LN],[SAN - brigantine]

Goolwa. Paddle steamer, tug, iron, 191 tons. #48675. Built at Jarrow-on-Tyne, Great Britain, 1864; reg.  Newcastle, 9/1874. Lbd 130 x 2l.1 x 10.3 ft. Arrived Australia in 1867; commenced duty in Newcastle in 1874. Sunk at her moorings in 1919, raised and run ashore. She lies in the mud in the Hunter River, entrance to south arm, south of Hexham, NSW. [LH],[SAM]

Governor Arthur. Wooden cutter, 47 tons. Built Tasmania, 1823; reg. Sydney. Lost on a  reef off Nobbys, Newcastle, 24? April 1829. [SAN],[LN]

Governor King. Schooner, 38 tons. Ashore off Newcasle, near the wreck of the Francis, 22 April 1806. Bound from Norfolk Island to Sydney when blown off course and forced to anchor off Newcastle, but heavy swell forced her ashore. No lives were lost. [LN],[SAN],[ASW1]

Grecian. Brig, 209 tons. 32038. Built Great Britain, 1824; reg. Hobart, 9/1859. Length 91 ft. Captain Grant. Ashore on Nine Mile Beach between Red Head and Lake Macquarie, NSW, 30 May 1864. The master lost. [LN],[SAN]

Hasketh. Steamer. Ran into and sank the ketch May in Newcastle Harbour, 1887. [LN]

Hebe. Wooden brig, 214 tons. #42939. Built Canada,1862; reg.  Sydney, 44/1892. Length 106 ft. Deliberately put ashore to save crew, between Stockton and Hannah while attempting to enter Newcastle harbour during rough weather, 8 March 1893. [LN],[ASR]

Herculean. Wooden schooner,  92 tons. #32954. Reg. Sydney, 181/1853. Length 68 ft. Lost ashore at Nobbys Head, Newcastle, 25 November 1863. [SAN],[LN]
Shipwreck Atlas of NSW also lists a vessel of this name lost at Newcastle in 1859.

Hunter. Schooner. Lost ashore north beach, Newcastle, 2 October 1856. [SAN]

Illalong. Wooden steamer, 236 tons.  # 125187. Built NSW, 1908; reg. Sydney - 9/1909. Length 38.83 m. Formerly Boambee (qv). Ashore on Belmont Beach, south of Newcastle, after losing her rudder, 10 March 1948. After a close examination it was decided to dismantle her where she lay. [LN],[SAN]

Ino. Ketch. Reported lost near Newcastle, 21 March 1870. Crew of five reached safety. Vessel may have been refloated. [LN],[SAN]

Inverna. Barque. Involved in a collision with the tug Advance, off Newcastle, 1908. The Advance sank in minutes; the barque survived. [LN]

Islander. Sloop, 106 tons. #32699. Built NSW, 1861; reg.  Newcastle, 2/1861. Length 87 ft.  Ashore at Newcastle, 17 March 1870, and was eventually broken up. [LN],[SAN]

Itata. Iron barque 950 tons. #87910. Built at Liverpool, England, 1883; reg. Liverpool. Lbd 202 x 33 x 19.9. Destroyed by fire at the wharf at Newcastle, 12 January 1906.  Several severe explosions occurred during the fire, blowing planking and other debris high into the air and hindering fire-fighters. Eventually her masts fell and she lay with her iron hull gutted and twisted. Towed to Sydney for use as a hulk, but too badly damaged, so abandoned in Saltpan Creek, and arm of Middle Harbour. [LN],[LH],[SAN - steel barquentine]

James. Wooden schooner,  114 tons. #31669. Built Scotland, 1849; reg. Sydney, 31/1860. Length 73 ft. Destroyed in gale on the Nine Mile Beach, Red Head, near Newcastle, NSW, 31 September 1864. Crew saved and met up with crew of the brig Gertrude lost in the same gale. [LN],[SAN]

Jane Williams. Cutter. Grounded on Nobbys reef at the entrance to Newcastle when she mistook the grounded brigantine Sarah Wilson as being at anchor, 13 April 1848. The Jane Williams soon got off with no damage. [ASW1]

Jessie. Wooden cutter. Lost on the Hunter River, NSW, April 1831. [SAN]

Jessie. Wooden schooner, 119 tons. #31856. Built Great Britain, 1847; reg.  Sydney, 16/1859. Length 74.5 ft. Lost on the Oyster Bank, Newcastle, 9 May 1869. Washed ashore a few days after a gale that claimed several ships. [SAN],[LN]

Jonathon. Wooden ketch, 43 tons. #75047. Built NSW, 1879; reg. Sydney, 61/1888. Length 62.3 ft. Lost ashore north of Oyster Bank, Newcastle, 4 October 1891. She was sailing between Tweed River and Sydney when disabled by a gale and forced to seek shelter. [SAN],[ASR - name Jonathan],[LN - lost 5 October 1891]

