It appears to have been Lt. John Murray in the Lady Nelson who first sailed through the notorious Rip into Port Phillip on 14 February 1802, naming it Port King in honour of the governor of New South Wales - who renamed it Port Phillip after the first governor. A fortnight earlier, Lt. Bowen had taken the ship's boat through the entrance, and no doubt reported favourably. A vast expanse of water could be seen through the narrow entrance, but the turbulent seas and treacherous rocks on either side was a formidable obstacle to enter. No doubt Murray saw the dangers, and if he had any misgivings, they would be confirmed over the next century as hundreds of vessels met their end at the entrance and within the bay. There are over seven hundred vessels in this listing, most of which were lost.

The bay is huge, roughly the shape of a distorted diamond, seven kilometres from the Rip to the city of Melbourne, and eightly kilometres east-west from Geelong to Frankston. It is no Sydney Harbour, but has its beauty in its vastness. It is never without a container ship or tanker motoring to and from Melbourne and Geelong, the Tasmanian ferry, local ferries and thousands of pleasure craft. The bay itself is relatively safe, with few navigational obstacles. It is the entrance however that causes concern to mariners. The Rip as it is appropriately called is flanked by Lonsdale reef on the west and Nepean reef on the east, with less than one kilometre of navigatable water between them, at a depth not exceeding 30 metres.  This in itself should pose no major problem, however it is the depth that creates havoc: a deep trough across the entrance, extending down to a hundred metres, creates turmoil on the surface as the tide moves forward, and the seas pound down and rise upward with then tide. Surging into the bay, the five to seven knot tide will frequently meet the  'rebounding' previous tide trying to escape. The result is a short stretch of sea that is one of the most dangerous in the world. But on a calm day, at slack water, it can be like a millpond. The Lonsdale Reef, dry at low tide, projects 500 metres across the entrance from Point Lonsdale, with rock outcrops for a further two huundred metres. The Point Nepean reef on the eastern side extends for 700 metres, and harbours the notorious Corsair Rock  which rises to within two metres.

Most losses at the Rip occurred when atempting top enter against a strong ebb tide, or when a vessel ignored the pilot and entered without assistance, perhaps at night, or anchored too close to shore. And there have been some very large vessels lost this way. In 1904 the 6901 ton steamship Australia struck Corsair Rock and was totally wrecked off Point Nepean. And the 3316 steamship Time was wrecked on the same rock in 1949 after her steering failed. The 415 ton three-masted barque Eliza Ramsden struck Corsair Rock in 1875 but managed to enter the bay and sank, now providing an excellent dive. On the other side of the entrance, a dozen ships of significant size were wrecked on the Lonsdale reef, including the 2033 ton barque George Roper, magnificent 2237 ton barque Holyhead,  and the 1071 ton barque Gange just to name a few.

Within the bay, navigational obstacles and the weather have played a minor part in losses of the larger vessels, although smaller craft have succumbed to the vagaries of the weather; collision and fire have contributed to many losses. The listing includes vessels lost at the entrance to, and within Port Phillip, which includes the port of Geelong and Corio Bay, also Hobsons Bay and the Yarra River at the port of Melbourne. Also included are those vessels scuttled in the Ship's Graveyard outside Port Phillip Heads.

References.
Shipping history and incidents have been well documented for Port Phillip. The base listing has been established from Loney [LR,LV], and Williams and Searle [WPP,WPH]. Noble [NH], and Bateson [AS1] contribute significantly to the historic record. Wealthy and Bugg [WB], Lewis [IL], Nayler [NSC, NWR], and Denmead [DD] provide excellent material on the wrecksites.
[702 records]

Associated links:  VICTORIA    GABO ISLAND

Abbey. Schooner. Stranded at Point Gellibrand, Port phillip, 15 September 1856. [WPP]

Aboukir.Ship. Assisted in the atempt to extinguish the fire on board the sship Lightning, off Geelong, 31 Octoner 1869. [LC]

Ada. Tug. Assisted ship Marilla, on fire, Port Phillip, 1839 or 1859.

Adieu. Ketch, 15 tons. # 78057. Built Gravelly Beach, Tasmania, 1877; reg. Melbourne 1879. Lbd 38.9 x 13.8 x 5.5 ft. Engaged in the lime trade between Rye and Melbourne; wrecked in the ‘Lime Channel’ near Rye, Port Phillip, 30 September 1882. [LV],[WPP]

Afric. Steamship, 7804 tons. Suffered minor damage when she hit rocks passing through Port Phillip Heads, 18 August 1906. [LR]

Africa. Norwegian bulk carrier, 31905 tons. Stranded whilst negotiating the Point Richards Channel, two miles off Portarlington, Port Phillip, 1969. Later refloated. [LC]

Africaine. Barque. Reported lost in Port Phillip, 1850. [LV],[WPP - lost January 1840]

African Maid. Brig. Involved in collision with steamer Alhambra, Port Phillip, 11 December 1871. [LV]

Agnes. Ketch, 44 tons. # 101772. Built at Launceston, 1894 as a screw steamer. Operated as a tug before being re-rigged. Lbd 92 x 14 x 5 ft. Ashore in a gtale, wrecked, behind the rifle range at Williamstown, Port Phillip, 14 December 1933. [WPP],[LV]

Agnes. Schooner, 20 tons. Built 1872. Involved in the salvage of the barque George Roper off Port Phillip Heads, 1883.  [LO]

Ajax. Barque, 536 tons.  Out of Melbourne, disappeared without trace, 1879. [LV]

Albatross. Paddle steamer,tug, 191 tons. Built 1875. Lbd 131.4 x 21.1 x 10.7 ft. Laid up in 1918 then refitted, renamed Wortannia, and wrecked near Cairns.
In 1877, involved in collision with vessel Madina, Port Phillip Bay.
In 1877, towed the brig Emily to Melbourne for repairs after she had hit a rock entering Port Phillip.
In 1881, stood by the stranded barque hereford near Cape Otway.
In 1881, freed the stranded steamer Bancoora, ashore at Bream Creek, Victoria, and towed her to Hobsons Bay for repairs.
In 1882, towed the stricken clipper ship George Thompson from the Quarantine Station to Melbourne.
In 1883, involved in the salvage of the barque George Roper, and steamer Rodondo, off Port Phillip Heads.
In 1886, took Captain and his family from the wrecked Austrian barque Gange on to Melbourne.
In 1887, towed the damaged ship Persian Empire from Port Phillip Heads to Melbourne.  [LWP]
In 1888, involved in saving SS Bowra on shore at Apollo Bay.
In 1890, attended the stricken Holyhead off Port Phillip Heads.
In 1889, involved in collision with  boat, Yarra River, Melbourne.
In 1895, involved in collision with Julia Percy, Yarra River, Melbourne.
In 1902, towed free the steamer Paroo near Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip.
[LO],[LV],[LSS],[LE],[LR]

Albert the Good. Type not recorded. Involved in collision with steamer Arawata, Port Phillip, 1878. [LV]

Albert William. Lighter, wool barge, ex barque, 600 tons. # 47480. Built Sunderland 1863; reg. Melbourne 1933. Broke adrift from the tug Swiftness during a voyage from Melbourne to Geelong and drifted ashore near Point Gellibrand, Port Phillip, May 1955. She was a total loss and finally broken up in 1962.
In 1876, involved in rescue - see steamer Dandenong, lost Jervis Bay, NSW.
[LV],[WPP]

Albert. Ketch, 42 tons. Built 1884. Lbd 73.6 x 20.1 x 4.8 ft. Sprang a leak in rough seas shortly after leaving Lorne, Victoria, for Melbourne; the Pilot schooner Rip took her in tow but she foundered about three nautical miles outside Port Phillip Heads, 13 August, 1890. She could lie somewhere near Cape Schanck. [ASR],[LG],[LO],[LV]

Albert. Schooner, 44 ton. Built by the Victorian Government at Williamstown, Port Phillip, 1863, for duties at Port Albert, arriving there on 23 July 1863.  Wrecked off New Guinea 1888.  [LPA]

Albert. Type not recorded. Involved in collision with vessel Gem, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 1898. [LV]

Alecto. Barque, 325 tons. Captain Oldham. Stranded Point Richards, Port Phillip, 2 March 1853. While arrangements were made to lighten her, a party of police was despatyched to guard 12,000 ounces of gold dust on board. The vessel was freed after five days. [LC],[WPP]

Alexander. Type not recorded. Involved in collision with Pirate, Corio Bay, 13 October 1853. [LV],[WPP]

Alexandra. Steamer.
In 1866, involved in collision with Windward, Port Phillip Bay, 21 January 1866.
On 30 November 1868, involved in collision with Cleopatra, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip.
On 1 November 1873, stranded in West Channel, Hobsons Bay.
[LV],[WPP - vessel name Alexandria]

Alhambra. Steamer.
In 1862, 10 December, collided with the Pilot schooner Rip, just outside Port Phillip Heads and was considerably damaged.
On 11 December 1871, involved in collision with brig African Maid, Port Phillip.
In June 1873, involved in collision with steamer Otway, Yarra River, Melbourne.
[LR],[LV],[WPP]

Allison. Vessel type not listed. Arrived Hobsons Bay from England, December 1852 with malignant typhus on board. Fourteen deaths had occured during the voyage. The surgeon- superintendant on board reported that there was no disease, apparently in order to claim the bounty due to him if his passengers arrived in a healthy conddition. [CWR]

Alma. Involved in collision with Sparrowhawk, Port Phillip Heads,1878. [LV]

Almeida. Brigantine. Stranded in West Channel, Port Phillip, 13 July 1858. [WPP],[LV - schooner, lost Port Phillip, 1858.]

Alvina. Pilot steamer.
On 10 March 1910, involved in collision with ship Songvaar, off Queencliff, Port Phillip Heads.
In 1914, involved in rescue - see SS Campbell, 1914.
[LV],[MM],[LG]

Amicus. Schooner, 170/140 tons. Built 1839. Lbd 77 x 19.1 x 12.1 ft.  From Adelaide, struck Point Nepean Reef at Port Phillip Heads, wrecked, 1 March 1857. One sailor drowned attempting to swim ashore soon after the vessel struck. The remains floated out into bass Strait and were a menace to shipping until located by SS Victoria and towed ashore. [LG],[LV],[LR],[WPH]

Amsterdam IV. Steam hopper. Scuttled in 1981 at Corio Bay, Victoria. [LH]

Amsterdam V. Steam hopper. Scuttled in 1981 at Corio Bay, Victoria. [LH]

Andora. Ship. Touched bottom when entering the Rip, 1885. No further details. [LR]

Aneas. Steamship. Stranded at St.Kilda, Port Phillip, 31 October 1912. [WPP]

Anieura. Four-masted wooden schooner, 1328 tons. Built California, 1918 as the Oronite. Reg. Melbourne, 1928. Lbd 236.5 x 42 x 29. Last captain, de Carteret. Stripped of anything of value at the Yarra Street Pier, Geelong, in 1932; burnt to recover her copper and brass,  and sunk off Avalon Bach, two kilometres east of Point Lillias. She had been siezed for debt.
@ Her wreckage is scattered and overgrown, covered in light silt in 4 metres.
[NWR],[LC],[NSC]

Ann & Jane. Schooner. Stranded on Point Nepean, Port Phillip Heads, 19 December 1856. The crew left the vessel and made Queenscliff. [LR],[LG],[WPH]
Loney indicates she was refloated, repaired, and returned to service. Williams and Searle indicate she was totally wrecked, going to pieces the following day.

Annabella. Schooner. Stranded Corio Bay, 26 January 1854. [WPP],[LC]

Annie & Elizabeth. Schooner, 54 tons. Lost Port Phillip, 1856. [LV]

Annie. Schooner. Arrived at Geelong on 18 March 1870 to clear way the masts, and recover wool, tallow and copper ore, from the burnt ship Lightning, Coria Bay, Port Phillip. [LC]

Anonyma. Pilot schooner, 75 tons. Former Boston pilot cutter. Built Boston, USA, 1847; reg. Melbourne 1859. Lbd 62.1 x 19.2 x 7.5 ft.  Employed in the (Port Phillip) pilot srvice; commenced at Port Phillip Heads in 1853, the third vessel employed as Port Phillip pilots, and was in service until wrecked  in a gale on Lonsdale Reef, Port Phillip Heads, 2 October 1859. Crew took to the boat but it capsized, forcing all to swim to shore. All saved.
In 1853, involved in collision with steamer West Wind off Port Philip Heads.
In 1853, attended wreck of the Earl of Charlemont.
[LO],LR],[NH],[LV],[WPH - 42 gross tons],[LPH]

Anonyma. Ship, 1300 tons. Badly damaged by fire while unloading cargo at the Sandridge railway pier (Port Melbourne), 22 August 1879. Volunteers from several ships fought the fire, but eventually she was towed across towards St Kilda, where rivets were knocked out below the waterline to allow her to fill and sink.  She was raised a few days later. [LV]

Anthracite. Barque. Stranded Point Gellibrand, Port Phillip, 12 September 1853. [WPP]

Antoinette Cezard. French ship, wood, 642 tons. Built France, 1852; reg. Bordeaux, reg. Melbourne in 1854. Captain Marin.  From London to Melbourne with general cargo and nine passengers, struck Corsair Rock, Point Nepean, and under advice from pilot Draper, run aground on Swan Island, 2 May 1854.   She had attempted to enter Port Phillip without a pilot. Later refloated, repaired and returned to service as the ship Thomas & Ann Cole (qv).
[LV], [LG],[LR],[WPH - Captain E. Marius],[LPH]

Aphrasia. Wooden paddle steamer, 94 tons. Built at Deptford, NSW, 1841; reg. Melbourne 3/1845. Lbd 99/7 x 16 x 8.6 ft. Well known for ‘getting into trouble’. Entered the Melbourne- Geelong  trade in 1841 and traded in Port Phillip Bay until she left for New Zealand, where she was wrecked in 1864. [LO],[LV]
On 21 February 1848, considerably damaged by fire when tied up in Melbourne. [AS1]
In 1850, assisted the stricken barque Victory, Port Phillip. [LR]
On 28 February 1850, ran ashore near Point Henry, Corio Bay. [LC]
On 20 October 1850, grounded at Geelong. [LC]
On 12 October 1852, involved in collision with steamer Gipsy, Yarra River, Melbourne. [WPP]
On 19 October 1852, stranded at Geelong. [WPP]
In 1852, attended the ship Isabella Watson, Port Phillip.
In 1853, assisted ship Sacramento, Port Phillip.  [LPH]
On 28 October 1861, sank after colliding in the Yarra with steamer Balclutha. Raised and towed to Williamstown, repaired.  [WPP]

Arabian. (Arabia).Wooden ship of 1400/1067 tons. Built St. Johns, New Brunswick, 1852. Lbd 163.2 x 31.3 x 22.9. Owned by American interests until 1854 when she was purchased for the White Star Line and registered at Liverpool.  Captain Harding. Destroyed by fire at Railway Pier, Sandridge (Port Melbourne), 12 November 1860.  The origin of the fire is unknown. Crews from the ships Lightning and Result assisted, however the fire spread rapidly. Attempts to scuttle her failed and she eventually sank. Some time later she was salvaged and sold as a storeship in 1867. The tug Sophia assisted. [AS6],[LV],[WPP],[MM]

Aranmac. Involved in collision with vessel Nantes, Port Phillip Bay, 1906. [LV]
Could this possibly be the steamer Aramac?

Argo. Ship. Assisted in the atempt to extinguish the fire on board the ship Lightning, off Geelong, 31 Octoner 1869. [LC]

Aristos. Barque. Stranded near Queenscliff, Port Phillip, 14 March 1872. [WPP]

Arnoldus Vinnen. Barque. Involved in collision with tug Alacrity, off Williamstown, Port Phiilip, 11 February 1913. [LV],[WPP]

Arthur The Great. Ship, 1389 tons. Captain W. Davies. Inward bound from Southampton to Geelong, stranded, twice, near Point Wilson, Port Phillip, 6 June 1856. She was carrying 463 immigrants, and fibe cabin passengers. After a week she was towed off to an anchorage at Point Henry. [LC],[WPP]

Asa Packer. American barque, 329 tons. Lbd 123.4 x 23.8 x 11.7 ft. Captain John Cordy. Wrecked on a reef inside the extreme end of Point Nepean, 24 May 1859. Left Melbourne for Newcastle but when she arrived at Port Phillip Heads the pilot refused to take her out due to the stormy conditions.  The captain decided otherwise. Crew saved with the gallant assistance of the crew of Government schooner Empire. There was some critricism that “the post office had been most uncooperative in passing on from Queencliff via Geelong news of the wreck.... had the news reached Melbourbne earlier a steam tug would have been sent.’
[LR],[LG],[LV - reported lost 1861],[WPH],[LPH]
On 4 September 1853, under Captain Elliot, inward bound from Sydney, stranded eight miles east of Point Henry, Port Phillip. She was later refloated. [LC],[WPP]

Augustus. Barque. Built 1814. Hulked.  [LPA]
A vessel of this name was involved in collision, Yarra River, 19 January 1841. [WPP]

Auriga. Barque, iron, 476 tons.  Built 1869.  Hulked 1914.  Blown up outside Port Phillip Heads. Scuttled outside  Port Phillip Heads, 5 February 1930. [LV],[NSF]

Australia. RMS Steamer, steel,  6901/3702 tons. (Sister Himalaya). Built at Greenock, 1892, for the P. & O. Steam Navigation Company, and considered one of the top class vessels in the England - Australia trade; when lost she held the speed record from England to Australia, and was ‘one of the most luxurious vessels afloat’. Lbd 465.7 x 52.2 x 34.7 ft. Captain Cole. Wrecked on the eastern side of Port Phillip Heads, due to pilot error, 21 June 1904. Hit Corsair Rock at 15 knots which ground off her plate rivetheads and opened a five metre split alongside her keel. The passengers and some of the crew were taken off in rescue craft sent out from Queenscliff. She lay balanced on her middle in a groove she had cut in the surface of the rock, and with a slight list to starboard. To repair the split was impracticable; to refloat her was impossible. The underwriters removed vast quantities of valuable cargo, cut a huge gap in her side, and in five weeks of fine weather four divers, under the direction of George Beckett, Australia’s most famous diver of the period, recovered more than 100 cases and packages of goods, mostly consigned to Melbourne firms. Then, under the threat of dirty weather they decided to put the vessel and what remained of her cargo up for auction; the succesful bidder was a raather surprised draper, a Mr. J.G. Aikman, who bought the vessel for a mere £290 and the remaining cargo for  £60. Beckett removed the ship’s phosphor bronze propeller which brought £1,000, and muntz metal in the cargo valued at £750. The weather held and a strange assortment of cargo was hauled to the upper deck and shipped off to Melbourne. There were, for example 10 crates of enamelware, a big case of Boosey’s brass band instruments, tons of bar metal, Irish whisky, Indian tea, and cases of drapery and haberdashery. Most was put up for auction in the sheds at Port Melbourne and salvage from the Australia was peddled in every town in Victoria, and many interstate. Eventually the bow section broke off and slid into deep water, and plunderers set the remaining section alight. The burnt out shell of the ship still contained hundreds of pounds worth of brass and copper. Beckett methodically stripped the engine room and when he had finished the draper showed a profit of more than £180,000, a vast sum for those days. A few days after the huge salvage sale, a mysterious fire gutted the ship, burning for five days. Suspicion was directed to Queenscliff fishermen who had apparently been helping themselves to whatever they could find. Two years passed before the wreck broke up, and the remains were finally blasted away in 1911.
@ What little remains to be seen are located over a wide area some 300 metres west of Rock Beacon, in 5 to 7 metres. Her huge propeller, engines and boilers remain. Diving is particularly difficult and dangerous, and posible only at slack tide.
[LG], [LV - lost 20 June],[LR],[#NH],[AS6],[#WPH - 20 July 1904],[NWR],[LAH - lost 20 June],[WB],[DG]

Australian. Ship. Involved in collission with the sunken steamer Black Swan, Hobsons Bay, 27 August 1867. [WPP]
Also listed:
Australia. Vessel type not listed. Involved in collision with the sunken Black Swan, Williamstown, Port Phillip, 1868. [LV]

B. Norris. (B.Noris). American ship, wood, 1200 tons. Reg. New York. Destroyed by fire whilst at anchor in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 24 February 1859. She was towed away from shipping by the tugs Hercules and Lioness and finally scuttled close to the St.Kilda bank. [LV],[WPP],[LAH]

Barbara. Schooner, 16 tons. Built Exeter, River Tamar, Tasmania, 1841; reg. Melbourne 1846. Engaged in the lime trade. Dragged her anchors in a gale and went ashore at White Cliffs (Rye), a total loss, 6 August 1852. [WPP],[LV]
In LG and LR, Loney lists a schooner of this name as having stranded near Point Nepean in 1853; and LPA indicates she was wrecked at Point Nepean 1853. Unless another ‘Barbara’ exists, the possible error stems from the diary of Geelong historian Percy Holden. Loney notes that no other details have substantiated this entry.Williams and Searle, [WPH], list a stranding of schooner Barbara at Point Nepean, 1853 but ‘no details concerning the accident seem to be available’.

Barrier. Steel steamship, 2036 tons. Built 1889. Owned by Adelaide Steamsship Company. Visited Australia, (Geelong in 1904).  Sold to Japanese interests in 1914. [LC], [LV]
In 1897, involved in collision with  steamer Despatch,  Port Phillip Bay, 1897.

Bass Trader. Motor vessel.
On 30 August 1964, damaged by fie. [WPP]
In 1972, collided with PC Wyuna  in foggy conditions off Port Phillip Heads. No one was injured and both vessels suffered only minor damage. [LO]

Batman. Steamer, hopper barge, iron, 338 tons. Built 1883. Scuttled in ships graveyard, Bass Strait, off Port Phillip heads, 20 May 1935. [NSF],[LV]
In 1906, involved in collision with Flora, Yarra River, Melbourne.. [LV - tug]
On 10 July 1915, under Captain Charman, involved in collision with Awaroa (qv), Yarra River, Melbourne. The Batman was to blame. [WPP],[LV - occurred 1913]
On 27 August 1915, collided with SS Casino off Point Gellibrand, Victoria. Both repaired. [LO],[WPP]

Bee. Ship, 1104 tons. Arrived Point Henry, near Geelong, Port Phillip, out of Birkenhead, UK, in 1857, with 400 emigrants on board. The trip had cost ten lives due to scarlet fever. She was purchased in 1860 by the Black Ball Line and renamed Hope (qv), calling at Melbourne several times before being sold in 1867. [LC]

Belle Brandon. Lighter. Sank Appleton Dock, Melbourne, February 1950. [WPP]

Bellinger. Steamship, 225 tons. In 1892, involved in collision with  the iron barque Presto, Port Phillip Bay, 20 April 1892. The Bellinger sank; no record of her being refloated. [WPP],[LV]
On 7 Octpber 1885, stranded  near Anglesea, Victoria, 1885. [LO],[DD - name as Bellringer]

Beltana. Motor vessel. Built Dundee, 1937; reg. Melboure. Lbd 357.2 x 48.7 x 24 ft. Inward bound, struck Corsair Rock, Point Nepean, 16 September 1963. After being towed free she was beached off Dromana, and again refloated a few days later. She was found to be so badly damaged that she was only good for scrap. [LR],[LV],[WPP],[WPH - screw steamer]
On 19 April 1952, stranded off Portsea, Port Phillip.

Ben Bolt. Cutter, 8.4 tons. # 41485.Built Schnapper point (Mornington), Port Phillip, 1854. Lbd 33 x 12 x 4.3 ft. Captain Richard Leggett. Ashore in a gale, wrecked, near Frankston, Port Philip,  September 1874. Leggett was one of the greatest trading skippers of the 19th  century, and for twelve years ran the Ben Bolt between Melbourne and Queenscliff.  He was an especially competent at salvage work, and worked on the Amazon, (1863), Light of the Age (1868), and Eliza Ramsden (1875).   [LV], [LO],[#LSS],[LPA - name Ben Holt],[WPP]

Ben Nevis. Brig, collier, 357 tons. # 27756. Built Sunderland, England, 1859; reg. Newcastle, NSW, 1868. Msster-owner Captain Griffith Evans. Deeply laden with coal from Newcastle, struck Point Nepean, Port Phillip Heads, 20 May 1870. Refloated on a rising tide but with a damaged rudder, was beached at Queenscliff, repaired, and towed to Melbourne by the tug Mystery. No lives lost. [WPH],[LR],[LG]

Beverwyk 19.  Steel dredge. Built 1912. Scuttled in ship’s graveyard, Bass Strait, off Port Phillip Heads, 7 May 1963. [LV],[NSF]

Binburr. (Binburra). Steamship. Involved in collision with steamer Lutona (Lutana), Yarra River, Melbourne, 22 Septeember 1953. [LV],[WPP]

Birch Grove. Barque, 543, Melbourne, 1850. Converted into lighter at Melbourne, 1888. [ASR]

Black Bess. Liftboat. Used by Whelan the Wrecker to salvage cargo and fittings from SS Orungal, 1940. [LO]

Black Boy. (Blackboy). Iron screw steamer, 66 tons. # 19598. Built  at Greenock, Scotland, 1857; reg. Melbourne 1875. Lbd 81.5 x 15 x 7.9 ft.   Served as a tug at Lakes Entrance and Melbourne, was in the lime trade to Waratah Bay. Captain William Willey. Was assisting in the salvage from George Roper on Point Lonsdale reef, Port Phillip Heads, when she bumped heavily against the barque, and then sank, 8 July 1883. [LO],[LH],[LPA - built Melbourne, 1867],[WPH]
In 1880, involved in salvage of cargo from the ship Eric the Red, damaged in a gale. [LE]
@ The overturned hull lies east of the George Roper, just off the southern tip of Mushroom Rock, Lonsdale reef, in 7 m.