Jones Brothers. Three-masted topsail schooner, 132 tons. #101118. Built Jervis Bay, 1893; reg. Sydney, 25/1894. Length 114 ft. Captain Olsen Whilst under tow to SS Helen Nicol, was swept on to the remains of the Adolphe at Nobbies, port of Newcastle, where she broke up quickly, 30 August 1905. All seven crew drowned.
[LN - built 1891],[NH],[SAN - 141 tons, lost 31 August 1905]
On 26 November 1894, survived a collision with the schooner Dauntless, which sank, at Broken Bay. [LN]

Joseph Weller. Wooden two-mast schooner,  50 tons. Built New Zealand, 1849; reg. Sydney, 1/1834. Lbd 48 x 16 x 8-1 ft. Traded between New Zealaand and Australia. Lost at Newcastle, north beach near entrance, 19 January 1837.
[LN],[SAN],[ASW1 - built 1831, reg. 3 September 1834]]

Joyron. Wooden launch. Lost at Newcastle, 7 July 1937. [SAN]

Karziah. Screw steamer,  296 tons. Built Scotland. Length 130 ft. Lost at Stockton Beach, one nm north of Mareeba, NSW, 13 February 1909. [SAN]

Kate Tatham. Iron, three-masted schooner, 275 tons. #45953. Built at Greenock, 1863; reg. Newcastle, NSW, 1/1908. Lbd 138.7 x 23 x 12.6 ft. At one time named Yuh Shing. Abandoned on the Hunter River, North Stockton, NSW, 4 November 1907. She had turtle in Newcastle harbour. All saved, with one crew member rescued through a hole cut in her hull. [LH]

Katoomba. Iron twin-screw steamer, 1006 tons. #74976. Built Glasgow, Scotland, 1878; reg. Sydney, 38/1878. Length 250 ft. A.S.N.Co. At the end of her service, disamantled, filled with sand, and sunk at the Newcastle breakwater, February 1905. [DG],[SAN - lost on the breakwater]

Keder. Barque. Two crewmen from this vessel were drowned when their boat capsized in an attempt to retrieve a cask of spirits which came away from the foundered Cawarra, lost in ‘the great gale’ of 12 July 1866, in Newcastle harbour.  See also loss of Arthur, Cawarra, William Watson, and Lismore.[MGS]

King William IV. (King William the Fourth). Wooden paddle steamer, 81 tons. Built Blackwall, London, 1830; reg. Sydney, 3/1839. Lbd 114.4 x 14.7 x 9.2. Arrived in Sydney 20 January 1838 and was employed principally in the Sydney-Hunter River trade. First steamer to enter the Clarence River, NSW north coast, July 1839. Captain Perry. The first steamship to be wrecked on Oyster Bank off Newcastle, 2 July 1839. No loss of life. Her 70 hp engine was salvaged and placed in the steamer Sovereign. [LN],[NH],[MR],[SAN],[#DG]
Bateson records that the vessel was registered as William IV, but was more generally known by her British name King William IV to distinquish her from a locally built steamer called William IV.

Kuring-gai. (Kuring Gai). Steel steamer, 497 tons. #112524. Built at Balmain, 1901; reg. Sydney, 12/1901. Lbd 171.5 x 31.3 x 14.7 ft. Ex Manly ferry. Abandoned at Hexham, Hunter River, NSW. [LH],[SAN - paddle steamer]

Laura. Ketch. Lost ashore  Stockton Beach, Newcastle, 13 February 1869. [SAN]

LF71. Wooden launch. Lost just south of Newcastle, 7 July 1937. [SAN]

Lillian. Ketch, 33 tons. #52371. Built NSW, 1855; reg. Sydney, 1/1866. Length 61.3 ft. Capsized in a squall off Newcastle entrance, 17 November 1879. The crew escaped but a passenger was drowned. [LN],[SAN]

Lindus. Iron steamship, 1678/1080 tons. #85085. Built Great Britain, 1881; reg. Melbourne, 2/1882. Lbd 257.4 x 34.6 x 17.8. Huddart, Parker & Co. Ashore and lost on the Oyster Bank, on wreck of Colonist, Newcastle, 4 June 1899.  [LN],[LH],[LAH],[SAN],[DG]

Lion. Schooner. Reg. Hobart. Lost at Newcastle, on a rock shelf at Nobbys Head,  1857.   [SAN]

Lismore. Schooner, 88 tons. #52367. Built NSW, 1865; reg. Newcastle, 4/1867. Length 74 ft. Lost on the Oyster Bank, Newcastle,  when attempting to return for shelter during ‘the great gale’, 12 July 1866.  The master drove the ship on shore to save life; all crew were rescued by the rocket and line team. See also loss of Arthur, Cawarra, William Watson, and Keder. [SAN - brigantine], [ASR - lost 1874],[LN],[MGS]

Lone. Brigantine, 95 tons. #32511. Built Canada, 1847; reg. Sydney, 5/1857. Length 73.8 ft. Lost Newcastle Bight, April 1864. [SAN]

Lord Liverpool. Packet. Sydney- Newcastle run. Involved in rescue - see brig Australia, lost Newcastle, 1826. [ASW1]

Lovet Peacock. Schooner, 309 tons. #75123. Reg. Sydney, 47/1877. Length 127 ft. Lost after drifting ashore 5 nm north of Newcastle, 18 June 1879.  [SAN],[LN ]

LVT (A) 4. Army amphibious vessel. Lost on Stockton Beach, Newcastle Bight, 8 March 1954. Left Newcastle harbour for Port Stephens in a flotilla when poor weather struck. Eight amphibious vehicles weither sank or were swamped, throwing a hundred soldiers in the sea, with two drowned. Eight vehicles failed to make the beach, five of which were LVT (A) 4s. [BNN],[SAN]
@ One sits in 30 metres, virtually intact, and a good dive with prolific marine life.

Maianbar. Steel twin screw steamship, 493 tons. #131476. Built at Ardrossan, Scotland, 1910; reg. Sydney, 25/1920. Lbd 155.6 x 28.1 x 9.2 ft. Lengthened to 175.6 ft in 1920. Drifted ashore just south of Newcastle when the tow line to SS Arakoon parted, 5 May 1940. After several attempts to refloat her had failed, she was dismantled where she lay. [LN],[SAN],[MR - wrecked on Nobby’s beach],[ASR - 513 tons, foundered off Nobby’s Head]

Manhegan. Barquentine, 1173 tons. Built USA, 1876; reg. USA. Lost in Newcastle Harbour, Bullock Island dyke, January 1882.  [SAN]

Mareeba. Steel screw steamship, 1747 tons. #108397. Ex Harport. Built Great Britain, 1898; reg. Sydney, 1/1900. Length 264 ft. A.U.S.N.Co. Ashore and lost 10 nm north of Stockton, NSW, 31 July 1908.  [LN],[SAN],[DG],[BNN]

Margaret. Schooner, 33 tons. #32503. Built NSW, 1835; reg. Sydney, 132/1855. Length 56 ft. In a strong gale, collided with the brig Phantom when attempting to enter Newcastle harbour, and drifted ashore on Oyster bank, 13 July 1860. [LN],[SAN - lost 12 July 1860]

Margaret Chessel. Schooner,  65 tons. Lost ashore, North Beach, Newcastle, 4 May 1879. [SAN],[LN]

Maria Theresa. Schooner, 116 tons. Built in Newbury, Massachuttas, USA; reg. Newcastle - 2/1885. Lbd 82.4 x 21.4 x 8.3 ft. Left Newcastle and disappeared, 7 November 1856. Probably foundered in a gale; confirmed when wreckage from her came ashore at several points. One of eight vessels lost in a violent gale that hit the NSW central coast. [LN],[GB],[SAN]

Marie. Screw steamer,  76 tons. #94123. Built NSW, 1896; reg. Sydney, 26/1897. Length 94 ft. Lost on Hunter River, at Paterson, 6 May 1914.  [SAN]

Mary Lloyd. Wooden cutter. Lost Nobbys Head, Newcastle, 5 May 1874.  [SAN],[LN - lost on Stony Point]

Mary Pashley. Schooner, 71 tons. #83620. Built NSW, 1880; reg. Sydney, 10/1881. Length 74.4 ft. Sank when struck by the tug Game Cock off Little Red Head near Newcastle, 19 August 1886. The schooner sank quickly but no lives were lost. [LN],[SAN]

May. Wooden ketch, 23 tons. Built NSW, 1869. Sunk in Newcastle Harbour when hit by S.S.Hasketh, 8 June 1887. [LN],[SAN]
Also listed:
May. Cutter, 26 tons. Built 1868; reg. Fremantle. Wrecked Newcastle, NSW, June 1887. [ASR]

May. Ketch, 23 tons. Built 1869; reg. Newcastle.  Broken up Newcastle, 1889. [ASR]

Meeinderry. Steel screw steamer, 217 tons. #89226. Built Scotland, 1883; reg. Sydney, 6/1884. Length 120 ft. Lost Newcastle, 1922.  [SAN]