Black Eagle. Wooden paddle steamer,  41 tons. Built at South Shields, Engalnd 1852. Lbd 87.5 x 17.1 x 9.7 ft. Captain Fitzgibbon. Running between St Kilda and Brighton, she was returning to St Kilda with one hundred passengers when she sank near the St.Kilda pier, 26 December 1884. No lives lost.  She was later raised and towed to Williamstown where she was dismantled. Her remains were sunk on the seaward side of the Breakwater Pier. [LV],[WPP]
In 1857, involved in collision with vessel Victoria, at Footscray, Melbourne, 1857.
In June 1866, involved in collision with vessel Barwon, Yarra River, Port Phillip.
In 1875, involved in collision with dredge Wombat, Yarra River, Melbourne.
On 25 April, involved in collision with steamer Queenscliff ,Yarra River, Melbourne.

Black Hawk. Schooner, 44 tons. Built Melbourne, 1865. Wrecked, 1887. [ASR]
On 31 October 1871, stranded at Point Wilson, Port Phillip. A steam tug was sent to asist but she refloated on the next tide. [LC],[WPP]

Black Swan. Iron screw steamer, 275/207 tons. # 32181. Built at Piasley, Scotland, 1853; reg. Melbourne 1867.  Captain W.H. Saunders. Inward bound from Warrnambool to Melbourne, run down and sunk by the paddle steamer Luna off Williamstown, Port Phillip, 16 July 1867. The master of the Luna, Captain Webb, was held to blame at the subsequent inquiry. The Black Swan was later on 4 June 1868, and repaired at Williamstown, and sold to the A.S.N. Company of Sydney. [LLB],[LV],[#WPP],[DG]
In 1868, her wreckage was struck by the vessels Tasman, Swordfish and Australia [LV]
On 27 August 1867, her wreckage was struck by the ship Australian. [WPP]

Blackwall. Wooden sloop, then lighter, 21 tons. # 41484. Built 1854. On 24 February 1890, collided with the lighter Bride at Newport, Yarra River, Melbourne. The vessel sank, drowning the lighterman. She was raised, and finally broken up in 1905. [WPP],[LV]
Loney states that she collided with the tug Sprightly, 1890. This contradicts Williams, who states that the tug Sprightly was towing the lighter Bride at the time.

Blandina Dudley. Ship. Captain Denny. Inward bound from Cardiff, struck Lonsdale Rock, Port Phillip heads, 22 January 1864. The vessel was under the pilot at the time. Taking water, she made Melbourbe with the crew working the pumps all the time. Her cargo of fine Welssh coal was unloaed directly into the bunkers of the steamer Great Britain, waiting to make her homeward passage. Whilst the Blandina Dudley was on the slip, the master and the caprenter were injured in two separate accidents. [WPH],[LV],[LR]

Blythe Star. Twin-screw motor vessel, 305/138 tons. # 177206. Built at Prince of Wales Bay, Hobart, 1945; reg. Melbourne 6/1949. Captain Francis McCudden. Sailed from Ulverstone for Melbourne with a cargo of timber and canned peas; engine room exploded, and setting fire to the vessel, 17 May 1959. The epxlosion killed the second enginner. The ten remaining crew made Burnie in the ship's boat. Meanwhile, the smoke had been seen by the crew of the Union Steamship Company's Kumalla, which pulled alongside and attempted to take the burning vessel in tow.  By now the weather had deteriorated, with heavy rain and strong winds that fanned the flames, the swell preventing hoses from being deployed successfully.  The pilot launch Miowera also turned up, but was equally powerless. The hull drifted about until it burned to the waterline and sank. The reason for the explosion was never explained. [TS2},[WPP],[LV]
On 5 June 1951, stranded at Leven Heads while outward bound, but floated off undamaged at high tide the following day.
On 8 May 1953, fire broke out while tied up at South Wharf, Melbourne; much of her superstructure, including the crew accommodation, was destroyed. Did not re-enter service until March 1957.
As a replacement, the owners purchased the steel motor vessel Tandik, which was in turn renamed Blythe Star and was, in 1973, to be responsible for further loss of life off the Tasman Peninsula.

Bombala. Steamship, 3539 tons. Built at Sunderland, 1904. Lbd 348 x 44.2 x 25.6 ft. 'One of the fastest vessels trading on the Australian coast'. Transfered to British ownership in 1930.
On 25 February 1914, involved in collision with steamer Coogee, Yarra River, Melbourne. [LV],[WPP],[LSS]
On 7 December 1919, left Townsville for Sydney and that evening struck Salamander Reef. Although in a precarious position and threatening to break in two, she was refloated and repaired in Mort's Dock, Sydney.  [DG]
In 1927, involved in rescue - see SS Riverina, 1927. [LG]

Bonnie. Launch. Pounded to pieces against a concrete wall at Port Melbourne during a gale, 14 December 1933. [WPP]

Boomerang. Pilot schooner, 99 tons. Took up duty as a pilot vessel in December 1852, Captain Caught, but ‘was not a complete success ... was more at anchor inside than on the outside station’. [NH indicates brigantine, started the cruising pilot service on 29 January 1853],[LPH]
In 1853, attended wreck of the Earl of Charlemont.
On 1 June 1853, attempted rescue, however two boats from the pilot vessel were swamped, the crew narrowly escaping with their lives  - see ship Sea. lost Port Phillip heads.. [LG],[LPH]
In 1854, involved in rescue - see brig Columbine. [LO],[DD]
On 11 July 1863, stranded in West Channel, Port Phillip. [WPP]
In 1866, ashore near the stranded SS Barwon, Queenscliff, Port Philli, whilst engaged in salvage operations on the steamer; later refloated. [LR]

Boujah Maiden. Two masted wooden schooner, 16 tons. Built Darling Harbour, NSW, 1839; reg. Melbourne 18 October 1848, then Geelong. Originally a cutter, 27 tons displacement. Lbd 34.5 x 12.1 x 5.4 ft. Master-owner Robert Watson until 1851. Wrecked in a storm off Indented Head, Port Phillip, 25 January.1862. [LV],[LPA],[WPP],[AS1],[LC]
In 1841, assisted in refloating the pilot cutter Ranger, ashore on Swan Island, Port Phillip. [LR]
On 26 November 1849, stranded in Corio Bay, near Bird Rock.
On 26 November 1849, stranded in a storm on the Gippsland coast, Victoria, off Point Lillias. No loss of life. Refloated six days later.  [AS1] I know of no Point Lillias. Could it be Cape Liptrap?
On 2 September 1851, capsized off Point Henry, Port Phillip. Her master, who was unable to swim, was drowned, two saved.

Bourke. Steel hopper, 345 tons. Scuttled ships graveyard, off Port Phillip heads, Bass Strait, 23 September 1935. [NSF]

Bride. Lighter. Was being towed by the tug Sprighly when she collided with the lighter Blackwall in the Yarra River, Melbourne, 24 February 1890. [WPP]

Britannia. Steamship, 3413 tons. Collided with pilot schooner Mavis, off Port Phillip Heads, 6 May 1896. Only the schooner recieved damage which was slight. [LR]

Briton. Ship, lighter, 452 tons. # 48416. Built as the New Great Britain; name changed when rebuilt at Invercargill, 1864. Lbd 140 x 28.6 x 18 ft.  In a gale, sank near Point Henry, Port Phillip, whilst moored, 31 January 1890. Broken up some time later. [WPP],[LV],[LC]

Buninyong. Steamship, 2076 tons.  (Sister Gabo). Built Barrow-in-Furness, UK, 1883.  Lbd 279.9 x 38.1 x 20.2 ft. Howard Smith Company. A popular passenger vessel between Melbourne and Sydney for many years before being converted to carry cargo.  Dismantled and scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Phillip heads, Bass Strait, 13 February, 1926.
[LV],[LSS],[WL],[NSF - name Bunningyong],[DG]

Bunyip. Dredge 317 tons.  Built 1879.  Scuttled in Bass Strait, 1927. [LV]

Bunyip. Hulk, 73 tons.  Built 1891.  Originally a wooden steamship. Scuttled in ships graveyard, off Barwon Heads, Bass Strait, 13 April 1955. [LV],[NSF]

Bunyip. Lighter. # 80454. Built at Renfrew, Scotland, 1879; reg. Melbourne 1936. Lbd 160.5 x 28.3 x 11.3 ft. Whilst loaded with wool and moored alongside the Adelaide Star, she broke adrift in rough seas and wrecked against Princes Pier, Port Melbourne, breaking her back, 20 November 1954. [LV],[WPP]

Burke. Hopper barge, 345 tons. Built South Australia; reg. Melbourne 1889. Lbd 128 x 30 x 9.5 ft. Owned by Melbourne Harbour Trust. Dismantled and scuttled in Bass Strait, 1935. [LV]

Burrumbeet. Steel steamship, 2420 tons. Built Wallsend, 1884. Lbd 300 x 40.1 x 19.7 ft. Owned by Huddart Parker Ltd. A smart looking steamer, she may more than 250 visits to Corio Bay between 1890 and 1915.  [LSS],[LC]
On 6 April 1896, involved in collision with yacht Cacique,  Port Phillip Bay. [LV],[WPP]

Cacique. Yacht. On 6 April 1896, involved in collision with steamer Burrumbeet,  Port Phillip Bay, 1896. [LV],[WPP]

Campana. Iron lighter, 711 tons.  Built 1875.  Scuttled in ships graveyard, off Port Phillip Heads, Bass Strait, 30 July 1929. [LV],[NSF]

Campbell. Norwegian whaling steamer, 235 tons. Built 1911. Lbd 98.3 x 19.1 x 11.4 ft. Captain Olsen. Wrecked on the Corsair Rock, Port Phillip Heads, due to a strong current which threw her off course, 14 June 1914. Accompanied by her sister ship, Sorrel, the Campbell was on a voyage from Sydney to Albany when engine trouble forced her to set a course for Melbourne. Crew of nine all reached safety, with some landing at Queencliff by the pilot steamer Alvina.
[LG], [LV - 135 tons],[LR states 35 tons],[WPH]

Camperdown. Troopship, 993 tons. Captain Denny.  Inward bound from Cork to Melbourne with 10 officers and 321 troops, stranded on Swan Spit, Port Phillip, 17 October 1854. Refloated next day. [LR],[LV],[WPP],[WPH]

Cape Leeuwin. Steamship. Renamed Pilbarra when badly damaged by fire, Yarra River, Melbourne, 11 September 1903. [LV]

Cape Verde. Ship, 1711 tons. Captain Mitchell. Rammed and sunk by the Iolanthe in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 23 June 1889. An attempt was made to salvage the Cape Verde. Four pontoons were built and towed out to the wreck to be sunk alongside and connected under the ship’s keel with heavy wires.  Each pontoon was calculated to have a lifting capacity of 500 tons when pumped. After several minor problems, all was ready and a tow rope was passed from a tug to the bollards on the forecastle head; but the first strain tore them out of the ship.  Further attempts were abandoned and she was removed by dynamite six years later.  The tug Pilot was damaged working at the wreck, and sunk in March 1893. [LV],[WPP],[LV]

Caradale. Steel screw steamer, 1881 tons. Built 1921. Rammed and sank the steamer Kakariki off the Gellibrand  Pile Light, Port Phillip, 29 January 1937. Five lives lost on the Kakariki as she sank within minutes. The Kakariki was to blame. [WPP]

Carlisle. Steamer. Stranded at Rosebud, Port Phillip, 1 August 1936. [WPP]

Caroline. Cutter, 18 tons. # 36968. Built South Australia, 1852; reg. Melbourne. Lbd 37.5 x 13.5 x 4.5 ft. Master-owner frederick Keay. Foundered in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 9 May 1881. She was never raised and became a total loss. [WPP],[LV]

Caroline. Schooner, 63 tons. Built Melbourne, 1845. Broken up at Williamstown, 1896. [ASR]

Carron Park. Steamship. Involved in collision with steamer Ormiston, Yarra River, Melbourne, 5 September 1951. [LV],[WPP]

Casablanca. Iron lighter, 547 tons.  Built 1912.  Scuttled in ships graveyard, off Port Phillip, Bass Strait, 16 February 1950. [LV],[NSF]

Cassipore. Ship, 834 tons. Captain Dundas. From Geelong for Calcutta, stranded on Prince George Shoal near Portarlington, Port Phillip, 3 December 1850. Ballast was transfered to the schooner Shamrock, and the ship was refloated five days later with the assistance of the Government schooner Empire. [LC]

Catherine. Involved in collision, Port Phillip, 1877. [LV]

Cerberus. HMAS, Coast defence ship, iron, 3480 tons.  Built at Jarrow-on-Tyne, 1869. Lbd 225 x 45 x 15.5 ft. Purchased by the Government for the defence of Port Phillip, arrived Hobsons Bay 9 April 1871 after a slow and dangerous voyage from England; remained on active service until 1911. The first warship to dispense with sail; commonly called a Monitor or Turret ship for she had two 10-inch guns on twin rotating turrets. It could be said that she is the only surviving monitor in the world but her dilapidated and dangerous condition belies the point. There was talk of restoring her, but she is now too far gone; her heavy turrets will collapse any day. Renamed Playpus, used as a floating magazine during World War I, and then as a depot ship for the ‘J’ class submarines at Geelong.  On 14 May 1924, left Corio Bay under tow for Willimastown Dockyard where she was partly dismantled; filled with concrete and scuttled at Black Rock, Port Phillip, as a breakwater, 1926. [LV], [#LH],[LC],[#IL]
In 1881, involved in laaying mines when one of her boats detonated a mine, killing five seamen. [LPH]
In 1883, involved in collision with Edina, (probably Port Phillip). [LV]
In 1920, as HMAS Platypus, searched in vain for the missing schooner Amelia J., 1920. [LG]
Note: Not to be confused with the South Australian government’s gunboat Protector, which was renamed Cerberus in 1921.
@  At one time a quite interesting dive as it was possible to penetrate her hull in two places. Only two hundred metres from shore, Sandringham Council have now forbidden all diving as the structure has collapsed with more destruction imminent.
~ Upper structure visible from shore.

Ceres. Steamer, 86 tons. Built Melbourne, 1875. Lbd 90.1 x 16.3 x 6.7 ft. Spent her early years in the Spencer Gulf passenger trade, before arriving at Geelong in May 1916 towing the barque John Murray. Served in Corio Bay for a number of years as a tug. Broken up in 1934. [LC]

Ceylon. P. & O. Mail steamer. Stranded in Port Phillip, July 1875. [WPP]

Chakarata. Vessel type not recorded. Stranded at Williamstown, Port Phillip, 1957. [WPP]

Challenge. Schooner. Involved in collision with schooner John McDouall Stewart, Port Phillip Bay, February 1875. [LV],[WPP]

Challenger. Brigantine, 300 tons. # 43403. Built St. Johns, New Brunswick; launched 6 June 1863; reg. Melbourne 1865. Captain Pleace. Struck amidships by the Avoca about five miles north of Portarlington, Port Phillip, 1870. The brigantine was almost cut in two. The marine inquiry blamed Captain Peace. He later drowned during salvage operations on the W. B. Godfrey near Lorne in 1891. [LV],[WPP]

Charles Duckett. Involved in collision with vessel Warrigal, Port Phillip, 1913. [LV]

Cheviot. Iron screw steamer, 1226/764 tons. # 63648. Built Newcastle, 1870; reg. Melbourne 1876. Lbd 230.2 x 32.2 x 17.5 ft. Captain Richardson. From Melbourne to Sydney, cleared Port Phillip Heads in very rough conditions,  but lost her propeller soon after and was soon driven ashore, wrecked, 19 October 1887. Assistance arrived from the soldiers at the barracks near the Quarantine Station, and from the crew of the Queenscliff lifeboat. A line was fired over the doomed steamer and seventeen passengers and crew were landed; all the passengers on the aft section were brought ashore. In all, twenty four passengers and crew were saved out of a total of fifty-nine. The SS Edina proceeded to the scene and returned to Melbourne with 24 survivors and seven bodies. [LG],[LR],[NH],[LV],[ASR],[WPH],[DG],[DD]
@ Little remains of the Cheviot except a few iron plates and beams. Rough seas make this site dangerous in most conditions. She lies one and half kilometres east of Point. Explisives were used on the site in the 1960s.  [NWR],[LAH]
On 17 December 1967, Prime Minister Harold Holt was lost at Cheviot Beach whilst swimming. His body was never recovered.

Childe Harold. Sloop, 18 tons. Ashore at the back of Point Gellibrand, Port Phillip, 19 September 1841. She was carrying lime from the kilns near Port Phillip Heads to Melbourne.
In March 1838, whilst in the charge of Pilot Tobin, was seized by bushrangers off the Werribee River, Port Phillip, With the government revenue cutter Ranger in chase, went ashore near tghe Heads. The bushrangers escaped and the vessel refloated.
[LV],[WPP].[LPH]

Chili. Brig, 200 tons. Stranded on a sandbar four miles off Dromana, Port Phillip, March 1836. Half the number of 1600 sheep on board perished in the hot weather and overcrowding whilst crossing Bass Strait from Tasmania. Those that survived the trip were landed in boats after the stranding. It is not certain if the vessel was a total loss.  [LV],[WPP]

China. Steamship, 1037 tons. Built 1855. Lbd 279 x 36.4 x 30.3 ft. Bullion boxes from the SS Avoca, from Sydney, were transfered to the SS China in Melbourne, however the theft of the gold was not discovered until the ship reached Colombo, 1877. [LSS]

Chingtu. Type not recorded. Involved in collision with  barge, Yarra River, Melbourne, 1896. Involved in collision with vessel Arawatha, Victorian waters, 1898. [LV]

Cicada. Ketch, 34 tons. # 57578. Built at Huon, Tasmania, 1877 as the Gertrude; reg. Melbourne 1888, 1918. Was a well known trader in Port Phillip since 1888. Renamed in 1918. Lbd 67.3 x 18 x 5.2 ft. Wrecked in heavy weather at Safety Beach, near Dromana, Port Phillip, 9 August 1922.  [WPP],[LV]

City of Melbourne. Three-masted wooden ship, 1828/1397 tons. # 44652. Built at Newcastle (Miramichi Bay), New Brunswick, USA, 1853 as the Black Warrior. Lbd 217.3 x 40.8 x 24.1 ft. Owned by the Black Ball Line. Captain Jones. Badly damaged by fire, Victorian Railway Pier, Williamstown, Port Phillip, 26 January 1868. She was cut adrift, masts cut away, and six shots fired from a battery on the breakwater put on the seabed. About a month later the remains of her hull were raised and towed up the Yarra to be rebuilt as a lighter. In July 1889, she went ashore at Cowie’s Creek near Geelong, but after three months floated off and drifted across to Point Henry where she was moored as a convenient landing stage for passengers from the Edina visiting the popular Point Henry Tea Gardens.  However in January 1890, the hulk sank at its moorings and was eventually, after five years, blown up.
[LV],[AS6],[MR],[WPP],[NMC@],[LC],[NSC@],[LAH],[ASR]
In 1880, as a coal hulk, struck by SS Edina near the mouth of the Yarra, Melbourne.
Note: Several authors list both this fully rigged ship and the 180 ton steamer of the same name lost off King Island, as both being previously named Black Warrior. One reference is incorrect.

City of Melbourne. Lighter, 1397, Melbourne, 1853. Broken up at Melbourne, 1889. [ASR]

City of Khartoum. Steamship, frieghter. Was being berthed by the tug Terawhiti when the tug sank after colliding with the freighter, Williamstown, Port Phillip, 1950. [LV],[WPP]

City of Launceston. Steamship, 278 tons. Built 1853. Lbd 197.2 x 24.2 x 11.7 ft. Owned by the launceston and Melbourne Steam Navigation Co. Captain Thom (regular master, Captain Woods, was ill). Sank in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, having been run down by SS Penola, 19 November 1865. Passengers and crew transfered to the Penola. Efforts to raise her failed. At the inquiry, the City of Launceston was held to blame. [LV],[#WPP],[DG - built 1862],[DG]
@ A protected zone exists around the wreck so diving is prohibited. The site has been extensively  surveyed.

Clan Campbell. Steamship. Stranded Point Cook, Port Phillip, 9 April 1913. [WPP]

Claude Hamilton. Steamer. [LV]
In 1871, involved in rescue - see schooner Hector, lost Port Phillip.
In 1879, involved in collision with Eden, Victoria waters.

Cleopatra. Schooner. Involved in collision with steamer Alexandra, Hobsons Bay, 30 November 1868. [WPP],[LV]

Cleopatra. Steamer, 200 tons. Converted to lighter. Involved in the salvage of the barque George Roper off Port Phillip Heads, 1883.  [LO]

Columbia. (Columbian) American ship, 500 tons. Burnt at Williamstown, Port Phillip, 26 April 1854. The captain discovered the fire in the after hold, but his crew had deserted for the goldfields during the night. Assistance wa given but she was towed to the beach and scuttled. Total loss. The crew were blamed for setting the vessel alight, obviously through some grievance toward the master or owners. [LV],[WPP - Columbian, towed to Sandridge beach]

Colusa. Involved in collision with Taramung, Yarra River, Melbourne, 1890. [LV]

Conside. Iron screw steamer, 368/259 tons. Built South Shields, UK, 1847 or 1848. Lbd 105.5 x 26.9 x 16.6 ft. Captain Appleby. From Sydney to Melbourne with 180 passengers, ran on to the Lonsdale Reef, Port Phillip Heads, midnight 14 September 1852. Inward bound from Sydney with 180 passengers, was apparently misled by lights on the schooner Portland, wrecked a few hours earlier. Immediately she struck, nineteen passengers panicked, rushed into one of the lifeboats, released only the stem fall and were thrown into the sea. Only five regained the ship. Next, a small group looted the cabin and passengers’ luggage but Captain Appleby, the officers and some passengers succeeded in destroying the wines and spirits. The second officer left the vessel to obtain help and early next morning SS Maitland rescued the survivors. After hanging to the rock for two days with her bow in deep water inside the reef, the vessel, went to pieces. [LO],[LR],[LV],[WPH],[LAH],[LPH]

Coogee. Steel screw steamship, 767/286 tons. # 93722 tons.  Built Sunderland, 1887 as the Lancashire Witch; reg. Melbourne 1888. Lbd 225 x 32.2 x 13.5 ft.  Initially employed between the Isle of Man and Liverpool. Popular vesssel on the Melbourne-Launceston service. Requisitioned by RAN during WW1. Eventually dismantled and scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Phillip heads, Bass Strait, 1928. Traded around the Australian coast for many years, being involved in a number of incidents, the most famous being her collision with the barque Fortunato Figari on Christmas Day 1903. The steel bowsprit of the barque swept the deck of the steamer, killing he lookout and the captain. In the confusion, and thinking that the steamer was about to sink, the Coogee’s officers and some of the crew climbed aboard the barque. A steward and a passenger took command and after some resemblance of order was restored, a line was fastened to the barque who took the steamer in tow. It was soon found however that the Coogee could still get up steam and she made Melbourne on her own account. The Coogee was found to be at fault. She was replaced on the Bass Strait run in 1904 by the Loongana, having done 1022 crossings.
[LV],[LSS].[LSW],[LC],NSF],[WL],[WPH],[WB],[DG],[DA]
In 1889, involved in collision with vessel Excelsior, Victorian waters.
In 1889, involved in collision with vessel Griper, Yarra River, Melbourne.
In 1891, involved in collision with vessel Pilot, Yarra River, Melbourne.
On 25 December, under Captain Carrington, collided with barque Fortunato Figari south of Cape Schanck, Victoria, 1903. Captain Carrington and the helmsman were killed, but both ships eventually reached Melbourne. [LG],[NH]
On 12 February 1914, grounded off the Hopetoun Channel, near Geelong, having given way to SS Moorabool. It took several weeks to refloat her.[WPP]
On 25 February 1914, involved in collision with steamer Bombala, Yarra River, Melbourne. [WPP]
On 27 March 1914, from Melbourne to Geelong, collided with the steamship Uganda which was lying in Corio Bay. There was little damage.
In 1918, involved in mine sweeping of Bass Strait.
@ The wreck, with bow and stern largely intact, lies on a sandy bottom in 34 m.