Merksworth. Iron screw steamship, 270/165 tons. #70852. Built Scotland, 1874; reg. Sydney, 51/1876. Length 149 ft. Foundered in a gale off Stockton Beach, NSW, 7 May 1898. Enormous seas flooded her off Redhead and she drifted helplessly after her fires were extinguished. The crew abandoned her but only three reached safety; two lost their lives when a boat capsized and seven died from exposure in the boat. See also steam tug Ethel, lost in the same gale. [LN],[SAN],[ASR],[DG]

Merry Days. Launch, 14 tons. #125169. Built NSW, 1908; reg. Sydney, 35/1908. Length 43.6 ft. Lost near Newcastle, c1912. [SAN]

Messenger. Wooden schooner, 38 tons. #47279. Built NSW, 1864; reg. Sydney, 82/1864. Length 61.6 ft. Lost near Nobbys Head, Newcastle, 12 February 1869.  [SAN]
Also listed:
Messenger. Schooner. Reported ashore at Manly, February 1869. [LN]

Nancy. Wooden schooner, 74 tons. #39326. Reg. Newcastle, 2/1857. Length 60 ft. The bow and stern of the schooner was washed ashore on the North Beach at Newcastle in a gale that claimed several ships, 9 May 1869. Six crew lost. [LN],[SAN]

Nautilus. Wooden brig, 70 tons. Built and registered at Calcutta.  Master-owner Edward Edwards. From Sydney to Newcastle, and then Batavia, lost off Point Ross, Oyster Bank, Newcastle, 24 November 1816. No loss of life. [SAN],[LN],[ASW1]

Nautilus. Wooden barque, 166 tons. #31983. Built Tasmania, 1848; reg. Sydney, 90/1864. Length 93.4 ft. Ashore Big Ben rocks, under the Nobbys, Newcastle, 20 December 1866. A line from the Newcastle lifeboat was fastened to the wreck and some reached the lifeboat while others went ashore in their own boat. [LN],[SAN - barquentine]

Norfolk. Wooden sloop,  25 tons. Built NSW, 1798. Owned by the Colonial Government. ‘Made famous’ for her circumnavigation of Tasmania by George Bass and Matthew Flinders in 1798. Lost at Pirate Point, Newcastle, October 1800. She had been seized at the moyth of the Hawkesbury River in October by fifteen convicts who had intended sailing her to the Moluccas, however when entering Port Hunter in bad weather, she went ashore. The convicts landed with some difficulty. Later, eleven convicts seized another small boat and put to see but were soon captured. Two of then were subsequently executed.  [ASW1],[SAN]

Orient. Wooden schooner,  32 tons. #32371. Built NSW, 1849; reg. Sydney, 49/1849. Length 45 ft. Lost on north beach, Newcastle, June 1866. [SAN]

Osprey. Steel screw steamer, 208 tons. #89095. Built Dundee, Scotland, 1885; reg.  Sydney, 1/1922. Formerly Eagle. Length 125 ft.  Scuttled  5 nm east of Newcastle, 27 November 1931.  [SAN],[BNN]
@ Wreck lies in 40 metres , the bow and boiler visible.

Otago. Wooden schooner,  64 tons. #32477. Built New Zealand; reg. Sydney, 28/1858. Length 62 ft. Lost Newcastle, 31 July 1867. [SAN],[ASR]

Othello. Barque. Collided with the ketch Emily and Mary when the ketch was leaving Newcastle. The Othello was saved; the ketch continued her voyage but suddenly filled and sank, 13 January 1892. [LN]

Paterson Packet. Cutter, 41 tons. #32429. Built NSW, 1847; reg. Sydney, 13/1847. Length 47 ft.  Lost ashore Nobbys Head, Newcastle, July 1859. [SAN],[ASR - lost 1872]

Paterson. Wooden schooner,  48 tons. Built NSW, 1834; reg. Sydney,16/1834.Length 48 ft. Lost ashore 5 to 10 nm from Nobbys Head, Newcastle, May 1845.  [SAN]

Paterson. Iron screw steamer. Lost ashore Newcastle harbour, 6 June 1872.  [SAN],[LN - Patterson]
Also listed:
Paterson. Steamer. Picked up crew of lost schooner Elizabeth Seldon, off Norah Head, 1861. [GB]
Paterson. Steamer. Owned by the Hunter River Steam Navigation Company. Collided with the steamer Williams, also of the H.R.S.N.C., both considerably damaged, and being out of commission for several months, Raymond Terrance, NSW, possibly 1856. [DG]

Phantom. Brig, 158 tons. #32285. Built 1841; reg. Sydney, 49/1853. Length 85.4 ft.. In a strong gale, collided with the schooner Maragaret when attempting to enter Newcastle harbour, and drifted ashore on Oyster Bank, 13 July 1860. [LN],[SAN]

Phoebe Dunbar.  Wooden full rig ship, 704 tons. Built Great Britain, 1850; reg. London. Length 131 ft. Fire while lying in Newcastle harbour, 7 March 1864. The tug Tamar towed her out towards Scotts Points hoping to scuttle her, but she quickly burnt to the water's edge. [LN],[LAH]

Pilot. Schooner, 32 tons. Built NSW, 1849?; reg. Newcastle, 1/1849. Length 55.4 ft. Lost near Nobbys Head, Newcastle, 26 February 1849.   [SAN]
Also listed:
Pilot. Schooner, 31 tons. Wrecked on Nobby Island, NSW, 6 February 1850. Crew escaped in her boat and were picked up by the vessel Scud. Her sails and rigging were recovered but the hill was a wreck.  [LN],[ASW1]

Priscilla. Cutter. Ashore at Crowder (Crowdy) Bay, NSW, 1836. Refloated. [ASW1]
Also recorded:
Priscilla. Cutter. Lost on  Stockton Beach, Newcastle, NSW, June 1837.  [SAN]

Prospector. Barque, 235 tons. #47016. Built Scotland, 1863; reg. Newcastle, 5/1878. Length 123 ft. Collided with a mud punt and sank when leaving Newcastle harbour, near AA Company’s wharf, 2 May 1884. [LN],[SAN - barquentine]

Ranger. Schooner, 88 tons. #93635. Built NSW, 1890; reg. Sydney, 27/1890. Length 85 ft.  Missed stays at the Newcastle harbour entrance and went ashore and lost on the northern side of the breakwater, 24 June 1891. [LN],[SAN],[ASR]

Redpole. Lost off Hunter River entrance, Newcastle, April 1834. [SAN]

Regent Murray. Iron barque, 849 tons. #73840. Built Great Britain, 1876; reg. Glasgow. Length 195 ft. Ashore in a sudden squall on the Oyster Bank, Newcastle, while under tow to the tug Newburgh, 4 April 1899. The tug escaped.  [LN],[SAN - barquentine]

Reliance. Government vessel. Lieutentant Shortland. Whilst searching for convicts who had stolen the vessel Cumnerland at Broken Bay, 1797, discovered  coal  at the entrance to the Hunter River 'and this important discovery made up for their failure to recapture the pirates'. [JM]

Resource. Wooden schooner, 19 tons. Built 1803?.  From Newcastle, NSW, to Sydney, lost after leaving the Hunter River, September 1814. No loss of life. [LN],[SAN],[ASW1]
In 1804, involved in rescue of five crew from sloop James. [GB]

Rhoderick Dhu. Wooden schooner, 76 tons. #32416. Built NSW, 1851; reg. Sydney, 22/1851. Length 77 ft. Lost 14 nm south of Port Stephens, Stockton Bight, 13 July 1866.  [SAN]

Rob Roy. Schooner. 47 tons.  Built Macleay River, NSW, 1837; reg. 24 May 1837, 19/1837. Length 48 ft. Master Benjamin Audus. Missing on a voyage from Macleay River and Sydney, 1837. [LN],[SAN - lost ashore at Nobbys Head, Newcastle, July 1838],[ASW1 - lists as unidentified schooner, possibly Rob Roy]

Rover. Wooden schooner. Lost on the Oyster Bank, Newcastle, 9 November 1856. She had run into bad weather when off Newcastle and sought shelter in the harbour. The lifeboat was out assisting at the wreck of the Eleanor Lancaster and when the Rover was unable to fasten a warp to the moorings she was lost. [LN],[SAN]

Runette. Wooden launch, 13 tons. #157630. Built NSW, 1934; reg. Sydney, 15/1935. Length 34 ft.  Lost Newcastle, October 1947.  [SAN]

San Pan. Wooden yacht. Lost on Big Ben reef, Newcastle, 18 April 1936. [SAN]

Santa Cruz. Ketch. Abandoned off Newcastle after drifting on to the Oyster Bank, 19 July 1883. The lifeboat rescued her crew of six. [LN],[SAN]

Sarah Wilson. Wooden brigantine, 30 tons. Built Brisbane Water, NSW, 1845; reg. Sydney, 49/1845, 10/1847. Lbd 49 x 12.6 x 5.7 ft. Total wreck after striking Nobbys Head reef near the entrance to Newcastle Harbour, 1848. The cutter Jane Williams, going in on the same night, mistook the Sarah Wilson for a vessel at anchor, and was also grounded, but got off. [LN],[SAN],[ASW1]

Saturn. Ketch, 16 tons. #88980. Built NSW, 1884; reg. Newcastle, 5/1885. Length 45 ft.  Abandoned after springing a leak off Nobbys, drifted ashore and broke up 7 nm north of Newcastle, 1 April 1890. [LN],[SAN],[ASR]