Cooma. Steamship. Involved in collision with steamer Oonah entrance to Yarra River, Melbourne, 19 August 1925. Lost North reef, Queensland, July 1926. [LV],[WPP]

Coomonderry. Steamer/schooner, 147 tons. Built 1886. Lbd 110.2 x 20.1 x 7.6 ft. Ran for thirty- four years on the NSW north coast under steam before being converted to sail in 1920. She ran in Victoria for twenty-five years before being sold to Fijian interests. Wrecked on a reef, Fiji, 1945. [LSS],[LC]
Involved in collision with Lutana, Port Phillip Bay, 1935. [LV]

Coorong. Iron steamer, 304 tons. Built Glasgow, 1862.  Traded around the south eastern coast of Australia until bulked in 1911.
In 1868, involved in rescue - see schooner Black Watch.
In September 1873, stranded on Mud Island, Port Phillip. [WPP]
In 1882, stranded at  Curdie’s Inlet, Victoria. [LO],[LPA - 391 tons]

Corio. Involved in collision with  Rothley ,Corio Bay, 1937. [LV]

Corsair. Pilot cutter, wood, 84/51 tons. # 48409. Built Cowes, Isle of Wight, England, 1832; reg. Melbourne 1864. Lbd 63.6 x 18.9 x 9.6 ft. Arrived from England 6 June 1853 for pilot duties at Port Phillip Heads, assiting the Boomerang. Wrecked on Nepean Reef, Port Phillip Heads, 24 May 1874. Five pilots were aboard. All saved. The steamer Warhawk, in attendance to the dismasted ship Loch Ard, was despatched but her services could not be used as the seas were breaking over the Corsair. The vessel was a total wreck but much of her gear was taken off.  [LR],[NH],[WPH],[LPH]
In May 1854, ran down by the ship Flavius, Port Phillip Heads, 1854. Damage reported as minor. [LR],[WPP]
In December 1963, driven from her anchorage during a gale, Port Phillip. [LPH]
In 1864, August, ran into the vessel Spray at The Rip, Port Phillip Heads. [LR]
In 1866, saved the only survivor from the capsized schooner Tamar maid, Port Phillip Heads. [LR]
Also listed:
Corsair. Brigantine, 111 tons. Built 1835; reg Melbourne. Lost 1874. [ASR]

Cossipore. Ship. Stranded on Prince Georges Bank, Port Phillip, 6 December 1852. [WPP]

Courier. Steel screw steamship, 728 tons.  Built 1887.  Built on the Tyne, England, 1887. Lbd 230.8 x 30 x 12.6. Arrived from England 1893. A fast screw steamer originally designed as a naval despatch boat, she saw many years of service in Port Phillip Bay.  Dismantled and scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Phillip heads, Bass Strait, 29 March 1928. [LV],[LH],[#LC],[WB]
In 1894, involved in collision with SS Edina, Corio Bay.
In 1894, involved in collision with vessel Hubbock, Yarra River.
On 16 November 1926, beached at Geelong due to bad weather. Soon refloated. [WPP]
@ Regarded as an excellent dive, but as she lies in 42 m, only for the experienced diver. The bow remains intact, the middle collapsed with twin boilers visible, and the stern largely intact.

Courtfield. Steamer. Stranded SouthChannel, Port Phillip, 19 February 1910. [WPP]

Cousins. Schooner, 17 tons. # 31748. Built at Supply Creek on the Tamar, Tasmania, 1850; reg. Melbourne in 1873. Lbd 41.1 x 12.8 x 5.2 ft. Reported to have sunk in a storm, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip. July 1873. [LV],[WPP]

Craigburn. Four masted barque, 1997 tons. Built 1884. Lbd 289.7 x 42.2 x 23.9 ft. Captain Kerr. Ashore, wrecked, off the Sorrento (Victoria) back beach, 8 May 1891. She had been towed through Port Phillip Heads by the tug Rescue when the towline parted, leaving the barque helpless on a lee shore. Then commenced a string of poor decisions by her captain which led to her demise, specifically for refusing to accept assistance from the Rescue, and the tug Eagle, for a £500 fee. A boat carrying twelve people capsuzed drowning five, and later the mate, drunk, also drowned, despite eefforts by the Queencliffe lifeboat crew.
@ Scattered wreckage lies near the Rye Back Beach in 6-8 m.
[LG],[LV],[#NH],[#WPH],[LAH],[LPH],[DD],[WB]

Cynara. Auxiliary yacht. Was visiting the wreck of the steamer Kakariki when she ran aground on a reef near the Gellibrand Pile Light, 31 January 1937. [WPP]

D. McLennan. Dredge, 424 tons.  Built 1912.  Scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Philip heads, Bass Strait, 1949. [LV],[NSF]

Darega. Probably steamship. Her passage inward to Port Phillip resulted in the stranding of the steamship Wangara which was attempting to avoid the vessel in the main channel. [WPH]

Dart. Ketch, 18 tons. Built Melbourne,1876. Lost near Queenscliff, Port Phillip, 1887. [LV],LPA],[ASR]
Also listed:
Dart. Ketch. On 10 July 1887, reported stranded Swan Point, Port Phillip. [WPP]

Dauntless. Ketch, 22 tons. Sank on the north side of the Hopetoun Channel, Geelong, 1927. Blown up early in 1928. [LV]

Davercourt. Involved in collision with vessel Helena, Port Phillip Bay, 1873 [LV]

David. Cutter, 25/17 tons. Was berthed at the Old Pier, Sandridge, Port Phillip, when caught in a gale; severely buffeted against the wharf, and sank, 17 April 1863. [WPP],[LV - lost in South Channel, Port Phillip]

David. Schooner, 80 tons. Captain Hills. Left Hobart for Geelong with four passengers and a cargo of timber, wrecked on Point Lonsdale reef, Port Phillip Heads, 14 April 1850. All saved.
[LR],[LO],[AS1],[WPH - lost 15 April],[LPH],[LPH - 25 tons]

Deebank. Steamer. Stranded at Werribee, Port Philip, 9 November 1936. [WPP]

Defender. Ketch, 71/67 tons. Built 1895. Lbd 82.5 x 22 x 6.7 ft.
In August 1927, under Captain N. Brunn, a fire took hold in sacks of lime. Under rather heroic action of the crew, many of whom were subsequently burnt, the fire was extinguished and the vessel and most of the cargo saved. [LC]
On 21 May 1936, stranded at Indented Head, Port Phillip. Later refloated with assistance from SS Minah.. [LC],[WPP]

Devonshire. Schooner. Involved in collision, Yarra River, 19 January 1841. [WPP],[LV],[LC]

Diamond. Paddle steamer. Stranded in the Yarra, Victoria, 6 July 1847. [WPP]

Diana. Lighter. Assisted in the salvage of cargo from barque Victory, Port Phillip, 1850. [LR]

Diligence. Schooner. Involved in collision with barque Avon Dhu, Port Phillip Bay, 6 August 1857. [LV],[WPP]

Dilkerra. (Dilkera). Steamer, collier, 1674 tons. Rammed and sank when the steamer Wyrallah newrly cut her in half at Port Phillip Heads, 8 April 1924. [LG],[LLB]

Dispatch. Paddle steamer, 117 tons. Built Milang, 1877 for service on the Murray River. Lbd 111.6 x 18.5 x 6.3 ft. To Port Phillip in 1888, gave service in Corio Bay as the Bellarine,  and in the Gippsland Lakes. Broken up in 1913. [LC]

Dominion. Barque, wood, 1124 tons.  Built Quebec, 1875 and bulked in 1902. Lbd 199.9 x 37.1 x 24.4 ft.  Intended to complete the breakwater at Indented Head, Port Phillip, but set on fire by vandals and destroyed, 1926. [LV][LM indicates scuttled at Indented head, 1925],[IL]
@Metal ribs and hull timbers in three metres are all that remain.

Don. Two-masted schooner, 57 tons. # 32247. Built Don River, Tasmania, 1864; reg. Melbourne, 1871. Lbd 72.2 x 17.4 x 7.2 ft. Captain J. Anthon. Outward bound from Melbourne to Tasmania in ballast, drifted on to the Point Lonsdale reef, Port Phillip Heads, during a calm, 2 July 1875. Crew saved. It was thought she could be saved but the tide lifted her higher onto the reef and she eventually broke up.  [LO],[LR],[LPA],[WPH]

Dove. Vessel type not listed. Stranded and abandoned West Channel, Port Phillip 29 May 1852. Also, ashore on a sandbank when on a passage to Hobart. Salvaged by the master and crew of HM schooner Empire, with only minor damage. [WPP]
Also listed:
Dove. Schooner, 190 tons. Built 1849. Operated in eastern Victorian waters. Wrecked 1865.  [LPA],[LPW - wooden brig]

Dovercourt. Vessel type not recorded. Involved in collision with barque Helens, Port Phillip, 27 November 1873. [WPP]

Drumlaurig. Involved in collision with Despatch, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 1881. [LV]
On 6 March 1893, stranded at Geelong whilst under tow to the tug Rescue. [LC],[WPP]

Duguay Trouin. Steel barque, 2557 tons. Built Bordeaux, 1902. French owned. Lbd 283.5 x 43.9 x 22.7 ft. Under tow to the tug Racer, went on to a sand bar when the tow line broke departinmg Geelong, 30 Septeember 1917. She was not freed for several days. [LC]

Dumfries. Ship, 498 tons. Captain thompson. Aground on the Swan Spit, Port Phillip, 17 December 1840. Floated free on the tide, and resumed her voyage to Melbourne. Perhaps the first shipping incident at Port Phillip heads. [LR],[WPP],[LPH]

Dunedin. Barque, 208 tons. # 26373. Built Harrington, Maine, USA, 1851 as the vessel S.W.Nash. . Lbd 170 x 30.0 x 19.3 ft. Purchased for use as an intercolonial trader, and reg. Melbourne 1858. Captain Cleland. Having arrived from Otago, was at anchor and ready to sail when driven ashore in a gale, wrecked, at Sandridge, (Port Melbourne),  16 December 1863. [LV],[WPP - lbd 104.3 x 25.7 x 11.3 ft]

Dunloe. Lighter, 674 tons.  Built 1909.  Scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Philip heads, Bass Strait, 2 July 1947. [LV],[NSF - built 1870]

Duntroon. Motor vessel, steel, 10346 tons. Built 1935. Sold to Singapore interests in 1960. Loaded with troops, struck the minesweeper HMAS Goorangai in Port Phillip with the loss of all hands on the minesweeper, a total of twenty-four, 20 November 1940. The Duntroon did not stop and search for survivors with her searchlights. [LR],[LV],[LSW]
On 23 October 1950, damaged by fire in Yarra, Melbourne. [WPP]

E.J.Fairne. (E.J.Fairnie). Tug. Lost at Geelong, Port Phillip, 21 August 1953. She had been assisting to berth the vessel Melbourne Star when she rolled in a swell and sank promptly within three minutes. She was later refloated.  [LV],[WPP],[LC]
The author can remember as a young fellow being taken down to the shore at Geelong to watch the salvage of the vessel. We saw absolutely nothing, but at least it was a day out from boarding school.

Eagle. Cutter, 22 tons. # 43316. Built Sydney 1840; reg. Melbourne 1874, and 1882. Lbd 45.8 x 14.3 x 6.9 ft. Wrecked in rough weather when she grounded near Rosebud, Port Phillip, 1883. Her register was closed but she was later sld to a storekeeper at Rye who succeeded in salvaging her. However she came ashore at Rye in 1884, this time for good. [WPP],[LV]

Eagle. Schooner, 26 tons. Ashore near Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip Heads, February 1841. [LO],[LPH],[LR indicates date 1840, refloated]
Also listed:
Eagle. Schooner. Ashore in a gale near Port Phillip Heads, about 20 September 1849. [AS1]
Loney lists a schooner of this name, built 1818, wrecked in New Zealand waters, 1850. [LPA]

Eagle. Steel steamer,  tug, 229 tons. Built 1890.  Lbd 125.4 x 22.6 x 12.8 ft. Broken up 1960. [LPA],[LWP]
In 1891, assisted the steamship Bancoora, Victoria. [DD]
In 1894, assisted the stranded barque Kinross, Port Phillip. [LC]
In 1896, assisted in refloating the steamship Rockton, Port Phillip. [LC]
In April 1898, attempted to refloat the stranded steamer Edina, on Gellibrand Reef, Port Phillip. [WPP]
In 1902, towed free the steamship Paroo near Point Lonsdale. [LR]
In 1902, attended the derelict ship Port Patrick off Wilsons Promontory, but was beaten to salvage rights by the tug Champion. [NH]
In 1903,   attempted, in vain, to salvage the bulk oil carrier Petriana.
In 1908, towed the barque Hinemoa free at Lorne, Victoria.
In 1924, assisted SS Casino when ashore off Point Hawdon near the Grey River, Victoria.
In 1929, assisted SS Kaituna after a collision with SS Selje off Cape Otway.
In 1934, assisted SS Milora, stranded off Port Phillip Heads. [LR]

Echo. Ketch, 55 tons. Reported stranded near port Phillip Heads for a short time, 1855. [LR],[LV]

Eddystone. Steamship, 2042 tons. Built 1886. Wrecked on the north coast of Western Austraalia, 1894. [LSS]
In 1893, involved in collision with dredge  John Nimmo, Corio Bay. [LV],[LC]

Edina. Iron steamer, 380/223 tons.  # 11136.Built Glasgow, 1854: reg. Melbourne 1863. Lbd 171 x 23-6 x 12-7 ft. Initially rigged with three masts and a funnel between the main and mizzen. One of Australia’s most famous steamers. Ran for a time in the North Sea trade, and because of her speed, was a blockade runner during the Crimean War where she experienced the first of her many collisions when she rammed a Russian ship.In 1863 ran bales of cotten out of Galveston, Texas during the American Civil War, at the time rigged as a three-masted steamer. In 1865 came to Australia and ran from Portland to Melbourne, then to New Zealand when gold was discovered there. In 1880 ran on the Melbourne-Geelong passenger and freight service, with an altered rig of only one mast. She had many further collisions and ‘incidents’ during her long life, and became known as a ‘collision specialist’. economic conditions forced her from service in 1938. Owned by Warrnambool Steam Packet Co. Ltd when she ran the coast to Warrnambool and Portland, but better known later in the bay trade.
[WL],[LV,[LG], [LO],[#LSS],[LLB],[#LC],[WPH - 322/239 tons],[#DG]
Lawson states that at the time of writing (1927) she was the oldest operating steamer in the world. The oldest steamer afloat is stated to be the famous Great Britain, lying as a hulk in the Falkland Islands.
On 18 April 1863, she was at anchor in Portland Bay when a squall sprang up and forced her ashore where she lay for two days, battered by heavy seas, before being refloated and taken to Melbourne for repairs. [LSS]
On 30 April 1869, when entering Port Phillip Heads on a voyage from Warrnambool to Melbourne with a number of passengers and a full cargo, struck a submerged object and began taking water. The pumps were set to work until she reached Williamstown where she was run ashore.  [LR],[WPH],[LPH]
On 18 June 1869, stranded at Point Gellibrand, Port Phillip. [WPP]
In 1870, during a gale at Warrnambool, the steamer Dandenong drifted close to the Edina and finally swung broadside on to her bow, damaging the Edina’s figurehead, which was replaced when she was overhauled during 1872-73.
In 1880 - collided with the coal hulk City of Melbourne near the mouth of the Yarra River, Melbourne, suffering only minor damage
In 1883, involved in collision with vessel Cerberus, Victorian waters.
In 1883, assisted in salvage of cargo from stranded steamer rodondo, Point Lonsdale. [LR]
In 1887, assisted in rescue - see SS Cheviot, 1887.
On 6 March 1893, stranded at Geelong. [WPP]
In 1894, involved in collision with steamer Courier, Corio Bay. [LC]
In 1898, ashore at point Gellibrand, Port Phillip. [LC]
On the evening of 27 April 1898, she struck SS Manawatu near Williamstown.  The Manawatu, badly damaged in the bows, sank soon after, while the Edina was run ashore on Point Gellibrand with a gaping hole in her side. The tugs Geebung, and Eagle, attempted to get her off without success, but she managed to get off apparently without assistance. [WPP],[LC]
In 1899, she rammed and sank her rival, the Excelsior, in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip. Holed on the port side near the funnel, the Excelsior sank in five fathoms forty-five minutes later, after all passengers had been transferred to the Edina.  The Excelsior was raised seven months later. [WPP]
On 9 July 1924, stranded at Point Gellibrand, Port Phillip. [WPP]
In 1931, July, she rammed the tug Hovell in Hobsons Bay; this being the last of her collisions before ]
On 16 September 1932, stranded at Portarlington, Port Phillip. [WPP]
In 1934, involved in collision with vessel Ormiston, Yarra River, Melbourne.

Edith Haviland. Brig. Involved in collision with steamer Blackbird, Port Phillip, September 1873. [LV],[WPP]

Edward. Brig, 270 tons. # 119235. Built 1874; reg. Hobart. Lbd 121.3 x 26.8 x 12.3 ft. Captain Tait. Defective anchors and cables led to the wrecking about 500 metres off Beacon Rock, near Point Nepean, Victoria, 29 September 1912. Crew of eight saved. The tug Nyora refused to assist due to the dangerouss reefs surrounding the brig, the later going to pieces the following day.
[LR],[LG],[LV],[WPH]

Edward. Cutter. Captain Charles Gray. Left Dromana with firewood; foundered off Point Richards, Corio Bay, Port Phillip, having sprung a leak, night of 11 January 1881. Tragically, the captain lost his ten year old son, and a crewman, but survived himself. [LC],[LV]

Elfin. Involved in collision with Ozone, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 1889. [LV]

Elingamite. Involved in collision with  Despatch, Yarra River, Melbourne, 1891. [LV]
Probably steamship, 2585 tons. Built 1887. Huddart Parker Limited. On  a voyage from Sydeny to Auckland, wrecked off Three Kings Islands, New Zealand, 9 November 1902.

Eliza Ann. Barque. While outward bound from Melbourne to Calcutta, ashore near Port Phillip Heads, but floated free soon after, 19 December 1856. [LR],[WPP - date 24 July 1856]

Eliza Ramsden. Three-masted iron barque, 415/395 tons. # 64793. Built Whiteinch, Lanark, UK, 1874; reg. Melbourne 1874. Lbd 151.6 x 27 x 15 ft. Captain Stewart. Sank in about thirteen fathoms on the edge of the South Channel off Portsea, Port Phillip Bay, 24 July 1875. She left Melbourne outward bound to Newcastle, with a crew of 13; passing through The Rip without the aid of a pilot, she struck the Corsair Rock. The Queenscliff lifeboat hurried to the scene and soon rescued the crew while the steamer tug War Hawk stood by. Meanwhile, Captain Richard Leggett of the cutter Ben Bolt, boarded the vessel and remained with her when she floated free with the rising tide. With two others, he attempted to steer her for the South Channel, but as the rudder was damaged and she was filling with water, they could not control her and she sank inside the bay. One of the crewmen was Tom Pearce, soon to earn fame as the hero of the Loch Ard disaster in 1878.
[LG],[LV],[LR],[WPH],[WB],[NWP],[NSC],[LAH],[DA]
@ The wrecksite is popular with recreational scuba divers, regularly visited by charter boat operators our of Portsea and Sorrento; lying upright in 7 metres to the top of the bow, and 22 metres to the stern which has broken up. It appears (according to Williams and Searle) that explosives had been used on the vessel as she was ‘in the way of vessels using the channel’.

Eliza. Clipper ship, 1378 tons. From Liverpool. Captain Patching. Destroyed by fire in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, as she prepared to leave port for Guam with sand ballast, sheep and hay, 1 March 1870. The famous clipper Thermopyae was anchored close by, too close for her master Captain Kimball, who had his beautiful vessel towed further out into the bay. The Eliza was difficult to scuttle and as she burned from stem to stern, ‘she looked like a floating volcano.’  [LV],[#WPP],[LAH]

Elizabeth. Cutter. Manned by two men she left Schnapper Point with a cargo of sheoak on 27 August 1864 and disappeared. Wreckage was found at Point Cook and Williamstown. Three crew lost their lives. [LV],[WPP]

Elizabeth. Schooner, 62 tons. Built Melbourne, 1851. Broken up Melbourne, 1894. [ASR]

Elizabeth. Schooner. Damaged in a storm that battered many vessels at Geelong, 20 July 1854. [WPP]

Elizabeth. Wooden schooner, 90 tons. Built Dundee, Scotland, 1848; reg. Melbourne, 1854. Lbd 66.3 x 17.1 x 9.5 ft. Captain Keenan. Bound from Port Fairy to Melbourne, struck Point Lonsdale reef, Port Phillip Heads in a squall, wrecked, 22 April 1860. No lives lost. [LO],[LR],[WPH]

Ellen & Mary. Schooner, 25 tons. # 32169. Built Emu Bay, Tasmania, 1849; reg. Melbourne 1862. Lbd 50.5 x 13 x 6 ft.  Lost in a storm, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 20 July.1876.
[LV],[LPA],[WPP]

Ellen. Barque, 352 tons. Inward bound to Geelong from Sydney, ran ashore on th pope’s Eye Shoal just inside Port Phillip Heads, but was later refloated, 1 January 1843. [LR],[LPH]

Ellen. Wooden lighter. # 31692. Built Williamstown, Victoria, 1865, out of the lighter Norna; reg. Melbourne 1867. Lbd 83.5 x 24 x 8.2 ft. Carrying a large deck load of timber, sank near Williamstown, Port Phillip, while being towed to Sandridge, 11 September 1877. [WPP],[LV]

Ellesmere. Barque. Was at anchor near entrance to Port Phillip when struck by the pilot schooner Rip and badly damaged, 1864. [LR]

Emilia. Ketch. Damaged in a storm that battered many vessels at Geelong, 20 July 1854. [WPP]

Emily. Brig, collier, 296 tons. # 58020. Built Shoreham, Sussex, UK, 1868; reg. Melbourne 1874. Lbd 119.9 x 27 x 14.7 ft. Captain McDougall. From Newcastle, struck a reef while entering Port Phillip, 10 September 1877. She was taking water, so beached near Queenscliff , raised, repaired, and towed to Melbourne by the tugs Albatross and Rescue. [LR],[WPH]

Emily. Schooner, 20 tons. # 41445. Built at the convict settlement of Port Arthur, Tasmania; reg. Melbourne. Lbd 39.4 x 11.3 x 5.5 ft. Aground, wrecked  near Indented Head, Port Phillip, July.1870. [LV],[WPP],[LC]

Empire Strength. Involved in collision with Iron Monarch, Port Phillip Bay, 1943. [LV]

Empire. Government schooner. Captain Nicholson (later Harbour Master at Geelong). Worked as a pilot tender and assisted at wrecks at Port Phillip Heads, also maintenance of buoys and beacons, and carrying of stores. Employed in the (Port Phillip) pilot service from 1854.
[LO],[NH],[LPH]
On 3 December 1850, assisted in refloating the ship Cassipore, Port Phillip. [LC]
In 1852, involved in salvage - see Dove, lost Port Phillip, 1852.
In 1853, assisted ship Sacramento. [LO]
In 1856, attended stranded ship Laurence Frost.
In 1857, assisted refloating the barque Patriotness, Port Phillip. [LR]
In 1861, rescued crew of the American barque Asa Packer, Port Phillip Heads, their gallant actions coming to the notice of Parliament, whereby each man was awarded £5. [LR]

Empire. Schooner, 55 tons. Built St.Johns, New Brunswick; reg. Melbourne 1892. Lbd 72.6 x 21.1 x 5.6 ft. Wrecked during rough weather near St Leonards, Port Phillip, 5 February 1894. [WPP],[LV],[ASR],[LC]
 

Empress of the Sea. (Empress of the Seas). Ship, 2200/1647 tons. Built Boston, USA, 1853. Lbd 240 x 43 x 27 ft. Owned by the Black Ball Line. Captain ‘Bully’ Bragg. Burnt off Queenscliff, 19 December 1861. Bound for England with passengers and gold worth £80,000. As the masts fell, the passengers, crew and gold were taken off in the ship’s boats aided by the pilot schooner Rip. The captain was in Geelong discharging ten of the crew for incompetence while the rest of the crew seathed with discontnet, and threating not to take the ship to sea. Her cables were slipped and she went ashore eastward of Point Nepean and scuttled. The crew were suspected of arson but nothing could be proved.
[LR],[LV],[AS6],[WPH],[LAH],[LPH],[WB]
On 4 November 1868, touched the reef at Port Phillip Heads. [WPP]
@ Little remains on the site in 5-7 m, some 700 m from Nepean Bay inside Port Phillip. A commemorative plinth has been place on the site by divers from the Maritime Archaeology Unit of Heritage Victoria.

Empress. Involved in collision with vessel Vesta, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 1864 [LV]

Endeavour. Salvage vessel. Assisted sunken lighter Jules Marie, Port Phillip, 1910. [WPP]

Enterprise. Launched Hobart Town, 1832. Owned by Messrs Brown & Mawl. In 1834 she was purchased by John Pascoe Fawkner who used her to cross Bass Strait, and was the first vessel up the Yarra river, where he selected land and negotiated purchase with the local aborigines, this establishing the original site of the city of Melbourne. He left Georgetown, Tasmania on 27 July 1835, and sailed into the Yarra on 29 August. She could have been wrecked at Warrnambool around 1857.   [#LSS],[MM]
This extremely historic vessel is not to be confused with the schooner of the same name wrecked at Warrnambool in 1850. MacKenzie is so confused.

Eolinn. Lighter. In a storm which battered shipping at Geelong, was driven against the Yarra Street Pier, and ran foul of the schooners Valentine, Hellicar and Highlander, 20 July 1854.