Sea Nymph. Wooden brig,  173 tons. #31960. Built Canada, 1850; reg. Adelaide, 15/1863. Length 88 ft. Ashore 7 nm north of Newcastle, 9 November 1856. All hands saved.  [SAN],[LN - lost 30 October 1856. [LN]

Seagull. Schooner, 64 tons. #32435. Built NSW, 1852; reg. Sydney, 15/1864. Length 73.8 ft. Foundered off Newcastle lighthouse, 13 July 1866. A name-board tossed up on a beach was the only indication that she had been lost. Five seamen lost. [LN],[SAN]

Seagull. Ketch, 14 tons. #64367. Built NSW, 1871; reg. Sydney, 33/1871. Length 39 ft. Lost near Nobbys Head, Newcastle, 1876.  [SAN]

Seagull. Wooden screw steamship, 120/96 tons. #113160. Built Stockton, 1910; reg. Sydney, 20/1915. Lbd 86.4 x 21.4 x 7.7 ft. Operated on NSW north coast run. Sprang a leak and was beached Stockton Beach, 12 nm north of Newcastle, 21 August 1926. No lives lost. [LN],[MR],[SAN - lists as Seagull II]

Shamrock. Schooner, 160/100 tons. During a gale missed stays when rounding the Nobbys and drifted on to Oyster Bank, Newcastle, 13 November 1861.  [LN],[SAN]

Sir David Ogilby. Two-masted wooden schooner, 123/99 tons.  Built Fishbourne, near Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK, 1823; reg. London 218/1825, reg. Sydney on 13 October 36/1836, reg. Sydney, 55/1840. Lbd 67.3 x 20.9 x 10.9 ft. Wrecked north of Newcastle, September 1840; no loss of life. [LN],[SAN - at extreme end of north spit],[ASW1]
In 1837, was attacked by natives when lying off one of the Fijian islands. The master and two crew killed, but the remaining crew repatured the vessel, and sailed her to Levuka where the American brig Mermaid rendered assistance.

Sir John Franklin. Schooner, 24 tons. Built 1849; reg. Sydney. Broken up Newcastle, 1891. [ASR]

Sophia. Schooner. Lost at Newcastle during a heavy gale, high on shore near Oyster Bank, 26 July 1826. [LN],[SAN],[ASW1]

Southland. Iron paddle steamer, tug , 143 tons. #52347. Built Great Britain, 1864; reg. Newcastle, 13/1872 . Length 130 ft. Sank after a collision with SS Waratah at the entrance to Newcastle harbour, 30 July 1876. No lives were lost. [LN],[SAN],[BNN]

Speculant. Schooner, 102 tons. Built New Zealand, possibly 1853; reg. Newcastle, 9/1854. Length 74.6 ft. Lost about 12 nm north of Newcastle Bight, July 1859.  [SAN]

Storm King. Schooner. Lost at Newcastle, November 1856.  [SAN]

Surprise. Wooden sloop,  24 tons.  Built Sydney 1803. Originally named Diana. Carried cargoes to Tasmania and Hawkesbury River settlements. Left Sydney 11 April 1805; forced ashore near Hunter River, NSW, 2 nm north of Newcastle harbour entrance, April 1805. (Lost near the wreck of the sloop Francis).  [LN],[SAN],[ASW1],[JM]

Surprise. Topsail schooner, 90 tons. #59505. Reg. Sydney, 35/1872.  Length 69.4 ft. In a gale struck the Oyster Bank, Newcastle  and was lost, 31 January 1874. A boat containing the crew of six was swamped in the surf but no lives were lost. [LN],[SAN - lost 1 February 1874],[ASR]

Susan Gilmour. Wooden barque, 1204 tons. Built USA. Ashore on Long Beach, Newcastle, 4 July 1884. A rope parted as she was being towed into port. She lay upright on the beach for about a fortnight before her masts coIlapsed; then she fell over to seaward and broke in two. [LN],[SAN - barquentine],[BNN]

Susannah Goddefroy. (Susanne Goddeffroy, Susanne Goddefroy). Full rigged ship, 1119 tons. #75076. Built Lubeck, Germany, 1863, reg. Sydney, 50/1880.  Captain Edmondson. Ashore and lost 2 km south of Newcastle, 27 September 1880. She had taken water in severe weather; after running ashore, broke in two, drowning six of her crew, including the captain and mate. Another seaman was killed by a falling spar.
[#NH],[LN - barque],[LAH - wooden barque],[SAN - lost 28 September 1880]

Sygna. Norwegian steel motor vessel, bulk carrier, 53000/30503 tonnes. Built Norway, 1967. Lbd 217.3 x 29.9 x 12.4 metres. Aground in a gale on Stockton Beach, north of Newcastle, 27 May 1974. The crew of thirty were rescued by helicopter but the ship was pounded almost in two by heavy seas. On 4 September a salvage team led by Japanese millionaire Kitoku Yamada refloated the ship after repairing several holes in the hull and then pumping out thousands of tonnes of water. The stern section was refloated first, followed by the bow, which had been resting deep in the sand; three winches wound in cable attached to heavy anchors to tow the vessel out to sea beyond the line of breakers. The bow remained afloat but unfortunately for the salvagers the stern again went aground about 80 metres out from the beach and gradually settled in the sand as salvage crews stripped it of all items of value. After lying in Salamander Bay, Port Stephens, for almost two years the bow section was towed away to be broken up in Taiwan. [LN],[LH],[LAH],[SAN],[BNN]
@ The stern lies in the breaker line.