Erica. Steamship, 3000 ton. Seriously damaged by fire but eventually repaired, Port Phillip, 12 July 1935. [LV],[WPP]

Eugowra. Steamship, 584 tons. Built 1948. Stranded at St.Leonards, Port Phillip, 5 May 1955. Refloated. Sold to the Pacific Islands Shipping Company in June 1969, and renamed Kieta. At last rekoning was trading in the south-west Pacific. [WPP],[LC]

Euro. Steamer, steel tug, 257 tons.  Built at Dundee, 1897.  Lbd 130 x 22.5 x 12.2 ft.  Scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Philip heads, Bass Strait, 10 June 1948. [LV],[LH],[NSF]

Euroa. Vessel type not recorded. Burnt at Yarraville, Melbourne, 10 December 1957. [WPP]

Eva. Type not listed. Involved in collision with vessel Hero, West Channel, 1876.  Involved in collision with vessel General Pell, outside Port Phillip Heads, 1877. [LV]
Could be the paddle steamer or the schooner.

Evergreen. Schooner.  Foundered, lost in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 21 July 1878. [LV],[WPP]

Excelsior. Bay screw steamer, steel, 350/172 tons. # 86326. Built at Southampton, 1882; reg. Melbourne 1882. Came out in 66 days, commencing the Melbourne-Geelong run on 15 January 1883. Owned by Huddart Parker & Co.Very popular vessel. Broken up in 1919, at which time her engines were put into the hulk Malaita (qv), owned by Burns, Philp, and lying at Geelong. Register finally closed 1943.
[WPP- lbd 186.6 x 21.1 x 10.7 ft.], [LSS - lbd 117.6 x 16.9 x 6.3 ft],[LC]
On 9 January 1897, involved in collision with ketch Lulu, Hopetoun Channel, Port Phillip. [LV],[WPP]
In 1889, involved in collision with Coogee, Victorian waters. [LV]
In 1890, involved in collision with  Flora, Yarra River, Melbourne. [LV]
On 11 January 1897, under Captain Moore,  ran down and sank the ketch Lu Lu in the Hopetoun Channel, Port Phillip. [LV],[LC]
In 1898, assisted in the salvage and refloating of the schooner Omega, Port Phillip. [WPP]
On 11 July 1899, rammed by SS Edina in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip.Holed on the port side near the funnel, the Excelsior sank in five fathoms forty-five minutes later, after all passengers had been transferred to the Edina.  The Excelsior was raised seven months later, February 1900. [LV],[WPP],[LC]

Express. Steamship, 199 tons. Built 1853. Lbd 123.4 x 18 x 9.8 ft. Sold to New Zealand interests in 1860.  Wrecked in NZ waters, 1877. [LC]
Also listed:
Express. Steamer, 136 tons. Was the first of the Huddart Parker vessels to trade between Melbourne and Geelong. [NH]
On 28 June 1864, involved in a collision with the steamer Vesta, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip. [WPP]
Express. Freed the stranded barque Sea Nymph, Corio Bay, 1868. [LC]

Falcon. Vessel type not recorded. Involved in collision with  vessel Sprightly, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 1918. [LV]

Faugh-A-Ballaugh. Barque. Captain Wilson. Wrecked near Indented head, Port Phillip, having parted her cables in a squall, 6 August 1852. Unable to refloat her, she was dismantled where she lay. [WPP]

Favourite. Barque, 198 tons. Captain Mortimer. Inward bound from California with 17 passengers, ashore at Swan Island, Port Phillip, 22 January 1851. She was later refloated. [LR],[WPP],[LPH]

Fawkner. Steam hopper barge, 388/169 tons. Built 1883; reg. Melbourne. Owned by the Melbourne Harbour trust Co. In the 1880s, she had been attached to the Victorian Navy as an auxiliary unit, and was fitted with gun mountings. Sank after a collision with the steamer Karoola in the Yarra River, Melbourne, 24 September 1913. The Fawkner ended up with her bow submerged. When a diver was inspecting the damage the following day, the Fawkner rolled underwater, striking the diver’s helmet. The pump operator was thrown into the river, and it was only fortunate that the diver escaped drowning. Scuttled in Bass Strait, 1935. [LV],[WPP], [ASR]
Loney [LV] lists a vessel of this name, type not recorded, but possibly the 388 ton hopper,  involved in several incidents:
In 1894, involved in collision with vessel Pickhuben, Yarra River, Melbourne.
In 1907, involved in collision with vessel Otter, Victorian waters.
In 1913, involved in collision with vessel Karoola, Yarra River, Melbourne.

Flavius. Ship. Ran down the cutter Corsair, Port Phillip Heads, May 1854. The damage was reported as minor. [LV],[LR],[WPP]

Fleetwing. Steamer, 31 tons. Built 1874; broken up 1894. Involved in the salvage of the barque George Roper off Port Phillip Heads, 1883.  [LO]

Flinders. Cutter, 35 tons. Reported wrecked at Dromana, in Port Phillip, 1860. [LV],[WPP]

Flinders. Steamer, iron, 948 tons. Built at Glasgow, 1878. Lbd 227.1 x 28.3 x 20.1 ft.
In 1889, involved in collision with vessel Waitemata, Port Phillip Bay. [LV]
In 1892, involved in collision with  lighter, Port Phillip Bay. [LV]
In 1893, involved in collision with  lighter, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip. [LV]
In 1898, was stuck by SS Casino when the Casino attempted to pass, causing light structural damage. [LO],[LSS]

Flora. A vessel of this name was:
In 1890, involved in collision with vessel Excelsior, Yarra River, Melbourne. [LV]
In 1906, involved in collision with vessel Batman, Yarra River, Melbourne. [LV]

Flying Fish. Involved in collision with Souvenir, Yarra River, 1849. [LV],[WPP]

Foig-a-Ballagh. Ship, 127 tons. Built 11825. Captain Wilson. Inward bound to Melbourne with a cargo of coal, parted her cables whilst at anchor in the West Channel, off Indented Head, Port Phillip, while waiting for a pilot, drove aground, wrecked, close to the wreck of the Clarence and became a total loss, 6 August 1852. [LV],[LC]

Formosa. Iron twin screw steamer, 205/173 tons. Built at Rutherglen, Scotland, 1868, then rigged as a three masted schooner for the voyage out to Australia. Registered Glassgow. Lbd 137.7 x 22.2 x 8.4 ft. Captain Ballardi (Ballardie).On her maiden voyage, ran ashore, wrecked,  3 km east of Point Nepean,  5 February 1869.  The vessel was very difficult to manage and missed stays on several occasions. She broke in two soon after striking but her crew of ten and a passenger reached the shore safely.
@ She now lies in seven metres in a deep gutter. The remains of her steam engines and a condenser are visible. Relics recovered include portholes, lead pipe, beer and stout bottles.
[LG],[AS6],[NWR],[LV],[NSC],[WPH],[DD],[WB]

Formose. Ship, 824 tons. Captain W. Durand. Bound for Hong Kong, struck the screw steamer Royal Shepherd near he Upper Light Vessel, West Channel, Port Phillip Heads, 1 September 1858. Both vessels extensively damaged but did not sink and no lives were lost.  [LV],[WPH]

Forward. Lighter, 202 tons. Reg. Melbourne, 1847. Broken up Melbourne, 1888. [ASR]

Francis Henty. Cable layer. Scuttled at Sandringham, Port Phillip, as part of a breakwater. [IL]
@  Scattered wreckage close to the groyne at Sandringham Yacht Club.

Franklin. Iron steamer. Built at Glasgow, 1880; owned by the Adelaide  Steamship Co. Captain Carrington. Involved in collision with the steamer (ex-tug) Pharos, Yarra River, Melbourne, 14 July 1887. The tug sank but was later raised. [WPP],[LV]

Frisk. Brig, 181 tons. Built at Whitby, England, 1835.  Captain James Sinclair. From Liverpool, wrecked on a reef off Point Nepean, Port Phillip Heads, 28 May 1853. The crew took to the rigging until she commenced to break up and they were forced to swim for the shore; she carried no passengers. Six reached safety but the captain and two others were lost in the surf, and a further two died from exposure on the brig. See also brig Marmion which did the same an hour earlier. [LG],[LR],[LV],[WPH - 220 tons],[LPH - lost Point Lonsdale]

Frowning Beauty. Barque, 365 tons. Built Whitby, about 1845. Lbd 100.5 x 24.5 x 18.1 ft. Regular trader between Melbourne and Newcastle. Captain James Dalton. Stranded between Port Melbourne and St Kilda when driven out of control by a gale, 28 July 1876. Efforts to refloat her proved futile and she was eventually abandoned and broken up. [LV],[WPP]

Gambier. Iron steamship, passenger vessel, 1557/1029 tons. Built Dunbarton, Scotland, 1874 as the Ocean.  Lbd 280.1 x 31.9 x 23.9 ft. Owned by Wm Howard Smith & Sons Ltd. Captain Bell. Struck by the collier Easby and sank, 28 August 1891. Twenty-one lives lost from the Gambier. This is the worst collision in the bay’s history and the Court of Inquiry into the disaster found both captains guilty of misconduct and their certificates were suspended for several months. Inward bound from Sydney, the Gambier was entering Port Phillip Heads soon after midnight at 7 knots whn, near the popes Eye Shoal, she was struck at right angles by the Easby travelling at 10 knots. The collier penetrated more than a third into the Gambier, near the funnel, sinking her within minutes. Most of those who lost thier lives, mainly women, did so when a lifeboat capsized. [LV],[ASR],[WPH],[DG].[WB]
On 24 June 1891, from Newcastle to Geelong, ran ashore between Clifton Springs and Drysdale in misty rain. Later refloated. [LC]
@ As explosives were used to flatten the wreck, the site is frequently covered in sand. Divers however have recovered relics. [LAH]

Gange. Austrian barque, iron, 1071 tons. Built Lussinoiccolo, 1885.  Lbd 152 x 30.1 x 16.8 ft. Captain Ivaneich. Inward bound for Melbourne with twenty passengers and crew, ashore on the Point Lonsdale Reef, Port Phillip Heads, 23 July 1887. The pilot schooner Mavis had chased her and fired off dynamite bombs and rockets in an effort to warm her off the reef. The vessel went to pieces a week later. The captain and family went on to Melbourne by the tug Albatros. All crew saved. [LR],[LO],[LV],[LAH],[LPH],[WB],[DA],[IL]
@ The wreck lies close to the Black Boy, withhull broken in two and well flattened in its exposed location. Large blocks of concrete mark the site.

Gazelle. Auxiliary fishing ketch,19 gross. # 57564. Built Hobart, 1875; reg. Hobart 4/1876. Lbd 50.0 x 13.7 x 4.6 ft. Sank in Port Phillip Bay, July 1966. [TS2]

Geebung. Tug. Attempted to refloat the stranded steamer Edina, on Gellibrand Reef, Port Phillip, April 1898. [WPP]
A vessel of this name, lissted as ‘houseboat, ex tug’, sank in the Yarra, Melbourne 1962. [WPP]

Geelong. Steamship, 239 tons. From Melbourne to Geelong, stranded at Point Wilson, near Arthur the Great Shoal,  Port Phillip, 5 March 1885. [LC],[WPP]

Gellibrand & Hesse. Schooner. Believed lost Port Phillip, December, 1837. [LV]

Gem. Schooner, 80 tons.
In 1856, involved in rescue - see brig Struan, 1856. [LG]
On 6 June 1864, stranded in the Symonds Channel; managed to get off but in a leaky condition. [WPP]
On 22 July 1864, from Warrnambool with grain, collided with the trans Bass Strait steamer Southern Cross in the Yarra, Melbourne. The schooner sank, but was later raised and repaired. [WPP]

General Pell. Steamship. Involved in collision with schooner Eva, outside Port Phillip Heads, 30 March 1877. The steamship had mistaken the schooner for the pilot and had approached too close. [LV]

George Roper. Four-masted barque, 2033 tons. Built Liverpool, 1882. Ran on to a reef at Port Phillip Heads, 4 July 1883. Inward bound to Melbourne, ran into fog while entering the Heads in tow of the paddle steamer Williams. The tug struck the Point Lonsdale Reef and was so seriously damaged that she was forced to release the tow line and make for Queenscliff, leaving the barque helpless in the fog, with the result that she herself ran on to the reef. The Queenscliff lifeboat was immediately called to her assistance, and SS Dawn, from Portland, also stood by. Tugs were sent from Melbourne to tow the vessel off, but they were unsuccessful, and all hope of saving the ship was abandoned. Steamers, Albatross, Black Boy, and Cleopatra, and schooner Agnes, removed portion of the cargo including a quantity of dynamite. SS Pharos amd SS Fleetwing were also involved after the Black Boy was everly damaged, the later being replaced by the steamer Spray. Most of the cargo was salvaged before the barque went to pieces during a gale on 26 August.
[#LR],[LO],[AS6],[LV],[WPH],[DD],[WB],[NWR],[NSC],[LAH],[DA],[IL]
@ The site is popular with divers, wreckage scattered over a wide area in only five metres, about 400 metres from the lighthouse. Railway tracks are stacked in what was the hull, and broken crockery litters the site; large winch, and metal rudder.

George Thompson. Three-masted wooden clipper ship, 1128 tons. Built Aberdeen, Scotland, 1865; reg. Aberdeen 1865. Lbd 209 x 36.2 x 22.4 ft. Owned by Aberdeen Line. Captain Mills.  Stranded but later refloated, Point Nepean, Port Phillip Heads, 14 November 1882. Hit Corsair Rock inward bound, stuck fast, abandoned, but the crew returned when she floated free on the tide. She limped into Port Phillip and anchored opposite the Quarantine Station, the only thing keping her afloat being her timber cargo. The tug Albatross towed her on to Melbourne. [#LR], [LV], [LG],[WPH]

George Tobin. Pilot launch. Overwhelmed in The Rip, Port Phillip Heads, 1991. [LO]

George. Schooner. Stranded West Channel, Port Phillip, 24 January 1862. [WPP]

Gertrude. Ketch, 35 tons. Stranded near Swan Point, Port Phillip, 6 June 1892. Her cargo had shifted, throwing her on her beam ends. Her fate is not recorded. [LR]
See also ketch Cicada, renamed Gertrude in 1918, wrecked near Dromana, Port Phillip, 9 August 1922.

Gil Blas. Ship. As she entered the Rip (Port Phillip Heads), an enormous sea swept down on her unexpectedly, washing four men to their deaths and causing considerable damage. [LR]

Gipsy . Involved in collision with Aphrasia, Yarra River, Melbourne,12 October 1852. [LV],[WPP]

Giraffe. Involved in collision with paddle steamer Warhawk, Yarra River, Melbourne, 29 October 1875. [LV],[WPP]

Glaneuse. French barque, iron, 481 tons. Built La Seyne, France, 1870. Lbd 152.6 x 26.6 x 17 ft.  Captain Gorse. Whilst waiting for the pilot, ran into a channel between the mainland and a reef near Point Lonsdale, wrecked, 2 October 1886. No signals of distress were fired, and the lighthouse keeper did not immediately realise the vessel was ashore, but later he quickly alerted the Queenscliff lifeboat and the tug, Avon. Several disturbances occurred among the crew, who had pillaged portion of the cargo of wine, brandy - and sardines.  A wire rope was run from the high sand hills to the barque and fastened to the mizzen mast, and by this means all the cargo was eventually landed. All crew escaped.
[#LR],[LO],[LV],[WPH],[LAH],[LPH],[WB],[DA],[IL]
@  Twisted metal and wood may be found between the shallow rocks for some 100 metres out from the beach, 100 west of Point Lonsdale lighthouse; subject to silting

Glenshee. Barque. From Geelong to Newcastle, stranded at Point Richards, Port Phillip, 18 August 1873. The steamer Despatch tried to reach her but the surronding water was too shallow. The barque eventually freed herself. [LC],[WPP]

Gold Hunter. Lighter. Sank in Yarra River, Melbourne, 1889. [LV]

Golden Crown. Wooden paddle steamer, 208 tons. Built Auckland 1870; reg. Melbourne. The plates, frames, engines and boilers were made in England, for assembled in Auckland, NZ. The vessel carrying the plates and frames was wrecked, so the design was altered to construct her of timber. Length 200 ft. Traded on the River Thames, New Zealand, from 1870 to 1874, when purchased for the Port Phillip excursion trade. Broken up, Melbourne, 1892.
In December 1876, collided with paddle steamer Williams off Queenscliff, Port Phillip. [LR],[LV indicates 1877],[ASR]

Goorangai. HMAS, minesweeper, steamer, 223 tons. Built 1919 as a trawler. Lbd 117 x 22.1 x 11.7 ft. Requisitioned from commercial trawler operators by the RAN. Captain D. McGregor. While traversing Port Phillip from Queencliff to Portsea, she was struck amidships by the outward bound MV Duntroon, and sank within a minute with the loss of all hands - three officers and twenty-one sailors, 20 November 1940. The Duntroon was loaded with troops, and unable to stop and switch on searchlights to search for survivors. The wreck was demolished by an explosive charge in January 1941.  [LV],[LR],[LSW],[ASR]
@ What little remains is of little interest to wreck divers, with heavily overgrown wreckage in eighteen metres, however the fish life is generally prolific. She lies in the South Channel which means prohibited anchoring. As only six bodies were recovewred, the Goorangi must be respected as a military grave. [NWR],[LAH],[WB]

Goudie. Small tug. Saved the larger tug Swiftness from going ashore, Port Phillip, May 1955. [WPP]

Governor Arthur. Wooden paddle steamer, 24 tons. Designed and framed in England, imported to Hobart where assembled in 1832. Reg. Melbourne 11/1848. Lbd 65-6 x 10-11 x 6 ft. Paddlewheels 10 ft dia. Caught fire at her moorings at Melbourne and after several attempts to scuttle her had failed, she settled down stem first, 23 December 1841. She was raised a week later, her engines removed and used in a new steamer, the Diamond. Her hull was used as a lighter. Then, some years later, she was given a thorough overhaul, re-rigged as a schooner, and re- registered in Melbourne on 29 November 1848. She was eventually broken up at Port Chalmers, NZ, and her register closed 31 December 1872.
[AS1],[LV],[WPP]
In 1850, assisted in the salvage of cargo from the barque victory, Port Phillip Heads. [LR]

Governor Hotham. Lighter. Involved in collision with steamer Rob Roy, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, June or July, 1872. [LV],[WPP]

Governor La Trobe. Cutter. Built 1840. Wrecked in Port Phillip Bay 1862.   [LPA],[LC]

Graham. Involved in collision with Montoro, Yarra River, Melbourne, 1911. [LV]

Grange. Barque, 301 tons. Built at Troon, Scotland, 1840.Captain Alexander. Struck an outcrop of the Henty Reef off Apollo Bay, Victoria, wrecked, 25 March 1858. The captain attempted to back the barque through a gplp in the reef, but after driving astern for considerable distance she struck aft on a rock and remained fast. The crew launched a boat, rowed 400 yards to the beach and were able to ascertain their position from the small group of settlers who had hurried to the scene. Heavy seas battered the vessel for a week, carrying away portion of the decking and masts and precipitating much wreckage on the beach. The tug Lioness, and SS Moegaera attended the wreck. The remains lay on a reef and beach for about twenty years, exposed at low tide, but the sea and sand have now completely removed all traces. [LO],[LSS],[LV],[LAH],[DD],[IL]
@ Scattered remains betwen Hayley Reef and the shore, Marengo, Victoria.
~ In 1968, scuba diver Geoff Anderson recovered a caronade from the seabed near the wrecksite. It is on display at Apollo Bay. The gun could be of Dutch origin, cast between 1740 and 1780.

Great Britain. Iron screw steamer, 2982 tons gross. Built 1842 by the Great Western Steamship Company on a design by the renown engineer I.K. Brunel and initially designed as a screw steamer. Lbd 322 x 51 x 32 ft. When completed she was ‘ the most beautiful ship afloat’. Operated initially on the Atlantic run, the first iron vessel to do so. In 1882 she was converted to a sailing ship, and was eventually hulked in Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, 1927.  [WL],[LPH],[#DG]
In September 1846, ran ashore in Dundrum Bay, Ireland and lay there all winter until towed off. Sold to Bright Bros. & Co, and after a rig change, ran in the Melbourne-London trade for twnety- one years. Captain Gray was her master for most of the time - he disappeared at sea.
In 1854, having been detained at the Quarantine station for amonth, she steamed up Port Phillip under the popular Captain Gray, who was rather jubilant at being on the move once again, and fired the ship's guns to celebrate. As this was the time of the "Russian scare", rumour spread quickly to Melbourne that the Russians wre coming. Captain Gray was cautioned to be more considerate next time.
On 21 September 1860, in the final hours of a voyage out from England, collided with SS Oscar west of Port Phillip Heads. Both ships suffered considerable superficial damage but were not in any real danger. [LO]
~ The hulk of the Great Britain was towed to England for restoration in Bristol, where she may be seen.

Greyhound. Steamer, 77 tons. Lost at Port Phillip Heads, 1944.

Griper. Dredge, 124 tons. Built 1850. Broken up 1901. Lbd 84.8 x 20.8 x 10.6 ft. [LSS]
In 1889, involved in collision with SS Coogee, Yarra River, Melbourne. [LV]

Guiana, lighter, 172, Melbourne, 1838. Broken up Melbourne, 1888.  [ASR]

Gulf of Toranto. Steamship. Stranded at Altona, Port Phillip, 2 April 1900. [WPP]

Habitant. Wooden ship, 1618 tons. Built Nova Scotia, 1855. Lbd 225 x 42.7 x 24 ft. Captain W.R. Potter. Under American charter, on her third visit to Melbourne, was gutted by fire whilst lying at South Wharf unloading cargo including 28,000 cases of kerosene, 8 June 1894. The captain has just enough time to save his wife and children before she became an inferno. The vessel Jenny Harkness, loaded with 30,000 case of kerosene was more only five feet behind the stricken Habitant. She was moved very quickly. The charred shell of the Habitant was towed to Williamstown where she was turned into a floating dock, serving in this capacity for sixty years. In 1959 she was being taken to Fishermens Bend to be broken up but sank , and was finally blown apart with explosives.
[LV],[WPP],[ML],[LAH - built 1885]

Halfway Tree. Brig. Ashore near point Cook, Port Phillip, 12 December 1874. Later refloated. [LC]

Hargreaves. Schooner, 196 tons. From Auckland with sixteen passengers, ashore near Point Henry, Port Phillip, 21 October 1853. [LC],[WPP]

Harlequin. Schooner, 60 tons.  Burnt in the Yarra River, Melbourne, 1857. She had caught fire in the New Docck and was towed up to the Falls and scuttled. Later refloated, repaired. [LV],[WPP]

Harriet. Schooner, 29 tons. Built Tasmania, 1857. Lost at Duck Ponds near Geelong, 1862. [LV],[LC]

Hawk. Ketch, 84 tons. Launched New Zealand, 1880. Employed in the (Port Phillip) pilot service between 1887 and 1907, then into the timber trade between Melbourne and Tasmanian ports. In 1936 moved to Adelaide, then into the Pacific trade in 1965. In January 1980 she paid a brief visit to Melbourne. Was, in 1981, regarded as on of the oldest trading vessels in the world, and if still afloat, probably the oldest. [LC],[LV],[LPH]
Vessel type not recorded, but probably the famous ketch. . ‘In trouble’ during a gale, off Queencliff, Port Phillip, 23 June 1890. [LR]
In October 1933, caught in a squall and disamsted off Cape Schanck. [LV]

Hector. Schooner, 115 tons. Captain Harrison. From Melbourne to Tasmaniaa, sank in the West Channel, Port Phillip, not far from Queenscliff, 20 June 1871. The tug Resolute and the steamer Claude Hamiltton went to her assistance and took off the crew. Several attempts were made to refloat her by the tug Titan but were not successful.  [LV],[WPP - lost 29 June, some doubt to whether she was raised or not]

Helena. Involved in collision with Davercourt, Port Phillip Bay, 1873 [LV]

Hellens. Barque. Involved in collsion with vessel Dovercourt, Port Phillip, 27 November 1873. [WPP]

Hellespont. Steamer. Took crew back to Melbourne from stricken schooner Will O’ The Wisp, Port Phillip, 1853. [LR]

Hellicar. Schooner. Struck by the lighter Eolinn during a storm that battered many vessels at Geelong, 20 July 1854. [WPP]

Henrietta. Grand Banks schooner. Reported lost at Point Cook, Port Phillip, about 29 September 1940, however later refloated. [LC],[WPP]

Henry Meakin. Steel steam hopper, 348 tons. Built 1900. Lbd 139.9 x 28.1 x 10.1 ft. Originally from Durban and named Peter Paterson,  arrived in Port Phillip 23 November 1906. One of the last two commercial vessel registered at Geelong.After an overhaul, went into business under the name Henry Meakin. Beached and demolished at Walsh’s Jetty, Geelong, 1946. [LSS],[LC]

Henry. Brig. Stranded at Geelong, Victoia, 10 January 1843. Probably refloated. [WPP]

Henry. Ketch. Built on the Hawkesbury River, NSW, 1852; reg. Melbourne 1854. From Geelong with bales of wool, capsized in bad weather near Point Cook, Port Phillip, 22 December 1871. No loss of life. The tug Titan assisted in raising the vessel, however when coming up the bay she sank within a mile of th Point Gellibrand lightship. She was raised again, towed to port and repaired. [WPP]

Herald of the Morning. Clipper ship, 1291 tons. Built St. Johns, Newfoundland, 1855. Captain G.J. Rudolph. Totally destroyed by fire, Hobson’s Bay, Port Phillip, 16 November 1859. The tugs Lioness and Sophia managed to tow her to a beach and grounded. [LV],[WPP],[LAH]

Hercules. Paddle steamer. Involved in a colliion with the steamer Dandenong, Port Phillip, June 1871. [WPP],[LV]

Hercules. Tug. Attended the Swedish barque Leopold, destroyed by fire at Williamstown, Port Phillip, 1859. [LV]
On 29 January 1855, involved in collision with steamer Vesta, Port Phillip Heads. [LV],[WPP]
In 1859, assisted burning ship B.Norris, Port Phillip.
In 1860, assisted burning ship Phoenix, Port Phillip.

Hercules.In 1877, a vessel of this name was involved in collision with the tug Sprightly, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip. [LV]

Hero. Barque, possibly 374/338 tons. Built Sunderland, 1845. Burnt whilst anchored off Point Henry near Geelong, 13 February 1849. She had been loading wool for London. Following a hasty conference among the captains of the other ships at anchor nearby, it was decided to scuttle her. She sank in twenty-one feet of water, but was raised on 17 February 1849 and taken to Melbourne for repairs. [LV],[WPP],[AS1],[LC]
Charlwood [CWR] mentions Captain Gregurtha, vessel Hero, commenting on the lantern at Cape Otway, 1848.

Hero. Iron screw steamer, 985 tons. Built at Kingston-upon-Hull, 1861. Lb 224 x 25 ft. Brought to Australia by Gibbs, Bright & Co., and in 1865 chartered by the Queensland government to run mails to Batavia.  Bought by the Union Steam Ship Co. Between 1873 and 1880 ran between Sydney and Auckland, also Melbourne - Fiji.
Lawson states: Ended her days as a hulk in Melbourne.  [WL]
Gregory states: Disposed of in 1890 to a New Caledondia compaany, where she later became a hulk, and finally was stranded on the coast. [DG]

Hettie. Schooner, 100 tons. Wrecked on a sandbank half a mile off the present site of Brighton, Port Phillip, March 1836. The vessel had 500 sheep aboard; they were loaded into boats and carried ashore. The owners horse swan ashore unassisted. [LV],[WPP]

Highlander. Schooner. Struck by the lighter Eolinn during a storm that battered many vessels at Geelong, 20 July 1854. [WPP]
Also listed:
Highlander (Hilander)  Brigantine, 93 tons. Built 1850. Wrecked 1872.  [LPA]
In 1857, stranded at Apollo Bay, Victoria, 1857. [LO  - schooner]

Hilaria. Full rigged wooden ship, 1590 tons. Sister ship of the Habitant. Built Nova Scotia, 1886. Lbd 225 x 41.5 x 24.3 ft. Captain C.A. Allen. Totally destroyed by fire, Port Phillip, 9 July 1895. She carried more than 2000 cases of kerosene and 500 barrels of resin, and the immense volume of water poured into the holds caused her to take a list to port, with burning rigging overhanging the pier.  A firing party from H.M.S. Nelson fired a number of shots from a field gun placed on a barge, but when this failed she was blown up, sinking with a great gap in her side. A marine superintendant fell 30 ft into a hold whilst inspecting the ship, and later died of his injuries. The Hilaria was later raised and towed to Saltwater River where she was broken up. [LV],[MJ],[#WPP],[LAH - fireman died when he fell into the hold]

Hindoo. Vessel type not recorded. Stranded West Channel, Port Phillip, 5 March 1863. [WPP]

Holden. Tug. Barges being towed by the tug were involved in a collision with steamer Melbourne, Port Phillip, 22 December 1913.
[WPP],[LV - indicates collision was with the tug]

Holyhead. Four-masted barque, iron, 2260 tons. Built 1889. Lbd 294 x 42 x 24.5 ft. Captain Williams. Near the end of her maiden voyage, 74 days out from Liverpool, struck the Point Lonsdale reef, Port Phillip Heads, (close to where the George Roper ended her days in 1883), 12 February 1890. The lifeboat from Queenscliff ran alongside after a rough trip through the Rip, taking off all hands except the Chief Officer and Carpenter, as the ship showed no signs of breaking up.  The steamer Albatross aattended the wreck and took off some cargo. Thousands of sightseers visited the cliffs above the wreck over several weekends, and the Sunday Bay excursion steamers were packed with passengers from Melbourne and Geelong. As time went on and the removal of cargo lightened the ship; she began to bump heavily on the reef and after an unsuccessful attempt to tow the vessel off on 11 March, salvage operations were discontinued. and the wreck was sold to a syndicate. During the next three months a large quantity of cargo was recovered, but most of the profit was lost in attempts to get the ship off. In the middle of July a spell of heavy weather put an end to their hopes of refloating the vessel, and the engines and gear were landed at Queenscliff.
[#LR],[LO],[LV],LSS],[AS6],[#WPH],[DD],[NWR],[NSC],[LAH],[WB],[DA],[IL]
@  This is a popular dive, in seven metres maximum, 300 metres south from Lonsdale reef. A huge quantity of crockery was recovered by recreational divers in the 1970s, aften by primitive means as testified by the amount of broken crockery on the site.

Hood. HMS. Involved in collision with ferry Rosney, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 24 March 1924. [LV],[WPP]

Hope. Ship. Damaged by fire, Port Phillip, 5 July 1863. [WPP]
Also listed:
Hope. Involved in collision with the vessel Rescue, Yarra River, Melbourne, 1877.  [LV]
Both these listings could refer to the 1104 immigrant ship Bee (qv), renamed Hope when purchased by the Black Ball Line in 1860, and is known to have called at Melbourne before being sold in 1867.

Hovell. Steam tug, 46 tons. # 153916. Built Holland, 1918; reg. Melbourne 1926. Lbd 61.7 x 14.8 x 7.7 ft. Broken up at Coode Island, Yarra River, 1961. [LSS],[WPP]
On 9 July 1928, struck amidships by the steamer Edina at the mouth of the Yarra River, Port Phillip. The Hovell sank within minutes. The captain was injured but no lives lost. The master of the tug was blamed. The Hovell was repaired and went back into service. [WPP],[LV - collision occured 1931]

Howard Smith. Tug. Involved in rescue - see River Burnett, Port Phillip, 1955.

Hubbock. Involved in collision with Courier, Yarra River1894. [LV]

Hugh Fortescue. Involved in collision with Nowra, Williamstown, Port Phillip, 1880. [LV]

Humbolt. American ship, 700 tons. Captain G.B. Cooke. Inward bound from New York, ashore near Point Lonsdale, when attempting to enter Port Phillip Bay without a pilot, 1 March l854. She was freed three days later. [LO],[LR],[WPH - arrived Melbourne three days later]

Hurricane. Three-masted iron ship, 1198/979 tons. Built on the Clyde, Scotland, 1853. Lbd 214.9 x 30.7 x 20 ft. One of the first large iron sailing ships built for the Australian trade during the gold rush, and one of the fastest clippers on the Australian run. Her maiden voyage from Glasgow to Melbourne with 256 passengers took eighty-seven days, and the return to London eighty-three days. In 1856 she was converted to an auxiliary screw vessel and continued in the Australian trade until lost. Under Captain D.H. Johnston (former master of the Lightning), inward bound from Liverpool with 2000 tons of general cargo and 19 passengers, grazed a rock entering Port Phillip, sank off Arthurs seat, 21 April 1869. Passengers and crew transfered to the tug Titan.
[LR],[LV],[AS6],[WPH],[LAH],[WB],[DA]
@ The wreck was relatively intact until the late 1960s, when it was blasted by Ports and Harbours engineers who considered it to be a navigational hazard, spreading wreckage over a wide area. Despite this, the stern of the ship still stands about three metres above the sand.

Hygeia. Paddle steamer, steel, 986 tons.  Built 1890.   Lbd 300 x 32 x 11.3 ft. A comfortable Port Phillip Bay steamer, could carry 1600 passengers at speeds up to 20 knots, with promenade decks, saloons, dining rooms, bars and a barber’s shop.  Dismantled and sunk in the ships graveyard, south of  Port Philip heads, Bass Strait, off Barwon Heads, June 1932. [LV],[LH],[LC],[NSF],[LPH],[DG]
In 1894, involved in collision with tug Sprightly, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip. [LV]
On 8 December 1911, involved in collision with a cutter, Port Phillip Bay. [LV],[WPP]
On 22 December 1911, stranded at Sorrento, Port Phillip. [WPP]
On 25 August 1931, stranded at Rosebud, Port Phillip, when a hulk. [WPP]

Ijauqui. Vessel type not indicated. Ashore on rocks in stormy conditions just east of Point Nepean, wrecked, 14 December 1863. One life lost. [LR],[WPH]

Invincible. Barque. Involved in collision with steamer Pluto, Port Phillip Heads, 31 December 1855. [LR],[LV]

Iquique (Ijauqui). Barque, 500 tons. From Bordeaux. Destroyed in a gale a short distance east from Point Nepean, Victoria, 14 December 1863. One crew member was killed when the mainmast shattered.  [LG], [LV],[LPH]

Iron Monarch. Steamship. Involved in collision with vessel Empire Strength, Port Phillip Bay, 1943. [LV]

Isa. Schooner, 50 tons. Master William Veale. From Geelong to Melbourne, grounded, heeled over, and sank in Corio Bay having been overloaded, 4 June 1871. The master was charged with wilful negligence, but the charge was not sustained. She was later refloated. [WPP],[LV],[LC]

Isabella Watson. Ship, wood, 514/434 tons. Built 1840. Lbd 118.4 x 25.5 x 18.4 ft. Captain Fullerton.  Inward bound from London with 50 passengers, struck a sunken reef off Point Nepean, probably Corsair Rock, losing her rudder and then capsizing, in a violent squall, 21 March 1852. Nine died when the missen mast fell across a shipsboat and overturned it. Pilot Tobin swam out to the weeck with a line and about sixty passenges and crew were landed. A further eight landed by ship’s boats, including two saved from the ill-fated boat. Attended by the steamer Aphrasia.  [LR],[LG],[NH],[LV],[WPH],[LPH]

Isabella. Cutter. Ashore, wrecked, near Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip Heads, 9 January 1841. All passengers and crew taken on to Melbourne aboard the cutter Sisters. [LO], [LR]

Isabella. Schooner. Whilst lying at the Customs Wharf, Geelong, was battered by a storm which drove her against the wharf, punching a hole in her stern, 20 July 1854. She was apparently repaired. [WPP],[LC]

Isabella. Wooden colonial schooner, 36 tons. # 53952. Built at Sandridge (Port Melbourne), 1864; reg. Melbourne 1865. Lbd  64.3 x 19.1 x 4.9 ft. Ashore in a squall, wrecked, on Point Nepean, Port Phillip Heads,  4 January 1876. [LG],[LR],[WPH]
On 11 June 1866, a vessel of this name was involved in a collision with the steamer Barwon, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip. [LV],[WPP]

Isabelle. Cutter, 2o tons. Wrecked Port Phillip heads, 1841.  [LPH]

Ismalia. Steamer. Owned by British India Steam Navigation Co. Involved in collision with SS Ormuz, Port Phillip Heads, 11 December 1900. Both ships were damaged, and proceeded to Melbourne for repairs. No lives lost. The Ismalia was inward bound, and the collision occured in the middle of the Rip, on a clear night with an ebb tide running. The tewo ships had observed each other well before the collision, the contact being die to an underestimation of the strength of the tide. [LR],[WPH]

Italia. Cutter Involved in collision with paddle steamer Mystery, Yarra River, July 1873. [LV],[WPP]

Ivy Florence. Ketch, 19 tons. Lost in Port Phillip, no date recorded. [LV]
In 1918, involved in collision with Leura, Port Phillip Bay, 1918. [LV]

J.W. Alexander. Wooden screw tug, 62/33 tons. # 125194. Built Sydney, 1909; reg. Melbourne 1924. Lbd 78.2 x 18.5 x 10.7 ft. Captain McBain. With two empty barges in tow, rammed and sunk by the 3279 ton steamship Allara in the Hopetoun Channel, Corio Bay, 22 December 1936. No loss of life. So badly damaged that she was declared a total loss and broken up. [LV],[WPP],[LC],[ASR - lighter]
On 30 September, 1932, involved in a collision with the pilot launch Petrel at the entrance to the Yarra River, Port Phillip. [WPP]

J-Class submarines. HMAS. J1, J2, J3, J4, J5, J7. Built between 1915-1917.  Displacement, 1210 tons surfaced; 1820 tons submerged. (J7, 1760 tons submerged).  Lbd 274.7 x 23 x 14.  Com plement 44.  Six British built submarines were transfered to the Royal Australian Navy on 25 March 1919. They had served for a short time with the Royal Navy’s 11th Submarine Flotilla, and although they proved to be the fastest submarines of their time, they were unreliable. So they ended up in Australia! The six submarines departed Portsmouth on 9 April 1919, arriving in Sydney on 10 July where they underwent a very necessary refit.  By May 1922 all six submarines had been decommissioned. The J class submarines were certainly not destined for fame, although scuba divers certainly appreciate their existence.  Four of the submarines have been dived on, in an area known as the Ships’ Graveyard, several kilometres off Port Phillip Heads. [LH],[LV],[NWR],[NMC],[LC],[WB],[DA]
@ A general comment on diving the wrecks outside Port Phillip - they are deep and any attempt to penetrate must be accommpanied by expereince and deep diving skills, and the correct equipment. Recommendation is to dive with a dive charter operator who will have the required knowledge and backup to support a safe dive. Safety cannot be over emphasised. Deaths have occurred whilst diving these wrecks.
J1 submarine. Sold to the Melbourne Salvage Company on 26th February 1924.  After whatever stripping proved valuable, scuttled off Barwon Heads on 26th May 1926.
@ Found in 1985, and popularly refered to as the "New deep submarine, she lies upright in 38 m, with a slight list to port. The hull is attractively covered in marine growth. Torpedo tubes are visible. Penetration is possible but inadviseable.
J2 submarine. Sold to the Melbourne Salvage Company on 26th February 1924.After whatever stripping proved valuable, scuttled off Barwon Heads on 1 June 1926.
@ During scuttling, the sub broke apart giving rise to her popular name of the "Broken sub". She lies in 39 metres, the closed of the subs to the entrance to Port Phillip, and hence adjacent to the shipping lane. Penetration is possible at the break in the hull.
J3 submarine. Sold to Melbourne shipbreaker J. Hill in January 1926, and ended her days as a breakwater for the (now) yacht moorings near Swan Island, Port Phillip Bay. She is accessible by boat. Two bronze propellors are mounted on the foreshore at Queencliff.
@ Although partly exposed, it is an interesting dive or snorkel, particularly for the novice. There is no opening sufficient to allow penetration.
~ May be seen and walked upon, with care.
J4 submarine. Sold to the Melbourne Salvage Company on 26th February 1924. Sank at her moorings during a storm, Williamstown on 10 July 1924; subsequently raised and scuttled off Port Phillip Heads in 1927.
@ Popularly known as the "26 metre sub", although a depth of 30 m can be reached. Located in 1982, the wreck allows penetration, and the bow has borken off, apparently during her scuttling.
J5 submarine. Sold to the Melbourne Salvage Company on 26th February 1924. Scuttled off Queenscliff in Port Phillip Bay on 4 June 1926.
@ Popularly known as the "36 metre sub", or the "Yellow Subamrine" due to its covering in part by yellow zoanthids, she sits upright on a sandy bottom. Penetration is possible at several points, where, apparently, plates were removed prior to scuttling.
J6 submarine. Never made it out to Australia.  She was accidentally sunk in the North Sea by one of her own fleet.
J7 submarine. Sold to Morris and Watt of Melbourne and also ended her days behind the groyne at Sandringham yacht moorings.  Bought by the Sandringham Yacht Club to form a breakwater, but in scuttling her she slewed around and sank parallel to the prevailing winds. It is now surrounded by the mooring complex, but still accessible to divers. Silting is a major problem. [IL]
On 18 February 1921, submarine J4 ran into the stern of the schooner Omega at Princes Wharf, Hobart, piercing the hull about four feet above the waterline; repaired. There appears to have been no amage to the submarine. [TS2]

Jaffa. Steamer. During a strong northerly sea, sank alongside the Portarlington jetty, 1 July 1878. Refloated and returned to Melbourne for an overhaul. [LC]

James & Amelia. Ketch, 26 tons. # 31839. Built Balmain, Sydney, 1844. Lost ashore in Drysdale Bay, in Corio Bay, Port Phillip, 11 September 1872. [LV],[LPA],[WPP],[LC]
Also listed:
James & Amelia. Lighter. Used in the hasty removal of wool and other items from th stricken ship Lightning, on fire off Geelong, 31 Octoner 1869. [LC]

James Patterson. Tug, steel, 247 tons. Built 1902.  Served with the RAN during World War 1. James Patterson & Co. Powerful tug, often used for towing on Port Phillip. Broken up 1964. [LSW],[DG]
In 1903, attempted without success  to salvage the bulk oil carrier Petriana, 1903. [LG]
In 1917, assisted salvage of cargo from stricken steamer Cumberland near gabo Island. [LSW]
In 1919, towed the stricken HMAS Protector to safety after she suffered an engine breakdown off Wilsons Promontory. [LWP]
In 1920, assisted in refloating the stranded steamer Musgrave, Port Phillip, 1920. [LC]
In 1934, assisted SS Milora when stranded off Port Phillip Heads. [LR]

James T. Foord. Ship, 700 tons. Captain Hume.  Out from London 113 days with 256 immigrants, entered Port Phillip Heads without a pilot and went ashore in Symons Channel not far from the wrecked William Salthouse (1840), 30 April 1851. SS Maitland assisted in salvage of cargo. Refloated a few days later with little damage and made her way to Melbourne.  [LR],[LV],[WPH],[LPH]

James William. Motor fishing vessel, 23 tons, 35 ft. Built 1947; unregistered. Skipper-owner Owen Edward Shrive. Hit by a freak wave.east coast of King Island,13 August 1970. Later dismantled. In March 1948, ashore at Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip Heads. [DG]

Jane & Elizabeth. Schooner. Inward bound from Launceston to Melbourne, struck the Point Nepean Reef, and totally wrecked, 21 December 1856. All crew saved. [LR]

Janet. Brig, 188 tons. # 32211. Reg. Newcastle 1/1854 as the Rebecca, reg. Melbourne in 1858 and renamed Janet. Lbd 89.2 x 22.4 x 14.6 ft. Captain Jack. Bound from Melbourne to Newcastle, ashore, wrecked, on the east bank of Symonds (Simmonds) Channel, Port Phillip, 19 June 1861. [LV],[#WPP]

Janet. Brig, 188 tons. Captain Kabler. Inward bound from Newcastle, stuck fast on Corsair Rock, Nepean Reef, Port Phillip Heads, 28 February 1855. With conssiderable effort from the crew and four pilots, she was refloated and beached at Willimastown. A great deal of credit was given to the pilots as very few vessels had come off Corsair Rock. [LR],[WPH]

Jeannie Oswald. Involved in collision with Lady Darling, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 1880. [LV]

Jerfalcon. Schooner, iron, 287 tons. Built at Glasgow, 1868. Lbd 128.5 x 25.3 x 12.8 ft. Hulked at Melbourne, 1905. [LSS]
In 1881, last to see the clipper Loch Maree. [LG],[LSS]

Jim. Cutter, 20 tons. Ashore in a gale, wrecked, on the bank at Point Richards near Portarlington, Port Phillip, 13 March 1872. She was loaded with onions at the time.  [LV],[WPP],[LC]

Joanna. Fore and aft schooner, 34 tons. Built Mount Eliza, Port Phillip, 1856. Lbd 45.5 x 14.6 x 6.7 ft. Master-owner John Locke. Struck the West Bank, Port Phillip, in a gale, 9  July 1857. Efforts to salvage her failed and she became a total loss. [LV], [LR indicates a schooner of this name stranded near Port Phillip Heads ‘for a brief period’, 1857],[WPP]

John Bull. Lighter. # 41479. Built at Mount Direction, Tamar River, tasmania, 1846; reg. Melbourne 1851. Origianlly rigged as a schooner. Foundered at Williamstown, Port Phillip, 9 May 1886. [WPP],[LV]

John Hunt. Schooner. Lost in Port Phillip, 1890. [LV]

John Kerr. Arrived in Melbourne under jury rig after being partially dismasted in a gale during a voyage to Melbourne, 1874. Laid up in Williamstown for many months waiting for new masts, yards and rigging to arrive from England. Also damaged in the same gale were the vessels Loch Ard, Dallum Tower  and Cambridgeshire.  [LV],[MM]

John McDouall Stewart. Schooner. Involved in collision with schooner Challenge, Port Phillip Bay, February 1875. [LV],[WPP]

John Nicholson. Schooner, 35 tons. Lost at Schnapper Point, Port Phillip, November.1862. [LV],[WPP]

John Nimmo. Steel steam dredge, 1209 tons.  Built 1887. Lbd 228.2 x 46.5 x 15.5 ft.  Scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Philip heads, Bass Strait, 10 August 1931 [LV],[LSS],[NSF]
In 1893, involved in collision with vessel Eddystone, Corio Bay; and in the same year and place, with vessel Melbourne. [LV]

John Stewart. Dredge. Sunk at Williamstown, 16 July 1932. [WPP]

John Trail. Steam launch. Built Williamstown, 1884, as the Victorian. Owned by Geelong Harbour Trust. Ran between Williamsstown and Port Melbourne. Later converted to a schooner. [LC]

Joliba. Barque. Was being repaired in dock at Willimastown when a fire on the hulk Sir William Molesworth placed her in great danger. The steamer Resolute, berthed nearby with steam up, made fast to her, literally dragging her from certain destruction, 8 October 1871. [LV]

Joseph Craig. Barque, 714 tons. Built 1878. Wrecked in New Zealand, 1914. [LC]
Also listed:
Joseph Craig. Barque, 694 tons. Captain Stewart.  Stranded but later refloated, Point Nepean, Port Phillip Heads, 18 November 1912. The tugs Alacrity and Nyora towed her free two days later, and she completed the voyage to Melbourne. [LR],[LV],[WPH]

Josephine. Schooner, 21 tons. Loaded with prodduce and firwood, foundered in Port Phillip, five miles below Point Gellibrand, in a gale, 23 April 1870. The two crew saved. [WPP],[LV]

Jules Marie. Barque, lighter, 271 tons. # 79251. Built Chantenay, France, 1868; reg, Melbourne 1882.  Lbd 107.6 x 26.6 x 13.3 ft.  Badly damaged during a storm, was broken up, 27 April 1910. She had been lying next to RMS Morea, broke away, and struck the stern of RMS Orvieto, putting a hole in the lighter’s bows, and hence sinking. The salvage boat Endeavour and two tugs assisted in moving her away from the mail steamer. The Jules Marie was broken up shortly after. [WPP],[LV]
On 4 July 1883, stranded in South Channel, Port Phillip. [WPP]

Julia. Brig. 176 tons. Captain Walters. Inward bound from Hobart, caught fire but was not too badly damaged before it was extinquished, at Port Phillip Heads, 6 September 1853.  [LV],[LR],[WPP - 300 tons, date 13 September, at anchor at Queencliff, scuttled, and thus saved; refloated and repaired]

Julia. Schooner. Stranded in West Channel, Port Phillip, 28 May 1861. [WPP]

Kakariki. Steamship, 887/417 tons. # 153913. Built Selby, 1926; reg. Melbourne 1926.  Lbd 190.2 x 31.4 x 12.9 ft. Rammed by SS Caradale, in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 29 January 1937. The Kakariki sank almost immediately, drowning five of her crew. The Court of Marine Enquiry placed the blame on the collision on the Kakariki. After several salvage attempts, the vessel was broken up in the early 1940s. [LV],[WPP],[ASR],[LAH],[DA]
@ Large sections of plate, winches, and oxygen bottles litter the shallow site off Point Cook.

Kangaroo. Paddle steamer. Involved in collision with paddle steamer Murray, Yarra River, Melbourne, May 1874. [LV],[WPP]

Kannanook. Involved in collision with Glaucus, Port Phillip Bay, 1893. [LV]

Karoola. Steamer, steel twin-screw passenger liner, 7368 tons. Owned by McIlwraith McEacharn Line. McIlwraith, McEarcharn & Co. Requisitioned by the Admiralty at the outbreak of World War 1; operated as a hospital ship and make a number of voyages between England and Australia.
On 24 September 1913, both vessels were travelling downstream when the Karoola collided with the steamer Fawkner (qv), Yarra River, Melbourne. The Karoola was not damaged.
[WPP],[LV],[DG]

Karoon. Twin screw motor vessel. Built State Dockyards, Newcastle, NSW, 1951; reg. Hobart. Lbd 290 x 43 x 19.6 ft. Regular trader between Tasmania and Melbourne.
On 22 October 1953, involved in collision with vessel Wyuna, Yarra River, Melbourne. [LV]
On 8 September 1963, inward bound from Tasmania, stranded on Nepean Reef, Port Phillip Heads; refloated and returned to service. [LR],[LG],[WPH]

Kasugna Maru. Japanese steamer. Took the ‘coloured crew’ from the wrecked Petriana, Port Phillip, 1903, to Hing Kong amidst a scandal rsulting from the Government and local authorities refusing permission for the men to land. [WPH]

Kate Hooper. Ship, clipper, 1488 tons. Built Baltimore, USA, 1853. Lbd (approx) 205 x 39 x 24 ft. Having arrived from Hong Kong with ‘Chinese wares’, was destroyed by fire, while at anchor in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 29 December 1862. The firee was reportedly started ‘by a Chinaman’ who had had a grievance with the captain, the latter being ashore at the time. The man of ethnic Asian background jumped overboard when the fire took hold, and drowned. The hulk was repaired and rebuilt, as a steamer, within seventeen months. [LV],[#WPP],[LPH]
Williams provides technical details of the vessel.