Sylvan. Iron screw steamer, 196 tons gross. #46968. Built Port Glasgow, 1882; reg. Sydney, 14/1917. Lbd 119.4 x 20.2 x 8.9 ft. Sank in the Hunter River; lies abandoned on the bank at Stockton, (Newcastle), NSW, December 1924. [LH],[SAN]

Tagliaferro. Steamship, 1598 tons. Built UK, 1882. Operated in the coal trade for McIlwraith, McEacharn & Co. Also took wool to England.
On 15 July 1904, survived a collision with schooner Western Star 15 km off Nobbys, Newcastle. The schooner went down with four men. [LN]

Tarshaw. Steamer. In November 1906, involved in a minor collision with the steamer Macleay in Newcastle Harbour. [MGS]

Toronto. Wooden launch. Length 40 ft. Lost at Newcastle, Stockton, 14 September  1944. [SAN]

Transport. Brig, 307 tons. #52146. Built Canada, 1865; reg. Newcastle, 12/1874. Length 111.5 ft. Lost at Newcastle, Stockton beach, NSW,. February 1888.  [SAN],[ASR - broken up 1887]

Tua Wha. Motor vessel, 230 tons. Length 119 ft. Lost at Newcastle, 8 km east of Stockton Bight, 5 January 1947. [SAN]

Unity. Ketch, 42 tons. #32554. Built NSW, 1854; reg. Sydney, 89/1854. Length 52.4 ft. Ashore off the Nobbys, 27 November 1862. A boat brought the three members of the crew to safety. The remains of the vessel were sold at auction. [LN],[SAN]

Unity. Steel screw steamer, 52 tons. #117668. Built NSW, 1904; reg. Sydney, 27/1906. Length 73.5 ft.  Ashore on Stockton Beach, Newcastle,  in gale force winds and rough seas, 2 May 1907. Crew of five reached safety.  [LN],[SAN]

Uralla. Steel twin screw steamship, 529 tons.  #152023. Built Grangemouth, Scotland, 1926; reg. Sydney, 7/1926. Lbd 153 x 34.6 x 8.5. Run ashore in a gale on Stockton Beach 15 km south of Port Stephens, 13 June 1928. When off Newcastle an enormous sea struck her amidships, destroying her steering gear. Anchors were dropped but they could not hold her so it was decided she must be beached. At low tide the crew were able to wade ashore. Attempts to refloat her failed and she was eventually sold; the new owners refloated her briefly but she again drifted ashore and soon broke up. Collier White Bay ashore in the same gale. [LN],[LH],[LAH],[#MR],[SAN],[BNN]
@ Wrecksite known.

Victor. Brig, 227 tons. #36047. Built Canada, 1856; reg. Geelong, 1/1862. Reported lost near the entrance to Newcastle, 19 March 1866. [LN],[SAN]

Virawa. Steamship. Rammed and sank the schooner Bessie Maud when the latter was outward bound from Newcastle, 4 October 1898.  [LN]

Vixen. Schooner, 46 tons. #32457. Built NSW, 1842; reg. Sydney, 25/1854. Length 47.8 ft. Left Newcastle for Sydney but ran on to rocks near the Nobbys, Newcastle, 2 September 1858. Attempts to refloat her appeared to be succeeding when a heavy roller threw her hard against more rocks and she was lost. [LN],[SAN - brigantine]

Vulcan. Wooden sloop, 28 tons. Built NSW, 1837; reg. Sydney, 27/1837. Lbd 40.2 x 12.6 x 7.2 ft. Master Robert Craven. Wrecked during gale on Stockton Beach while entering Newcastle, 23 December 1837. Several lives were lost. The earliest record of the lifeboat service out of Newcastle was the rescue of the crew of the Vulcan. [LN],[NH],[SAN - lost 24 December],[ASW1]

Waraneen. Coastal freighter. Involved in a collision with the ferry Bluebell in Newcastle harbour, 9 August 1934, in which the ferry sank taking three lives. The Waraaneen survived. [LN]

Waratah. Schooner. Apparently foundered during a gale, having left Newcastle for Sydney, 2 June 1864. Seven lives lost. [LN],[SAN],[BNS]
@ Wrecksite known.