Katoomba. Triple-screw steamer, 8900 tons. Built 1913. On arrival in Australia, was the largest vessel, at lb 468 x 60 ft. McIlwraith, McEarcharn & Co. Requisitioned by the Admiralty at the outbreak of World War 1; operated as a troopship. First vessel to pass through the Dardenelles after the Armistace. [LV],[WPP],[DG]
On 9 July 1921, involved in collision with steamer Awaroa, Yarra River, Melbourne .

Kearsage. Ship. In Hobsons Bay, presumably anchored, during a gale, when a man was washed overboard and drowned, 6 October 1866. [WPP]

Keera.  Iron steamer, 230 tons. Built 1851. Hulked 1877. [LPA]
On 17 May 1853, stranded at Yarraville, Victoria. [WPP]
In 1860, saw the wreckage of the barque Macclesfield, 1860. [LG]

Kestrel. Involved in collision with Lady Elgin,  Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, Port Phillip, 8 March 1853. [LV],[WPP]

King David. Full rigged ship, 2240 tons. Visited Australia on her maiden voyage, (Geelong being one port), in January 1895. Lost ten years later on Vancouver Islands. [LC]

Kinrosss. (Kinrosshire). Barque. Stranded at Hopetoun Channel, Port Phillip, 2 February 1894, due to pilot error. Towed free by the tug Eagle after lighters unloaded 3500 bags of wheat. [LC],[WPP - Kinrosshire]

Kirkclale. Involved in collision with  Waddon, Yarra River, Melbourne, 1910. [LV]

Kissavos. Tanker. Stranded Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 20 August 1964. [WPP]

Koh-I-Noor. Barque. Was being towed by the tug Rescue when she collided with the steamer  Rob Roy in the Yarra, Melbourne, 28 April 1876. The barque sank but was later raised. An inquiry found the collision ‘accidental’. [WPP],[LV]

Koonda. Involved in collision with  George M. Embiricos, Port Phillip Bay, 1943. [LV]

Kossuth. Schooner. Syranded on a shoal between Queencliff and Swan Spit, 28 February 1857. Soon refloated. [LR],[WPH]

Kreimhild. Barque, 746 tons. Norwegian owned. Outward bound for South Africa, stranded at Point Richards, Port Phillip, 8 February 1906. Later refloated. [LC],[WPP]

Lady Don. Schooner, 65 tons. Built Melbourne, 1865. Involved in collision with  Pilot schooner Proserpine, Port Phillip Heads, 1 August 1866. [LSS], [LV-1865]

Lady Elgin. Involved in collision with vessel Kestrel,  Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, Port Phillip, 8 March 1853. [LV],[WPP]

Lady Loch. Screw steamer, 531/487 tons. Built Melbourne, 1886. Lbd 182.7 x 24.7 x 14.4 ft. Served as a Government lighthouse tender around Bass Strait for many years, and auxiliary cruiser in the Victorian Navy. Became one of the best known of the Victorian coastal vessels as she was stranded, badly damaged on uncharted rocks or faced other dangers. Served the remote lighthouse at Wilsons Promontory.  Replaced by SS Cape York.  Dismantled and scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Philip heads, Bass Strait, 1926. Register closed 1936. [LPW],[LWP],[LV] [LO],[LPA],[NSF]
In 1891, attended the wreck of the W.B. Godfrey, and the wreck of the Fiji. [LO]
Loney indicates vessel as steel and iron in different listings. Also, that she was hulked in 1934 and 1936.

Lady of St Kilda. Schooner, 136 tons. Captain Lawrence. Arrived at Hobsons Bay from Plymouth, 6 July 1841, having been seriously damaged when off Cape of Good Hope. After a drunken brawl at Williamstown, the vessel was anchored elsewhere and at one stage drifted ashore on a sankbank off what then became known as St.Kilda’s beach, thus giving rise to the name of Melbourne’s interesting, and oft infamousl, beach suburb. Whilst in Port Phillip she was advertised for sale ‘in exchange for sheep’ but was eventually sold in Sydney, re-registered in 1843. Her register indicates ‘wrecked in Tahiti, date unknown’. [NH]

Lady Peel. Barque, collier. From Newcastle, was stranded for several days between Shortlands Bluff and Swan island, Port Phillip, June 1852. [LR]

Lake Superior. Involved in collision with Easby, Yarra River, Melbourne, 1897. [LV]

Lanarkshire. Ship. Assisted in the atempt to extinguish the fire on board the sship Lightning, off Geelong, 31 Octoner 1869. [LC]

Lancastrian. Presume ship. Inward bound from London, ashore inside Port Phillip Heads, 1851. Passengers sent on to Geelong by SS Thames. She was refloated on the next tide. [LR]

Langleegale. Involved in collision with  Merrilyn, Yarra River, Melbourne, 1951. [LV]
For loss of Merrilyn, see Furneaux Group.

Laurence Frost. (Lawrence Frost). Ship, 1522 tons. Built at New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA, 1854. Captain Atchison. Inward bound from Liverpool, stranded near the Quarantine Station, Point Nepean, 17 August 1856. Later refloated, assisted at various stages by the vessels Empire, Victoria, and Lioness. Several weeks later sailed for Sydney to be docked, but once out in Bass Strait leaked so badly her master decided to put into Twofold Bay for more repairs. She anchored close to Eden, but on the night of 26 October 1856 grounded on a sandbank (Tarago Reef). After failed attempts to kedge her free the tide drove her in to deep water where she broke her back. The cutter Ebenezer loaded cargo from her. [LR],[LV],[AS6],[WPH],[LPH]

Lawrence. Vessel type not recorded. Stranded Prince Georges Bank, 3 May 1862. [WPP]

Leeuwin.. Steel screw steamer, 496 tons.  Built 1876. Originally called Julia Percy; name changed 1906. Finished her days as a coal hulk on the Yarra.  Scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Philip heads, Bass Strait, 28 December 1934. [LV],[NSF]

Leopold. Swedish barque, 400 tons. Reg. Gefle, Sweden. From Mauritius in ballast, burnt at Williamstown, Port Phillip, 19 May 1859. Tugs Comet and Hercules attended; towed to the outer anchorage and scuttled. At the inquest, no conclusion was drawn as to how the fire started.
[LV],[WPP]

Lightning. Three-masted wooden clipper ship, 2367/2096 tons. Built at East Boston USA, 1854. Lbd 244 x 44 x 23 ft. First called at Melbourne in 1854. One of the most famous ships to visit Australia;  her remarkable speed had earned world renown: best 24-hour run of 436 nautical miles. During her lifetime she made seventeen voyages from liverpool to Melbourne, averaging 77 days. She was the first vessel designed and built in America (by Donald McKay) for an English company (James Baines & Co - The Black Ball Line). Captain Henry Jones. She had almost completed her sixth visit to Geelong, and was preparing to return home when fire broke out at about 1 am  on 31 October 1869. Immediately it was discovered water was pumped into the hold until the arrival of two volunteer fire brigades, but eventually s was towed away from Yarra Street pier where she eventually burnt out and sank at about 6 pm on the same day.  Tenders were immediately called for the removal of the wreck, but the last debris was not removed from the beach until about eighteen months after the disaster.  In common with most of the inquiries conducted into ship fires, the Court was unable to determine accurately the cause of the fire. The wrecksite is 200 metres north-west from the Yarra Street pier.
On 30 November 1862, stranded after striking a rock off Point Nepean, Port Phillip Heads. Refloated and returned to service. The shoals, named Lightning Rocks, were removed by blasting in 1882.
[LV],[LSS],[#NH],[AS6],[MJ],[WPP],[WPH],[#CWR],[#LC],[LG],[LR],[WPH],[LPH],[NW R],[NSC],[LAH],[IL]
@ What little remains lies heavily silted in murky waters at a depth of 9 metres some 100 metres off the Yarra Pier, Geelong.. Dredging operations over the years has added  much damage to the wrecksite which is not worth a visit.
 

Lilies. Ship. Had just cleared Port Phillip Heads and was clearing the pilot when a southerly squall took her fore and main masts, also her mizzen topmast and jibboom,.1861  The Corsair towed her back into Port Phillip and was paid £500 for the service. [LV]

Lindus. Steamship. Stranded Corio Bay, Port Phillip, 23 August 1887. Floated free after 1000 tons of coal was offloaded. [LC]

Lioness. Paddle steamer, tug, 87 tons. Built 1854. Wrecked at Greymouth, New Zealand, 1882.
In 1854, involved in saving the vessel Lady Harvey when she stranded on Point Lonsdale, 29 April.
In 1856, attended the stranded ship Laurence Frost, Port Phillip.[LR]
In 1858, atttended the wreck of the barque Grange off Apollo Bay. [LO]
In 1859, assisted burning ship B.Norris, Port Phillip.

Little Angelina. Schooner, 33 tons. Built at Williamstown, Port Phillip, 1875. Lbd 60.4 x 16.8 x 5.3 ft. Name changed later to Woolamai (qv). [LSS],[LPA]
In 1880, stranded at Lakes Entrance, Gippsland coast, 1880. Apparently salvaged and returned to service. [LG]

Lively. Cutter, 50 tons.  Former pilot boat. Captain Avery. Ashore in Port Phillip, April 1831. Refloated and sailed to Hobart. Possibly the first recorded shipping incident in Port Phillip. Prior to this, had been trapped in ice for five months, four crew dying of scurvy. The cutter resumed her sealing expeditions and was eventually lost somewhere near the Falkland Islands. [LV],[#NH]
Also listed:
Lively. Cutter, 32 tons. Built 1838.. Operated in Victorian waters.  [LPA]

Loch Broom. Barque. Stranded at Swan Spit, Port Phillip, 7 February 1906. [WPP]

London. Foundered in the Bay of Biscay in 1866.
On arrival in Melbourne on 1 January 1865, reported the loss of her chief officer and a boat’s crew of five men in endeavouring to rescue a man who had allen overboard. Nine days later the six men walked on board, having been picked up by an Amercian whaler, the Henry Tabor, and then put on board the Melbourne bound ship, the John Bunyan.  [WL]
For details of her loss, see International listing.

London. Ship. Came close to catching fire in Hobsons bay, Port Phillip, 1861, when the bowsprit of the burning ship Prince of the Seas snagged on her.

Lonsdale. Paddle steamer, 551/228 tons. # 81837. Built Greenock, 1882; reg. Melbourne 1883. Lbd 228 x 25.1 x 10 ft. Built for the popular Port Phillip bay excursion trade. Later lengthened but it was not a success. Broke her moorings in Hobsons Bay in a squall, stranded Port Melbourne, 14 June 1889. It took till 12 January 1891 before she was refloated, but the repairs costs were so high that she was laid up and dismantled in 1900. [WPP - built of steel],[DG - built of iron, ashore in 'the great gale' of 1883, broken up 1893]

Lorna. Fishing boat. Lost on Lonsdale reef, Port Phillip Heads, 1948. [LO]

Louis Baillie. Ship. Stranded Swan Island, 12 October 1853. [WPP]

Louisa Marion. Cutter. Reg. Geelong.  Reported lost at Corio Bay, 28 July 1875; appraently broken up on a beach near Geelong. [WPP],[LC]

Lu Lu. Ketch, 43 tons. Buiilt at Belfast; reg. Melbourne. [LO], [LV]
In 1890, attended the wreck of the barque Holyhead off Port Phillip Heads.
In 1897, January, under Captain Williams, rammed and sunk by SS Excelsior  in the Hopetoun Channel, Port Phillip but subsequently raised. [LC]
Loney llists ketch Lulu, 30 tons, lost in Corio Bay, Port Phillip, 1897,[LV].

Luna. Iron steamer, 317 tons. Built Greenwich, UK, 1864. Operated as a blockade runner in the souther states of the USA. Owned by the Parker family who later formed the well-known shipping firm of Huddart Parker. Bought by Captain Marshall for the Melbourne-Geelong run.
On 16 July 1867, under Captain Webb, ran down and sank the steamer Black Swan off Gellibrand Point, Port Phillip, and as a result incured debts that led to her being seized and sold at auction. No lives lost. Ended her service in New Zealand, and was scuttled off Lyttelton Heads after 1870.  [WL], [LV],[LLB],[#WPP]

Luntana. (Lutona). Steamer.
In 1952, involved in collision with vessel Merlin, Yarra River, Melbourne. [LV]
On 22 September 1953, involved in collision with steamer Binburra, Yarra River, Melbourne. [WPP]
Loney lists:
Lutona. Involved in collision with  Binburr,  Yarra River, Melbourne, 1953. [LV]

Lutana. (Lutane). Steamship. [LV]
In 1928, 27 April, involved in collision with vessel War Spray, Port Phillip Heads. [LR]
In 1935, involved in collision with vessel Coomonderry, Port Phillip Bay.
On 19 July 1952, involved in a collision with vessel Merlin, Yarra River, Melbourne. [WPP]

Lysander. Ship. Later a notorious penal hulk moored off Williamstown. 1850s. [LC]

MacDonough, USS destroyer. Hit and sank the lighter Werfa in Victoria Dock, Melbourne, 1929. [LV]

Macedon. Steamship.
In 1870, involved in rescue - see SS Auckland. [LG]
On 27 March 1873, involved in collision with ketch Hazard, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip. [LV]
In 1879, involved in collision with vessel Dawn, Yarra River, Melbourne. [LV]

Maffra. Wooden schooner,  46 tons. # 74658. Built Melbourne, 1876; reg. Melbourne 1876. Lbd 71 x 18.6 x 5.5 ft. Wrecked on Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip Heads, 4 May 1888. [LR],[LG indicates lost on Point Nepean, 6 May],[LPA],[ASR - wrecked Point Nepean],[WPH - wrecked 6 May 1888]
In 1880, stranded at Lakes Entrance, Gippsland coast. [LG]

Maggie.  Cutter, 20 tons. Trading between Melbourne and Schnapper Point, Port Phillip, she was carrying a cargo of timber when struck by a sudden squall and capsized, lost on the St.Kilda bank, near St Kilda, Port Phillip, 4 July.1866. [WPP],[LV]
On 5 September 1855, stranded at Point Wilson, Port Phillip. [WPP],[LC - Port Wilson]
A vessel of this name was stranded at Western Port, Victoria, 1863; apparently salvaged and returned to service.  [LG]

Magna Charter. A vessel lost in Port Phillip, c. 1850s. [LV]

Mahia. Steamship, 10104 tons.  While berthed at Victoria Dock, Melbourne, fire broke out in sodium chlorate standing on deck and spread to the holds, 1947. Ten men working in one of the holds lost their lives. [LV],[WPP]

Maitland. Iron steamer, 149 tons. Built 1885. Operated in Bass Strait. Broken up 1929. [LPW]
In 1889, a steamer of this name was involved in rescue - see SS Albert Victor.
In 1890, a vessel of this name was stranded on the Glennies, off Wilsons Promontory; apparently salvaged and returned to service. [LG]

Maitland.  Wooden paddle steamer, schooner rigger, tug, ferry, 140 tons. Built in Sydney, 1837; reg. Sydney 1848, Melbourne 1851. Lbd 103.2 x 15.6 x 8.3 ft. Very badly damaged by fire while lying alongside Cole’s Wharf in the Yarra, Melbourne, 27 November 1855. Repaired in 1857 and renamed Samson.  Sold to New Zealand interests and wrecked in September 1865.
[LPA],[LV],[LO],[LPA],[WPP - 103 tons],[LV]
In March 1848, stranded at Point Henry. [WPP],[LC]
In 1851, assisted in salvage of cargo from ship James T. Foord, Port Phillip. [LR]
On 7 February 1852, sank while lying at Cole’s Wharf due, apparently, to an engineer leaving some valves open. Salvage took from 12 February to early March 1852. [WPP - also indicates, in a separate entry, that she sank at Queens Wharf, 9 February]
In 1852, involved in rescue - see SS Conside.
In 1857, tried unsuccesfully to tow free the brig Sir William Wallace, Port Phillip. [LR]

Malaita. Steel screw streamship, 940/511 tons. # 90910. Built Grangemouth, 1893 as the Antilla; reg. Melbourne 1919. Lbd 200 x 30.2 x 12.3 ft.  As the Antillia,  ran for some years in the West Indies fruit trade before being badly damaged by fire.  Reconditioned and renamed by Burns, Philp & Co,. she was purchased for trade in the Pacific islands, being eventually hulked and towed to Melbourne where the engines of the steamer Excelsior were installed.  In her new role she made a number of voyages to the islands. Bought by Huddart Parker in 1914 and conveted into a coal hulk. In 1926, blown ashore and demolished the South Melbourne baths; refloated, partly dismantled and scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Philip heads, 20 November 1927.
[LV],[WPP],[DG],[LC],[NSF]
On 17 November 1926, during a storm, drifted across Hobson's Bay and severely damaged the Men’s Baths at South Melbourne.

Manawatu. Steamship, 183/112 tons. # 66562. Built at Auckland, 1873; reg. Melbourne 1899.  Lbd 128.8 x 18.7 x 9.5 ft. Broken up 1929. [LSS]
In 1898, 27 April, struck by SS Edina near Williamstown, Port Phillip. The Manawatu, badly damaged in the bows, sank soon after, while the Edina was run ashore on Point Gellibrand with a gaping hole in her side. The Manawatu was raised and returned to service after repairs. [WPP],[LV]
In 1910, ashore near Anderson’s Inlet, Gippsland coast; apparently salvaged and returned to service. [LG]

Maraquita. Schooner. Stranded Point Gellibrand, Port Phillip, 1 July 1858. [WPP]

Marchioness. Brigantine, 176 tons. Built Waterford, England, 1851; reg. Melbourne, January 1854 (as a wooden sschooner). Lbd 91.7 x 20 x 13 ft. Captain Fowler. Inward bound from the Cape of Good Hope, struck  the Point Lonsdale Reef, Port Phillip heads, 5 October 1853. She floated free but had taken water and was run ashore on Swan Island; repaired and towed free. Totally wrecked at the entrance of Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand, 1859. [LR],[WPH]

Margaret. Schooner, 50 tons. One of the first traders around the Otway coast, Victoria. Inward bound from Apollo Bay, sank in Corio Bay, near what is now known as Western Beach, 1851. After twelve months, was refloated. [LC],[LV]

Marie. French barque, 400 tons. Registered Bordeaux. Captain Margentin. Inward bound from Liverpool and Bordeaux, struck Corsair Rock while entering Port Phillip heads on the ebb tidde without a pilot, 14 November 1853. Making water fast, she was later boarded by pilot Dice and run ashore at Swan Bay inside the heads. All cargo was saved and the vessel eventually refloated. See also vessel Ontario, wrecked on Point Nepean same day. [LR],[WPH],[LPH]

Marilla. Ship, 609 tons. Captain Robertson. From New York with timbr, salt and tobacco, destroyed by fire whilst lying off Sandridge, Port Phillip, 31 December 1839 or 1859. Tug Ada attempted to tow her in deep water , but she broke the tow and grounded on Sandridge Knoll. The vessel was carring lumber hampering a succesful scuttle. Twelve months later the hull was towed to Williamstown and broken up.
[NV- lost 1839],[WPP - 699 tons, 1859],[LV]

Mariner. Cutter, 46 tons. Stranded near Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip Heads, 10 August, 1845. [LO],[LR],[LPH]

Marion. Ship. Stranded near Dromana, Port Phillip, 18 February 1860. [AS1]

Marion. Steamer. Towed the abandoned barque Flying Arrow from King Island to Melbourne, November 1855. [LV]

Marmion. Brig 218 tons. Built 1844. Lbd 86.3 x 20.4 x 14.5 ft. From Liverpool, wrecked on a reef off Point Nepean, Port Phillip Heads, 28 May 1853. Boats put off to her assistance, but the captain, second mate, carpenter and a seaman were drowned when the vessel went to pieces. See also brig Fisk which did the same an hour later. [LG],[LR],[LV],[WPH]

Martha. Schooner, 39 tons. Built at Williamstown, 1877. Lbd 68 x 17.5 x 5.7 ft.  Capsized in The Rip (Port Phillip Heads), 6 March 1895. All crew lost.  [LG] A vessel of this name was stranded at Lakes Entrance, Gippsland coast, 1889. Apparently salvaged and returned to service. [LG]

Martha. Schooner, 39, Melbourne, 1877. Foundered Port Phillip heads, march, 1895. [ASR]

Mary Francis. Barque. Stranded in West Channel near Queenscliff, Port Phillip, 15 July 1870. [WPP]

Mary Shepherd. Full rigged ship, 905 tons. Built Sunderland, 1858. Having arrived from London a week previously, was only part;u unloaded when she caught fire while berthed at Hobson Bay Railway Co.’s pier at Sandridge, Melbourne, 2 July 1871. The tug Sophia managed to tow her out from the pier and she was scuttled in four fathoms off Town Pier. The Mary Shepherd was later raised and repaired ‘after great difficulty’. [WPP]

Mary Stewart. Schooner, 73 tons. Captain Watts. From Sydney to Geelong, stranded Point Richards, Victoria, 19 July 1852. Her cargo was transhipped to the schooner Cygnet and was refloated a week later. [LC],[WPP]

Mary. Cutter, 46 tons. Built 1836. Whilst anchored at White Cliffs (Rye), was blown ashore in a gale and wrecked near Rye, Port Phillip, September 1853. [LV],[LPA],[WPP]

Matilda. Involved in collision with Wattenbach,  Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 9 June 1854. [LV],[WPP]

Mavis. Pilot schooner. ‘In trouble’ during a gale, at Queenscliff, Port Phillip, 23 June 1890. [LR],[LPH]
In 1896, involved in collision with SS Britannia, off Port Phillip Heads, 6 May 1896. [LV],[LR]

May Newton. Schooner. Stranded West Channel, Port Phillip, 2 April 1892. [WPP]

May Shepherd. Clipper, 908 tons. Towed from her berth and scuttled by the tug Sophia in four fathoms after being destroyed by fire, Port Phillip, 2 July 1871. Later raised and taken back to the Railway Pier where her cargo was discharged. [LV]

May. Involved in collision with paddle steamer Ozone, Port Phillip Bay, 1894. [LV]

Medea. Barque, 423 tons. # 41868. Built at St.Johns, New Brunswick, 1858; reg. Geelong 1874, Melbourne 1878. Captain Bartlett. From Geelong to Newcastle, ashore and eventually went to pieces, despite several salvage attempts, near Swan Island, Port Phillip, 11 September 1880. The governbment steamer Pharos, and the steamer Williams attended, but the barque soon broke up with little saved. [#WPP],[LV]

Melbourne. Dredge, 709 tons. Built 1885. Lbd 200 x 35.1 x 11.2. renmed thomas bent. Scrapped 1953.  [LSS]

Melbourne. Schooner. Captain Grant. From Warnambool to Melbourne, struck by a squall and capsized soon after entering Port Phillip, 20 February 1864. The crew were rescued by PS Vesta, while the tug Resolute towed the schooner into Swan Bay where she was refloated. [LR],[WPP]

Melbourne. Steamship, collier, 1739 tons. Built 1892. Lbd 260.6 x 36.5 x 18.2 ft. [LSS]
[LG lists as Tasmanian government steamer]
In 1893, involved in collision with vessel John Nimmo Corio Bay. [LV],[LC]
In 1901, involved in collision with vessel Amazone, Victoria Dock, Melbourne. [LV]
In 1901, last to see SS Federal, 1901. [LG]
On 22 December 1913, involved in collision with barges being towed by the tug Holden, Port Phillip.  [LV],[WPP]
In 1920, searched in vain for the missing schooner Amelia J. In Bass strait. [LG]

Mercury. Brig, 150 tons. Reg. Melbourne, 1885. Broken up, 1896. [ASR]

Mercy. Ketch. Lost in Port Phillip, c.1850s. [LV]

Merlan. Sloop, 43 ft. Built in 1946 for the Sydney-Hobart race. Wrecked on Lonsdale Reef, Port Phillip Heads, 16 January 1949. Four sailors on board were courageously rescued by four local fishermen. [LSS],[LC],[WPH],[DD]

Merlin. Ship. Outward bound from Geelong, she was crossing Corio Bay when a squall totally dismasted her and seriously injured two members of the crew, 1850s. [LV]
On 19 July 1952, iInvolved in collision with vessel Luntana, Yarra River, Melbourne. [LV],[WPP]

Merrilyn. Involved in collision with  Langleegale, Yarra River, Melbourne, 1951. [LV]
Coud that be the auxiliary ketch-rigged motor vessel, Merilyn, lost Furneau Group, 1958?