Waterwitch. Wooden brig. Lost on the Oyster Bank, Newcastle, 25 June 1854. [SAN]

Wave. Schooner, 21 tons. Built NSW, 1849; reg. Sydney, 95/1849. Length 36.3 ft. Lost ashore at Newcastle Bight, 3 March 1850.  [SAN]

Wendouree. Steel screw steamship, 1640/1066 tons. #84943. Built Scotland, 1882; reg. Melbourne, 15/1882. Length 274 ft. Huddard, Parker & Co. Wrecked on Oyster Bank while leaving Newcastle for Adelaide, 20 July 1898. The crew abandoned her without incident.
[LN],[SAN],[DG]
In 1888, involved in rescue - see brig Mina.

Western Star. Schooner, 124 tons. #84951. Built New Zealandd, 1885; reg. Sydney, 73/1886. Length 99 ft. Sank quickly after colliding with S.S.Tagliaferro 15 kms off Nobbys, Newcastle, 15 July 1904. The captain, mate and one hand were saved but three seamen and the cook lost their lives. [LN],[SAN - brig]

White Bay. Wooden screw steamer, collier, 134 tons. #150178. Built 1922; reg. Sydney, 10/1922. Length 94.6 ft.  Swamped by a succession of heavy seas and battered to pieces, then ashore in Stockton Bight, NSW, 13 June 1928. Five lives lost. SS Uralla wrecked in the same gale. [LN],[SAN]

William Watson. Barque, 384 tons. #13531. Built Scotland, 1845; reg. Newcastle, 4/1863. Length 117.6 ft. During ‘the great gale’, swept over the Oyster Bank and ashore on the North Beach, Newcastle, 12 July 1866. Master and steward lost their lives but all others reached safety along a line swum out to the stricken vessel by one Harold Holt. See also loss of Arthur, Cawarra, Lismore, and Keder.[LN],[SAN - barquentine],[MGS]

Williams. Steamer, 88 tons. #113150. Built 1906; reg. Newcastle, 4/1906. Length 86.5 ft. After beaching on Stockton Bight, NSW, the small wooden trading, was soon battered to pieces, 25 November 1922. Crew of four rowed to safety. Later, the tug Champion failed in attempts to tow her clear. [LN],[SAN]

Windhover. Brig, 207 tons. #18033. Built Scotland, 1854; reg. Sydney, 9/1868. Length 102 ft. Sprang a leak and foundered after leaving Newcastle, 13 December 1874. No lives lost. [LN],[SAN]

WST 1. Wooden motor vessel. Lost near Newcastle, 27 July 1945.  [SAN]

Yarra. Wooden schooner. Stranded in gale near the Oyster Bank, Newcastle, and went to pieces, 31 January 1874. All saved. [LN],[SAN - lost 1 February]

Yarra. Wooden screw steamer. Lost Newcastle Harbour, opposite pilot station, January  1908. [SAN]

Yarra Yarra. Iron paddle steamer, collier, 555/337 tons. #32296. Built Dumbarton,Scotland, 1851; reg.  Sydney, 39/1852. Australasian Steam Navigation Co. Length 183 ft. Lost when overwhelmed by several big seas on Oyster Bank,  Newcastle, 15 July 1877. All hands, numbering eighteen, were lost. The National Shipwreck Society of N.S.W. was formed as a result of this wreck. [LN],[SAN],[BNN],[LAH],[DG]
@ What little remains lie in fifteen metres with enormous boilers standing on the sea bed in 15 metres; the boiler, paddle wheel mechanism, windlass and chian is about all that remains. Explosives have been used on the wreck.
~ Newcastle Maritime Museum has artifacts.

Yua Hwa. Motor vessel,  230-ton. Built NSW, 1934. Length 120 ft.. Sprang a leak and sank under tow to the Newcastle pilot boat Birubi 8 km south of Newcastle, 5 January 1947. [LN - lists as formerly Deakoto],[SAN - lists as Yua Wha, formerly Desikoko]

Zone. Schooner. Captain Lovett. In a gale drifted into the breakers off Newcastle, 1864. The tug Bungaree towed the Newcastle lifeboat to the schooner and stood by as the crew were transferred. However, when returning to the shelter of the harbour the lifeboat overturned, drowning four men. [LN],[#NH]

UNIDENTIFIED

Unidentified. 1835. Vessel of around 20 tons, off Stockton Beach, Newcastle, August. 1835.  [SAN]

Unidentified. 1868. Wreckage believed to be French was recovered off Newcastle, 18 February, 1868. [LN]

Unidentified. 1890. Silt punt, lighter.Wrecked about 0.5 nm off Nobbys Head, Newcastle, 9 September 1890. [SAN]