Millers Canopus. Tanker. Aground at mouth of Yarra, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 30 August 1964. [WPP]

Milora. Steel screw steamer, 3347/1919 tons. # 151541. Built Williamstown Dockyard, Victoria, 1921 as the Emita for the Commonwealth Government Line; reg. Melbourne 1926. Lbd 331 x 47.9 x 27.1 ft. Captain E. Wrigley. Inward bound from Newcastle with coal, she ran ashore inside Port Phillip Heads near Queenscliff on 21 September 1934, but was refloated after most of her cargo had been unloaded, and towed to Williamstown. The tugs Tooronga, James Patterson and Eagle assisted. Sold for scrap and after dismantling was towed out to Bass Strait by the tug James Paterson and scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Philip heads, 8 March 1935. [LR],[LV],[NSF],[WPH - built 1920]

Minnipa. Motor vessel, 1977/986 tons. # 137239. Built Copenhagen, Denmark, 1927; reg. Adelaide 1927. Lbd 253.1 x 39.9 x 22 ft. Owned by Adelaide Steamship Company. Outward bound for Adelaide, stranded at the Popes Eye beacon inside Port Phillip Heads, 3 July 1957. Refloated the following day with the assistance of tug Tooronga. [LR],[LV],[WPH]

Montoro. Involved in collision with Graham, Yarra River, Melbourne, 1911. [LV]

Monumental Maid. Brig, 160 tons. Sank after being run down by the steamer Queen, in the west channel, Port Phillip, 24 September, 1856. The brig was in charge of the pilot at the time. All saved having had to 'swim for their lives'. [LV]

Morresfoot. Ship. Stranded at Mud island, Port Phillip, 30 June 1856. [WPP]

Mountain Maid. Brig.  Had completed several voyages to Asia. Whilst lying at anchor 60 yards from the Swan Spit Lighthouse, ran down by SS Queen in the West Channel, Port Phillip, at dusk, 24 September 1856. The brig sank rapidly but no lives lost. The wreck was moved to shallow water and broken up. The Queen appears not to have been damaged.
On 20 April 1863, stranded off Queenscliff, Port Phillip.  [LV],[WPP],[WB],[DA]
@ Wreckage, of the keel and hull plating  is spread over a large area in 5m to the north-east of Swan Island, Port Phillip.
~ Relics are on display at he Queencliff Museum.

Mundalla. Steamship. Stranded in Port Phillip, 3 March 1956. [WPP]

Mystery. Motor launch. Damaged in a storm, Williamstown, 1910. See schooner Stephen. [WPP]

Mystery. Paddle steamer, tug, 21 tons. built 1876.  Removed from register in 1928.
In 1870, towed the repaired brig ben Nevis to Melbourne. [LR]
In 1870, involved in rescue - see brig Yarrow.
In 1871, attended the wreck of the ship Sussex.
In 1872, involved in attempted salvage of schooner Mary Cummings. [LO]
In July 1873, involved in collision with cutter Italia, Yarra River, Victoria. [LV]

Mystery. Schooner. Ashore in a gale on Swan island, Port Phillip, 2 March 1849. Sail was raised but as she moved off she struck a rock and sank. [LR]

Mystery. Steamer. Excursion vessel on Port Phillip. Built 1867. Came out from England rigged as a schooner, and ran bay trips until 1874 when sold and left for Sydney.  [DG]

Mystery. Steamer. Freed the stranded barque Sea Nymph, Corio Bay, 1868. [LC]

Nagaosan Maru. Vessel of 6555 tons. Stranded near Queenscliff, Port Phillip, 2 October 1964. [WPP]

Nairana. Steel steamship, Bass Strait ferry, 3042 tons. # 132476. Built Dumbarton, Scotland, 1917; reg. Melbourne 1921. Lbd 315.8 x 45.6 x 16.1 ft. She had an interesting life, being completed as a sea-plane carrier, and gave service around the North Pole. In Australia she was well known as a Bass Strait ferry. Ashore in a gale whilst anchored at Port Melbourne, 18 February 1951. She was dismantled where she lay on the Port Melbourne beach just to the west of Princes Pier.  [WPP],[LV],[LAH]
In 1936, 12 April, as she entered Port Phillip Heads, a huge wave lifted from a calm sea and swept her on her beam ends. [LR]

Nancy. Schooner. Badly damaged by fire at Corio Bay, towed to Williamstown but the decision made not to repair her, 12 February 1861. [LV],[WPP],[LC]

Nantes. Involved in collision with Aramac, Port Phillip Bay, 1906. [LV]

Nararine. Ship. Called in to Geelong 29 April 1861. [LSS]

Navarino. Ship. 493 tons. Grounded Corio Bay, 20 December 1949. Later refloated undamaged. [LC]

Nemesis. Steamship, iron, 1392 tons. Built 1881. Lbd 240.2 x 34 x 17.9 ft. Foundered off Port Hacking, NSW, 1904. [LSS]
In 1881, saw the ship Loch Maree off Cape Liptrap, Victoria. [LSS]
On 23 September 1881, grounded near Portarlington, Port Phillip; freed after 750 tons of cargo was unshipped. [LC]
On 26 September 1884, stranded at Portarlington, Port Phillip. [WPP]

New Guinea. Steamer. Stranded at Brighton, Port Phillip, 26 May 1906. [WPP]

Nonpareil. (Non Pareil). Schooner, 186 tons. # 31779. Reg. Melbourne 1857. Lbd 93.1 x 24.3 x 8.8 ft. Master-owner Thomas R. Cresswell. On a voyage from Adelaide to Melbourne with a cargo of flour, wrecked on Point Lonsdale reef, Port Phillip Heads, 13 October 1857. Fifteen passengers and five crew rescued by the Queenscliff lifeboat, however, the captain and three crewmen who left the ship in a boat to seek aid soon after she struck were not seen again. [LO],[LR],[LV],[DD]

Northern Light. Schooner. Ashore during a gale on Swan Island, Port Phillip, 14 December 1863. Refloated. [LR],[WPH],[LPH]
On 19 February 1864, aground on Swan Island. [WPP]

Norwester. Iron barque. Scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Philip heads, 1930. [NSF]

Notion. Schooner. Stranded near swan Spit, Port Phillip, 9 October 1857. [WPP]

Novelty. Cutter, 54 tons. From Melbourne, ashore in a gale near Portarlington, Port Phillip, 13 March 1872. [LV],[LC]

Novgorod. Steamship, 5285 tonss. Lbd 390 x 50.7 x 28 ft. Commandeered by the British from the Russian in 1918. In April 1919, entered Port Phillip to debark the first troops returning home from World War 1. [LC]

Oceana. Steamer, 6603 tons. (Sister Arcadia). Built Belfast, 1887. P.& O. Co. Left Sydney for London in January 1897 with £520,000 in specie on board. While at Port Melbourne, further shipments of gold was placed on board. During one of these loadings it was discovered that a bullion box was missing. Several years later, two boys found the soverigns under Williamstown jetty. Ended her days when she sank after a collision with the four-masted barque Pisagua, off Dover, English Channel, 16 March 1912. Divers recovered £700,000 in gold under very difficult circumstances. The wreck as subsequently blown up as she was a shipping channel.  [DG]

Omba. Steamship, 1908 tons. The pilot was blamed when the Omba touched ground near Point Nepean, 7 October 1895. [LR]

Omega. Schooner, 72 tons. Built Sydney; reg. 1893. Aground West Channel, Port Phillip, 1 October 1897. The tug rescue attempted to tow her off but was unsuccessful. Then with most of her cargo of bone dust removed, she was pumped dry with the assistance of the bay steamer Excelsior, and refloated.  [WPP],[ASR],[WPP]

Omeo. Jackass barque. Built for the inter-colonial trade in 1858 as a steamer. She was aquired by Howard Smith Co. In 1880 who ran her in the coal trade for twelve months and then converted her to a jackass barque. The rig proved clumsy and hard to handle. Collided with the Swan Spit pile light, 14 September 1881. She received only minor damage, but the pile light was demolished, nearly killing the two occupants.  [WPP]
Also listed:
Omeo.  Local craft. Known to have operated in the timber trade around Wilsons Promontory in the 1850s, carrying timber from Sealers Cove to Port Albert. [LWP]

Ontario. Barque, 598 tons. Built at Quebec, 1851; reg. Liverpool. Struck Corsair Rock when passing through Port Phillip Heads, 14 November 1853. All saved. During the night the vessel drifted free but ran ashore near the Quarantine Station where she eventually went to pieces. See alsso barque Marie wrecked same day nearby.
[LG],[LR],[LSS],[LV - 480 tons],[WPH - ship],[LPH]

Oonah. Steel steamer of 1758 tons. Built at Glasgow,  l888. Lbd 290.3x35.8x 21 ft. [LH]
On 19 August 1925, involved in collision with steamer Cooma, entrance to Yarra River, Melbourne.  [LV],[WPP]

Oorama. Steamship. Stranded at Geelong, Port Phillip, 2 June 1937. [WPP],[LC - 6 June]

Opossum. Cutter, 20 tons. Lost at Point Nepean, 1853. [LV]

Orange Grove. Hulk. Built Glasgow, 1861. Lbd 142.7 x 25.6 x 16.9 ft. Formely a barque trading between Mautitius and Australia with sugar. Coverted to a hulk and registered in Melbourne in 1929. Was crushed at North Wharf by the steamer Clan McArthur and sank, 1942. Her remains were removed asnd converted to scrap. [WPP],[LV - After being badly damaged by fire in Victoria Dock, Melbourne, was broken up, 1942]

Orcades. Steamer, passenger liner. Stranded near Rosebud, Port Phillip, 7 May 1952. [LV]

Ormuz. Steamer. Owned by P. & O. Line. Outward bound with passengers, involved in collision with SS Ismalia, in the middle of the Rip, Port Phillip heads, 11 December 1900. Both ships damaged, the steamers returning/proceeding to Melbourne for repairs. No lives lost. [LR],[WPH]

Orsova. Steamship. Stranded in South Channel, off Rosebud, Port Phillip, 24 May 1956. [WPP]

Osprey. Vessel type not recorded. In 1891, involved in collision with vessel Racer, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip. [LV]

Othello. Ship. On 6 March 1893, stranded at Geelong whilst under tow to the tug Racer. [WPP],[LC]

Otter. Wooden steamer, 57 tons. Built in Sydney, 1888, Broken up in 1940. [LPA]
In 1907, involved in collision with vessel Fawkner, Victoria waters, 1907. [LV]
On 2 November 1894, run ashore after having been holed by a lighter, Geelong. Later refloated. [LC],[WPP]

Ottillia. Ship. Struck by lightning, Port Phillip, 16 October 1852. [WPP]

Otway. Steamship, iron, 563 tons. Built Glasgow, 1872. Lbd 203 x 25.2 x 12 ft. Later renamed Nymboida. Operated regularly around the West Coast from 1873 until 1878 and then transferred to inter-colonial run between Melbourne and Adelaide. Hulked in 1913 and broken up in 1919. [LSS]
In June, 1873, a  steamer of this name was involved in a collision with steamer Alhambra, Yarra River. [WPP],[LV]
In 1880, recovered wreckage from the ship Eric the Red, wrecked off Cape Otway, 1880.  [LO],[LE]

Ozone. Paddle steamer, steel, 572 tons.  Built at Glasgow, 1886.  Lbd 260 x 28 x 10.6 ft. Owned by th Bay Excursion Company. One of the finest paddle steamers ever built, she could exceed 17 knots, and was a great favourite on Port Phillip Bay for many years.  Her first bay excursion was on 18 December 1886. Sold to Melbourne shipbreaker J. Hill in March 1925. Dismantled and sunk at Indented Head, Port Phillip, to form portion of a breakwater, 1926.
[LV][LSS],[#LH],[NWR@],[LC],[LPH],[DG],[DA],[IL]
In 1886, 18 December, collided with the pier at Queenscliff. [LR]
In 1889, involved in collision with vessel Elfin, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip. [LV]
In 1894, involved in collision with vessel May, Port Phillip Bay. [LV]
@ A pleasant snorkel or shallow introductory dive.
~ Her paddle wheels may be seen only 50 metres from shore, in 2 metres.

Pacifico. Government brig, 146 tons. Employed in the (Port Phillip) pilot srvice - assisted as a pilot schooner. Built 1854. Involved in rescue - see brig Jenny, 1854. [LO],[NH],[LPH]

Pakeha. Steamship, 10481 tons. Built 1910. Lbd 477 x 63 x 31.3 ft. At the time, the largest steamer to enter Corio Bay, July 1911; she had disembarked 1000 immigrants at Melbourne, and called to Geelong to load wheat for the United Kingdom. [LC]

Palm Tree. Ship. Rammed the pilot cutter Rip, Port Phillip Heads, 1869, causing considerable damage to the cutter which struggled back to Queencliff for repairs. [LV],[LR]
Also listed:
Palm Tree. Ship. Badly damaged the pilot vessel Rip when they collided, southern Port Phillip, 1860.  [LPH]

Paroo. Steel screw steamship, 2665/1719 tons. # 108690. Built Glasgow, 1897. Lbd 315.6 x 40.1 x 24.6 ft. Captain Medley.  Outward bound, grounded off Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip Heads, 8 April 1902. She was towed free by the tugs Eagle and Albatross.  [LR],[WPH]

Patricia. Tanker. Straned off Williamstown, Port Phillip, 26 January 1957. [WPP]

Patriotness. (Patriotess). Barque. Captain Russell. Inward bound to Geelong, ashore between Queencliff and Swan Point, 2 July 1857. Freed after four days with the assistance of Government schooner Empire. [LR],[WPP]

Pattawilya. Steamship. Stranded at Honsons Bay, Port Phillip, 26 July 1959. [WPP]

Penguin. Cutter, 16 tons. Master G. Mitchell. Involved in collision with steamer Avon, near Williamstown,  Port Phillip, 11 September 1876. The Avon took the disabled cutter in tow but she sank within a few minutes. She was later raised and went back into service, until broken up in 1917. [WPP],[LV]

Permasite. Barge, 105 tons. # 132456. Lbd 101 x 24.3 x 5.5 ft. Built Footscray, date unknown but was operational in 1915. Ashore in a gale, wrecked, off Hampton, Port Phillip, November 1928. [LV],[WPP]

Perseverance. Schooner, 21 tons. # 40469. Built Swan River, WA, 1854; reg. Melbourne 1858.  Lbd 48 x 14.6 x 5.8 ft.W Wrecked near Frankston, Port Phillip, 1866. [LV],[WPP]

Peter Paterson. Vessel of 348 tons. Built 1900. Originally from Durban, arrived in Port Phillip 23 November 1906. After an overhaul, went into business under the name Henry Meakin. Beached and demolished at Walsh’s Jetty, Geelong, 1946. [LSS]

Petrel. Cutter, 16 tons. Whilst at anchor with a cargo of timber, ashore in a gale, wrecked, near Rye, Port Phillip, September.1853.  [LV],[WPP - at Sullivan’s Point]

Petrel. Pilot launch. Whilst crossing from Williamsstown to Port Melbourne, struck the tug J.W.Alexander at the mouth of the Yarra River, Port Phillip, 330 September 1932. The tug managed to take the sinking launch in tow, but she sank just off the wharfs at Williamstown. She was later raised by a wharf crane and repaired. [WPP]

Petriana. Bulk oil carrier, steamer, 1821/1181 tons. Built 1880. Lbd 260.5 x 34.2 x 21.7 ft.  Asiatic Petroleum Company. Captain Kerr. Wrecked on a reef one kilometre east from Point Nepean, Victoria, 30 November 1903. The tug James Paterson,  the tug Eagle and salvage schooner Endeavour spent several hours vainly attempting to free her before rising seas forced the crew to abandon her. Beaches around Port Phillip Heads were polluted with oil for weeks following the stranding. Local authorities prevented the twenty seven ‘coloured’ crew members, Chinese and Malays, from landing, and this raised a storm of controversy before they were sent to Hong Kong aboard a Japanese vessel, the Kasugna Maru.
[LG],[#NH],[LV],[#WPH],[LAH],[WB]
@ Wreckage lies just east of Point Nepean on the Bass Strait side, in five metres, in a most inhospitable position. The bow sectiopn is all that is recognisable.

Pfalz.  Steel steamer,  6570 tons. (Later Boorara). The first shot fired in any theatre of war during World war 1 came from a gun at Fort Nepean (Port Phillip Heads), on the evening of 5 August 1914, when the German steamer Pfalz was detained while attempting to escape to sea. The state of war between Germany and Great Britain and her Allies was about two hours old. [LSW],[LC]

Phantom. Brig. Stranded William Sand, Port Phillip, 29 July 1852. [WPP]

Pharos. Government steamer, tug, wood, 156 tons.  Built Williamstown, 1864 for the Victorian Government. Operated for many years in Port Phillip. Later transfered to the Melbourne Coal and Shipping Company (pre 1887). Hulked in 1917, broken up in 1934. [LPA],[LG],[LPW]
Previous incidents:
In 1866, involved in rescue - see brig Pryde. [LG]
In 1870, searched for the lost ship Harlech Castle, 1870. [LG]
In 1876, involved in rescue - see barque Elmgrove. [LG]
In 1880, recovered wreckage from the ship Eric the Red, wrecked off Cape Otway. [#LE]
In 1883, involved in the salvage of the barque George Roper off Port Phillip Heads.  [LO]
In 1887, involved in collision with the iron steamer Franklin, Yarra River, Melbourne; sank but later raised. [LV]

Phoenesion. Wooden ketch, 28 tons. # 31838. Built Brisbane Water, NSW, 1852; reg. Melbourne 1865. Lbd 53.7 x 15.7 x 6 ft. Owner-master Peter Pidoto. Inward from Westernport, hit rocks close to where the pilot schooner Anonyma went ashore in 1859 at the entrance to Port Phillip, wrecked, 4 March 1881. [LR],[WPP],[WPH]
On 21 August 1858, capsized at the end of the South Channel near Arthurs Seat, Port Phillip. Loss of one life. [WPP]

Phoenix. American ship, clipper, wood, 1458 tons. Built at Cape Elizabeth USA, 1853; reg. Boston. Lbd 217 x 41.6 x 24 ft. Has ‘attracted much public attention .... for her beautiful symetry and the order in which sshe was kept’. Captain Hoxie. Burnt at Hobson’s Bay, 28 February 1860. She was fully loaded with 2000 bales of wool, 300 tons of hides, tallow and rags, and was due to sail for London later in the day. The fire spead so rapidly that it was quickly decided to scuttle the ship, and after two attempts, she settled. The hulk was later raised but never refitted, and she was eventually broken up at Williamstown slipway several years later. The fire probably started in a quantity of old rags that she was carrying. The tug Hercules assisted.
[LV][AS6],[#WPP - 900 tons],[LV - lost 1859],[LAH]

Pickhuben. Involved in collision with  Fawkner, Yarra River, Melbourne, 1894. [LV]

Pierre Antonina. Steel barque, 2206 tons. Built 1902. Lbd 277.3 x 40.4 x 22.7 ft. In 1919, carried wheat from Geelong to San Francisco. [LC]

Piggott. Steel hopper, 300 tons.  Scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Philip heads, Bass Strait, 14 October1935. [LV],[NSF]

Pilbarra. Steamship. Formerly Cape Leeuwin. Badly damaged by fire when berthed in the Yarra, Melbourne, 11 September 1903. Eight fire engines, ten horse carts and seventy-six men of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade fought the blaze.  One crewman trapped below decks was saved only when a hole was cut in the deck. [LV],[WPP]

Pilot. Schooner. Involved in collision with  Lady Don, Port Phillip Heads,1865. [LV]

Pilot. Wooden screw steamer, tug, 26/17 tons. # 74673. Built at Williamstown, 1877; registered Melbourne 1877. Lbd 62.8 x 13 x 6.1 ft. Sank whilst working on the wreck of the ship Cape Verde, Port Phillip, 7 March 1893. She had been swamped after a hawser was entangled in her propeller. She was never raised. [WPP],[LV],[ASR]
In 1890, attended the wreck of the barque Holyhead off Port Phillip Heads.  [LO]

Pioneer. Steamship. Stranded at Rye, Port Phillip, 24 June 1962. [WPP]

Pioneer. Steel dredge, 543 tons.  Built 1905.  Scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Philip heads, Bass Strait, 9 March 1950. [LV],[NSF]

Pirate. Involved in collision with Alexander, Corio Bay, 13 October 1853. [LV],[WPP]

Planet. Ferry, steamer. Sunk at Williamstown, Port Phillip, 3 September 1919. [WPP]

Platypus - see Cerberus.

Pluto. Screw steamer. Inward bound in apparent haste to reach port because of the gold rush, ‘ran plumb into’ the barque Invincible, Port Phillip Heads, 31 December 1855 and forced to return to Melbourne for repairs. The Invincible was bound for New Zealand, and being considerably damaged, had to return to Melbourne for repairs. The steamer, under canvas at the time, appears not to have been seriously damaged.
[LR],[WPH]

Pocahontas. Steamship, 1721 tons. Struck Lonsdale Rock, Port Phillip Heads, damaged, 22 September 1906. [LR]

Pomare. Involved in collision with  You Yangs, Yarra River, Melbourne, 1878. [LV]

Portland. Schooner, 73 ton. Lost at Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip Heads, 14 September 1852. Inward bound from Hobart, ran over the reef into a basin.  No loss of life. The steamer Conside (qv) was wrecked nearby the following day. [LR],[WPH],[LPH]

Prairie. Brigantine, 150 tons.  Ran into a gale off Cape Otway and, in imminent danger of foundering, ran before the wind before grounding on the coast of northern Tasmania, 26 May 1856.  She was later refloated and repaired. [LV]
In May 1869, stranded in West Channel, Port Phillip. [WPP]

Presto. Iron barque, 394 tons. Outward bound, struck and sank the steamer Bellinger in the West Channel, Port Phillip, 20 April 1892. [WPP],[LV]

Prima Donna. Brig. Stranded when she lost part of her false keel on Corsair Rock as she entered Port Phillip, 24 September 1853. Salvaged and returned to service. [WPP],[LR]

Prince Albert. Schooner, 27/19 tons. Built Sydney 1840; reg. Sydney 70/1840. Lbd 36 x 12 x 5.8 ft. Master John Simpson. Ashore in a gale about two nautical miles east of Point Nepean, Victoria, 19 November 1840. Four lives lost. Believed to have been the first vessel wrecked at Port Phillip Heads.  [LG],[LV indicates 50 tons],[NH indicates cutter.][LPA reports aground at Port Welshpool several times, no dates],[AS1 - cutter],[WPH]

Prince Albert.  Iron paddle steamer, 125 tons. Built 1852.  Sold to New Zealand interests in 1860; transferred to the Far East in 1862. [LPA]
In 1853, struck by the steamer West Wind, emtrance to Port Phillip, 1853. [WPP]
On 2 June 1854, stranded in Yarra, Victoria. [WPP]

Prince George. Revenue cutter, 51 tons. Built 1832. Lost near Wollongong, 1846.  In 1837, involved in rescue - see Schah, 1837. In 1839, searched for the lost brig Britannia.In 1836 was one of the first vessels to enter the Yarra River, and report on what was to be the birth of Melbourne.  [LG],[AS6],[LPA]

Prince of the Seas. Ship, 1316 tons. Built 1858. From Liverpool. Crew of twenty-seven. Owned by the White Star Line when lost. Captain Brown. Burned while berthed at the Railway Pier, Melbourne, astern of the ships London and Alfred, she caught fire and for a time it was feared she would set alight several other vessels in the vicinity, 15 November 1861. Her bowsprit jammed against the ship London and it was feared that she too would catch fire.  [LV],[AS6],[WPP]
On 29 December 1854, under Captain Broadfoot, stranded but later refloated, Point Nepean, Port Phillip heads. [LR],[WPH]
In 1855, struck Nepean Reef, Port Phillip Heads, 1855; salvaged and returned to service. [LG]

Prince of Wales. Schooner/brigantine, 112 tons. Captain Campbell. Inward bound from Circular Head, Tasmania, wrecked on Lonsdale Reef, Port Phillip Heads, 7 January 1861. The pilot schooners Rip and Prosperine stood by but there was little they could do; the tug Sophia also attended. [LO], [LV],[LR],[WPP],[WPH]
In 1859, dismasted in the Rip (Port Phillip Heads) and towed to safety by the pilot schooner Proserpine, 1859. [LV]
On 15 May 1854, stranded on Williams Sand, Port Phillip. [WPP]
Loney indicates schooner, Williams and Serle indicate brigantine.

Princess Royal. Barque, 426/338 tons.  Captain Sinclair. Inward bound from Hong Kong with a cargo of silk, tea, sugar and wine, wrecked on the Lonsdale Reef. Port Phillip Heads, 24 February 1849. The captain  stated that the light on the inner head near Queenscliff had led him into danger, and he was using an old chart of the Heads. The sea threw her across the reef and on the third surge she bumped so hard she broke in two, scattering her cargo over a wide area.All crew saved. [LO],[LR],[NH],[AS1],[LV],[WPH],[DD]

Prosperine. Pilot schooner.  Employed in the (Port Phillip) pilot service; operated at Port Phillip Heads from 1853. [LSS],[LPH]
In 1861, attended the wreck of the schooner Prince of Wales on Lonsdale Reef, 1861. [LO]
In 1866, collided with the schooner Lady Don, Port Phillip. [LSS]

Protector. Barque, 400 tons. Destroyed by fire in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 10 September 1853. The steamer Comet took the barque in tow finally allowing her to drfit ashore on the beach on the St.Kilda side of Sandridge (Port Melbourne), where she was destroyed.  [LV],[WPP]

Proteus. Vessel of 151 tons. Built 1815. Visited Port Phillip in 1853. Hulked in Melbourne a few years later. [LC]

Pryde. Brig,  175 tons. Built at Quebec, 1842. Lbd 87.4 x 20.8 x 13.7 ft. Captain H. Bowden. Inward bound from Newcastle drifted on to the outer reef at Point Nepean, Victoria, during a calm, and in dense fog, wrecked, 8 February 1866. The Government steamer Pharos, with the lifeboat in tow proceeded to the scene to render assistance. [LG],[LR],[LV],[WPH]

Queen. Steamer, ferry, 92 tons. Built at Balmain, New South Wales, 1884 for the Port Melboume -Williamstown ferry service. Destroyed by fire, Williamstown, 22 October 1907. She had just completed her first voyage following a two year absence while she was converted from paddles to a screw.  Her engines caused trouble and it was intended to dock her next day for examination, but the fire broke out leaving only a badly charred hull. [LV]

Queenscliff. (Queenscliffe). Iron steamer, 100 tons. Built at Melbourne, 1876.  Ran between Melbourne and Gippsland ports until 1918 when she left for New Guinea. [LPA],[LPW]
On 25 April 1882, involved in collision with paddle steamer Black Eagle ,Yarra River, Melbourne. [LV]
In 1906, rammed and sank the ketch Swan, Victorian waters. [LG]

Racer. Steamer, tug, 185 tons. Built 1886; broken up 1934.
In 1891, involved in collision with vessel Osprey, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip. [LV]
In 1891, attended the wreck of the W.B. Godfrey 1891, and wreck of the Fiji. [LO]
In 1916, towed free the stranded barquentiune Senorita, ashore near Point Lonsdale jetty, Port Phillip. [LR]

Rachel Cohen. Schooner. Built 1871. Known to have operated in eastern Victorian waters in the 1880s. Burnt At Darwin 1924.   [LPA]
In 1878, involved in collision with vessel Hazard, in Port Phillip]
In 1879,  involved in a collision with the ketch Hazard, Port Phillip Bay. [TS2 - brigantine]

Ranger. Pilot cutter. Narrowly missed destruction when blown on to Swan Island, Port Phillip, during a gale, August 1841. Refloated with assistance of schooner Boujah Maiden. [LR]
In 1841, went to the assistance of the barque William Salthouse, lost Port Phillip. [AS1]

Rattlesnake. HMS. Captain Hobson. Brought a detachment of soldiers under Captain Lonsdale, to establish the port of Melbourne, 9 September 1836. Captain Hobson surved the bay naming several features after his officers and no doubt the norther bay of Port Phillip after himself. [AS6]

Red Wings. Schooner. Stranded at Queencliff, Port Phillip, 23 November 1857. [WPP]

Relentless. Yacht. Wrecked near Queenscliff, Port Phillip, 1982. [LO]

Reliance. Steamer. Sank South Wharf, Melbourne, 23 February 1950. [WPP]

Rescue. Type not recorded.
In 1877, involved in collision with vessel Hope, Yarra River, Melbourne. [LV]
In 1877, towed the brig Emily to melbourne for repairs after she had hit a rock entering port Phillip. [LR]
In 1883, involved in collision with vessel Southern Cross, Yarra River, Melbourne. [LV]

Resolute. Ship. Stranded in South Channel, Port Phillip, 21 May 1853. [WPP]

Resolute. Steamer, tug, 134 tons. Built 1858.  Broken up 1925.
In 1864, towed the capsized schooner Melbourne to Swan Bay. [LR]
In 1866, towed the capsized schooner Tamar Maid into Port Phillip. [LR]
In 1866, attempted to free the stranded SS Barwon at Queenscliff, Port Phillip, without success. [LR]
In 1867, attempted to tow the stranded barque Monarch off a bank inside port Phillip heads, but was not succesfull. [LV]
In 1868, attended wreck of Light of the Age near Ocean Grove, but was unable to assist. [LO]
In 1869, towed the stricken ship Lightning away from Yarra Street Pier, Geelong, 1869. [LC]
In 1871, saved the barque Joliba by towing her away from the burning hulk Sir William Molesworth, Williamstown, Port Philip, 8 October. [LV]
In 1871, involved in rescue - see schooner Hector, lost Port Phillip.
In 1879, towed the Swedish barque Veritas to Melbourne for repairs after having hit a rock whilst entering Port Phillip. [LR]

Restless. Brig, 289 tons. # 54071. Built at Nova Scotia, 1866; reg. Melbourne 1888. Lbd 122.8 x 28.9 x 12.7 ft. Coastal trader. Damaged by fire at Port Melbourne, 1890. Turned into a lighter during 1890-1891; broken up 1903. [WPP], [LV]

Result. Clipper ship, 1565 tons. ‘One of the finest merchantmen ever seen in port Phillip up to that time’. Towed away by the tug Sophia and scuttled after being gutted by fire whilst  lying at the Melbourne and Hobson Bay Company’s pier at Sandridge (Port Melbourne), 11 October 1866.
[LV],[WPP]

Result. Schooner, 27 tons. # 48410. Built Sandridge, 1864; reg. Melbourne 1864, 1880. Lbd 46.3 x 15.6 x 6.1 ft. Ashore in Coles Channel, Port Phillip; eventually blown up by the Port & Harbours division of the Public Works Department, 1916. [LV],[WPP]
In 1868, salvaged cargo wreck of Light of the Age. [LO - ketch]

Rip. Pilot schooner, 92 tons. # 36660. Built New Brunswick, 1859; reg. Melbourne 1861. Joined the Port Philip Pilots service in 1860 to replace the lost Anonyma. Lbd 90 x 23.2 x 11.4 ft. On 13 July 1873 she was overwhelmed by an enormous sea when proceeding outbound through the infamous Rip, Port Phillip Heads. Watchers on shore saw her disappear for several seconds, only to emerge with all masts and rigging gone and dragging over the stern. Four men died, the remaining crew all injured, some severly. A public appeal raised several thousand dollars to assist the bereaved families and the injured. Surprisingly, the vessel was not lost. The remaining crew managed to keep her facing the sea until the lifeboat arrived to rescue them, and local fishermen took the schooner into her anchorage at Queencliff, where she was then towed to Melbourne for repairs. She remained in service until replaced in 1887 by a new vessel. [LR],[#LSS],[#NH],[WPH],[LPH]
In 1860, badly damaged soon after she went into commission when she was rammed by the ship Palm Tree.
In 1861, attended the wreck of the schooner Prince of Wales on Lonsdale Reef, Port Phillip Heads.
In 1861, attended the burning Empress of the Seas at Geelong, and took off passengers and gold.
In 1862, collided with the vessel Alhambra outside port Phillip Heads. [LR]
In 1864, struck the barque Ellesmere, at anchor near entrance to Port Phillip. [LR]
In 1868, rammed by the ship Palm Tree, Port Phillip Heads, and struggled back to Queenscliff for reapirs. [LR],[LV indicates 1869]
In 1873, stranded near Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip Heads.
On 13 July 1873, under Captain Best, overwhelmed by huge seas in the Rip. [LPH]
In 1886, involved in rescue - see barque South Milton..
In 1890, involved in rescue - see ketch Albert. [LO]

River Burdekin. Steamship. Stranded off Point Ormond, Port Phillip, 12 April 1954. [WPP]

River Burnett. Steel screw steamship. Built Brisbane for the Australian Government. Captain O’Toole. From Queensland, struck the Corsair Rock as she passed through Port Phillip Heads, 17 July 1955. She floated free within ten minutes and continued on her way but sank bow first off Canadian Bay, Port Phillip. All 36 crew saved, and taken to Melbourne by the tug Howard Smith.  Later refloated by Captain J.P.Williams on 9 September 1955, and taken to Melbourne for repairs. [LR],[WPH]

River Glenelg. Stranded at Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 21 July 1960. [WPP]

River Hunter. Steamship. Stranded in Port Phillipm 12 July 1954. [WPP]

Riverside. Steamship. When entering port Phillip, touched ground near Point Lonsdale but was not seriously damaged, 20 October, 1890. [LR]

Rob Roy.  Steamer.
In 1872, involved in collision with lighter Governor Hotham, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, June or july 1872. [LV],[WPP]
On 28 April 1876, involved in collision with vessel Koh-I-Noor, Yarra River, Melbourne. [WPP],[LV]

Robertina. Brig. Stranded near Swan Bay, Port Phillip, 1 September 1858. [WPP]

Rockton. Steam ship, 1600 tons. Ashore off the Hopetoun Channel, Port Phillip, 23 May 1896. After cargo was unloaded, refloated with assistance from tug Eagle. [LC]

Rodondo. Iron screw steamship, 1119/715 tons. # 79508. Built Liverpool, UK, 1879; reg. Melbourne 1879. Lbd 239.8 x 30.2 x 21.3 ft. Captain E. Johnson.  Outward bound for Sydney, struck a rock near Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip Heads, 6 November 1883. All seventy passengers landed safely. The steamer Edina assisted in salvaging her cargo, and, with the additional help of the tug Albatros, she was refloated three days later. [LR],[LV],[WPH]
Also listed:
In 1892 a bottle was picked up on the Ninety Mile Beach, Gippsland coast, containing a message written by four sailors who claimed they were the only survivors from a ship with a name resembling Rodondo, wrecked off Gabo Island late in February. The bottle and its contents were forwarded to the Harbour Master at Port Albert but apparently no further action was taken, there being no record of the loss of such a vessel. [LG]

Rose Anna. Schooner, 30 tons. # 31643. Built Fremantle, WA, 1844; reg. Melbourne 1853. Lbd 53.2 x 13 x 6.5 ft. Bat trader between Geelong and Hobsons Bay. Ashore in a gale, wrecked, Sandridge, Port Phillip, 6 October 1866. [LV],[WPP]

Roseanna. Schooner, 30 tons. Driven ashore at Sandridge (Port Melbourne) during a squall while engaged in loading cargo from overseas vessels for Geelong, 5 October 1866. [LV]

Rosebud. Schooner, 87 tons. Built 1842; reg. Melbourne in 1852 and in 1854. Well-known trader around the Australian coast. Master Thomas Fenwick. In a gale, wrecked on a sandbar off the town now bearing her name, Port Phillip, c. 1855.  [LV - 200 tons],[LPA],[WPP - 139 tons burden]

Rosney. (Rosny). Ferry, steamer. Damaged by fire, Port Phillip, late 1920s. [LV]
On 23 March 1924, involved in collision with HMS Hood, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip. [LV],[WPP]

Rotomahana. Steamer, 1777. Built Dumbarton, Scotland, 1879. Said to be the first steel steamer in the world. Lbd 285 x 35 x 25 ft. Made 15.4 knots on her trials, and 17 knots later. 'Clipper bows and a graceful hull - a ‘handsome steamer’. Figurehead of a Maori princess. Started on the Sydney-NZ-Melbourne service in 1880, and remained on the Trans-Tasman run till 1899. In the 1890s, ran on the Melbourne-Launceston service. Broken up in 1926. Scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Philip heads, Bass Strait, 29 May 1928. [LV],[NMC],[NSF],[WB],[#DG]
Lawson notes that her owners were offered £5000 for the old vessel but it apparently was not taken. If so, she may have still been with us today as she may have been cared for diligently as she was in her early days, this ‘almost human, beautiful old steamer, with a mysterious turn of speed...’.   [WL]
@  She lies in 40 m south-east of Barwon Heads, and although broken up, is recognisable as a sizeable vessel , with two large boiler prominent.

Royal Charter. Steamer. Involved in collision with barque Matador, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 13 August 1857. [LV],[WPP]

Royal Shepherd. Iron steamer, two-mast schooner rig, 331 tons. Built 1853. Lbd 139.9 x 19.8 x 10.5 ft.  Owned by the Melbourne and Launceston Steam Navigation Company. In mid 1860s, called at Port Albert for the gold rush, and remained in Victorian waters till 1877 when sold to Spencer Gulf Steam Ship Company. She sank in a collision off Port Jackson, NSW, 1890. [LC]
On 1 September 1858, involved in collision with the ship Formose, Port Phillip Heads; both vessels were extensive;y damaged but did not sink and no lives were lost. [LV],[WPH]
In June 1862, was holed whilst in the Yarra River. [WPP]

Sacramento. Wooden ship, 447 tons. Built 1850. Captain W. Holmes. Inward bound from London with some 300 emigrants, drifted on to Point Lonsdale reef, Port Phillip Heads, 27 April 1853. All on board were safely landed and taken in drays to Queenscliff; SS Aphrasia took them on to Melbourne. Just before the ship broke up Captain Holmes, the carpenter and Pilot Mansfield went on board and recovered twelve boxes of coin valued at about £60,000.  This was taken to Melbourne on the Government schooner Empire. The vessel Van Gallan, and the steamer Aphrasia assisted. There was no loss of life, however the many immigrants on board lost all their possessions and with a government offering ‘only meagre support’, most were left destitute, a sad ending to a long voyage to a new land. [LO],[LR],[NH],[LV],[WPH],[LAH],[LPH],[DD]

Samson. Wooden paddle steamer, tug, 140 tons. Built in Sydney, 1837 as the Maitland (qv). Very badly damaged by fire while lying alongside Cole’s Wharf in the Yarra, Melbourne, November 1855. Repaired in 1857 and renamed Samson.  Sold to New Zealand interests and wrecked in NZ waters in September 1865. [LPA],[LV]
[LO records a steamer of this name involved in salvage of cargo from SS Ant, near Barwon Heads, Victoria, 1866.]

Sarah. Brig. Stranded Point Gellibrand, Port Phillip. [WPP]

Sarah. Cutter, 12 tons. Capsized about nine miles off Indented Head, Port Phillip, when inward bound to Geelong, 1848. The crew of five reached shore in a dinghy. [LV],[LC]

Savoia. Ship, 1308 tons. Seriously damaged by fire, South Wharf, Melbourne, 23 January 1895. Fortunately the fire was brought under control by several brave firemen who managed to get to the seat of the fire, for she had been carrying a cargo of gasoline, turpentine, kerosene and parrafin wax. How close it came to this being a conflagration that could have destroyed much of Melbourne is noted by the fact that the wood cases on hundreds of tins of kerosene were birnt off, but only two tins exploded.   [WPP],[LV]

Schaldis. Ship. Stranded near Queenscliff, Port Phillip, 25 January 1868. [WPP]

Scotsman. Cutter, 35 tons. Foundered off Queenscliff, Port Phillip, 31 January 1895. [LR]
Reported stranded at Queenscliff, 1 February 1895. [WPP]

Sea Bird. Barquentine, 355 tons. # 43146. Built at Bath, Maine, USA, 1864. Lbd 130 x 28 x 11 ft. Owned by Captain Anthony Abbott, and possibly master at the time of her loss. Ashore in rough weather soon after entering Port Phillip Heads and became a total wreck, 19 June 1867. She was lost near the West Channeel lightship, off Queenscliff. An attempt to refloat her failed. [WPP],[LV]

Sea Witch. Yacht. Lost near Corsair Rock, Port Phillip heads, 1968.  [DD]

Sea. Ship, 839 tons. Built Baltimore, USA, 1838. Captain McKay (MacKay). Outward bound for Callao, Peru, attempted to pass through Port Phillip Heads on an ebb tide, against the Pilot’s warning, missed stays, went ashore on Point Nepean, 30 May 1853. A boat crew of seven left for assistance; seventeen, including the captain and officers decided to remain on board even though huge seas were battering the ship. During the night all the remaining boats were smashed to pieces and at daylight only the bow was to be seen with sixteen men clinging to it. The captain had disappeared. Throughout the day several attempts were made to get a line on board; two boats from the pilot schooner Boomerang were swamped and another was smashed to pieces. A huge wall of water swept over the Sea; when it cleared the seventeen men had all disappeared. Only seven bodies were recovered. It was reported that the Sea had been short handed with some of her crew in irons to prevent them deserting to the goldfields.
[LG],[LR],[LSS],[NH],[LV],[WPH],[LAH],[LPH]

Seagull. (Sea Gull). Barque, wood, 423 tons. Built 1856.  Formerly known as the Corilla and Mathewan. Lbd 130.1 x 29 x 16.4 ft. Captain Gay. From Newcastle to Adelaide, sank after a collision with the 189 ton schooner St.Kilda, off Wilsons Promontory, 27 December 1878. As the vessels struck, one member of the Sea Gull's crew made a jump for the St Kilda but fell overboard and drowned. Crew of twelve later transferred to the St. Kilda which continued on to Melbourne, the captain of the Seagull having been badly injured. The Seagull was last seen low in the water drifting towards Babel Island. At an inquiry, Captain Gay was found responsible for the collision. Wreckage from the Seagull lies in 20 metres; an anchor believed from her lies close to Anser Island.  [LG], [LV],[LWP]

Sebim. Vessel type not recorded. Badly damaged, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 5 September 1862. [WPP]

Secret. Ketch, 19 tons. Built 1865. Operated in eastern Victorian waters. Foundered 1904.  [LPA]
Also listed:
Secret. Cutter. Ashore in a gale, Sandridge, Port Phillip, 6 October 1866. Possibly refloated. [WPP]

Senorita. Barquentine, 324 tons. Captain Dennison. Inward bound from New Zealand and deeply laden with timber, stranded near Point Lonsdale jetty, Port Phillip Heads, 10 February 1916. The tug Racer refloated the barquentine the following day. [LR],[LO],[WPH]

Shamrock. Schooner, 51 tons . Having just completed a voyage from New Zealand to Melbourne, stranded in West Channel, Port Phillip, near Indented Head, 19 August 1850. She was towed free by fishermen a few days later. [WPP],[LC - stranded 23 August]
On 3 December 1850, assisted the stranded ship Cassipore, Port Phillip. [LC]

Simoda. Ship. Stranded West Channel, Port Phillip, 25 May 1862. [WPP]

Sir William McPherson. Steel dredge, 482 tons.  Built 1912.  Scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Philip heads, Bass Strait, 12 May 1949. [LV],[NSF]

Sir William Wallace. Brig. Inward bound to Melbourne, ran ashore near Swan Point, Port Phillip, 22 June 1857. Steamer Samson tried unsuccesfully to tow her free. A fortnight later after her cargo was unloaded she was freed. [LR],[WPP]

Sir William Molesworth. Wooden barque, 468 tons. Built Nova Scotia, 1848; reg. Glasgow 1852, reg. Melbourne 1853. Lbd 108.2 x 19 x 26.2 ft. Hulked ‘some time in the 1860s’, and served time as a coal hulk. Sank after burning for four hours whilst  moored near the floating dock at Williamstown, 8 October 1871. The fire spread to the barque Joliba being repaired in the dock but the steamer Resolute, berthed nearby with steam up, made fast to her, literally dragging her from the blocks.  Every effort was made to extinguish the flames but her main and mizzen masts had to be cut away to save her. [LV]

Snapper. A vessel of this name was lost in Port Phillip, 1840. [LV]

Songvaar. Three-masted iron ship, 2128 tons. Built at Stockton, England, 1884, as the Barcore. Norwegian owned. Lbd 278.6 x 40.8 x 24.5 ft.   Lost near Wardang Island, South Australia, 14 April 1912.
On 10 March 1910, involved in collision with pilot steamer Alvina, off Queenscliff, Port Phillip Heads. [LV],[WPP]

Sophia. Steamer, tug.
In 1860, assisted the wooden ship Arabian, on fire at Port Melbourne. [LV]
In 1861, attended the wreck of the schooner Prince of Wales on Lonsdale Reef, 1861. [LO]
In 1866, attempted to free stranded steamer barwon, Queenscliff, Port Phillip. [LR]
In 1870, involved in rescue - see barque Sussex, 1870. [LG]

Sophia. Two masted wooden schooner, 42 tons. Built Port Cygnet, Tasmania, 1847; reg. Hobart 37/1847, Melbourne 14/1849, Geelong 1/1850. Lbd 49.1 x 15.7 x 8.4 ft. Master Joseeph White. Inward bound from Hobart, struck Point Nepean, rolled over and sank soon after, 31 May 1848. All saved. The remains of the vessel were eventually deposited on the beach inside Point Nepean; she was refloated , repaired and continued to operate in Victorian waters for many years. [AS1],[LR],[NH],[LV - brig, 101 tons],[WPH],[LPH - 101 tons]
Was at anchor off Wilsons Promontory lighthouse when a gale sprang, and was wrecked ashore within minutes, 23 April 1858. All hands reached safety except the captain who had been injured and could not hold the lifebuoy thrown to him from the rocks. [LG],[LWP]

South Sea. Ship. Damaged in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 1 March 1853. [WPP]

Souvenir. Schooner, Built 1845. Operated in eastern victorian waters. Wrecked 1860.  [LPA]
In 1849, a vessel of this name was involved in a collision with the vessel Flying Fish, Yarra River, 1849. [LV],[WPP]

Sparrowhawk. Involved in collision with  Alma, Port Phillip Heads1878. [LV]

Spray. Cutter. Parted her anchors and went ashore at Queenscliff, Port Phillip, 23 June 1890. Later refloated. [LR],[WPP]

Spray. Fishing boat. Lost on Lonsdale Reef, Port Phillip Heads, 1983. [LO]

Spray. Steamer, 393 tons. Built 1872. Involved in the salvage of the barque George Roper off Port Phillip Heads, 1883.  [LO]

Spray. Vessel type not recorded. Was struck by the pilot cutter Corsair, August 1864. The crew jumped onto the cutter, but as the Spray did not sink, reboarded her and was towed to Queencliff by the Corsair. [LR]

Sprightly. Steam tug, 109 tons. Built 1875.
In 1877, involved in collision with vessel Hercules, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip [LV]
In 1890, was towing the lighter Bride when the lighter collided and sank the lighter Blackwall in the Yarra, Melbourne. [LV],[WPP]
In 1894, involved in collision with vessel Hygeia,  Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip. [LV]
In 1918, involved in collision with vessel Falcon, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 1918. [LV]
In 1944, involved in collision with  un-named vessel, Corio Bay, 1944. She was assisting to berth the vessel. The tug began to sink and was headed for shore where she sank in twenty feet, and later raised.  [LV],[LC]
About 1945, sank at Geelong, Corio Bay. [WPP]
The two entires for 1944 and 1945 probably refer to the tug and salvage vessel built USA 1942 - see below.

Squirrel. Yacht. Foundered off Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip Heads, 1992. [LO]

St. George. Ship, 800 tons. Captain Davison.  Inward bound from Plymouth, stranded but later refloated, Point Nepean, 6 August 1852. It was 17 January 1853 by the time the vessel was refloated; the hulk was towed to St.Leonards, Port Phillip, and used as a landing stage.
[LR],[LPH - 605 tons]
Williams and Searle provide two versions:
Sank at Sandridge on 14 October 1859, then raised on 6 December 1859, and used as a hulk. [WPP]
Struck Corsair Rock, 28 December 1852, but got off soon after; run aground in Swan Bay where she was later repaired and refloated. [WPH]

St. Joseph. Ship, 1147 tons. Bound for New York, collided with SS Julia Percy off Port Phillip Heads, 31 January 1879. Both vessels suffered only minor damage. [LR]

Staadt Amsterdam. Ship. Stranded Pinnace Channel, Port Phillip, 27 March 1854. [WPP]

Statesman. Ship, 874 tons. Captain J. Godfrey.  Loading wool at Geelong when she caught fire, 26 December 1853.  Towed out of the harbour and scuttled off Point Henry. She was raised ten days later but her hull was so damaged that repairs took nearly a year. Sailed for London, 26 January 1854 with, apparently, repairs still be undertaken The boatwain was lost in the fire. [WPP],[LV],[LC]

Stephen. Schooner. Whilst moored at Knight’s Pier, Williamstown, broke loose and with part of the pier still attached, drifted toward Gen Pier. In so doing she dragged with her the motor launch Mystery, the yacht Welcome, and struck a small vessel sending it to the bottom; she misssed the yacht Bona and finally became entangled with other craft off the Ann Street Pier, April 1910. [WPP]

Stirlingshire. Brig. Accompanied HMS Rattlesnake to Port Phillip, with soldiers aboard, to establish the new colony, 9 September 1836. [AS6]

Stranger. Ketch, 28 tons. # 74660. Built Williamstown, 1872; launched November 1876; reg. Melbourne 1876. Lbd 64.8 x 15.4 x 4.3 ft. Sank in the river near Footscray, Melbourne, and was broken up, 1917. [LV],[LPA],[WPP]

Success. Brig, collier, 289 tons. Captain Whitmore. Inward bound from Newcastle, ashore at Queenscliff , 17 April 1863. Under Port Restrictions, the captain was prohibited from throwing the cargo of coal overboard so he offered it to anyone who could take it. The brig was thus refloated with a day. [LR],[WPP - barque]

Success. Immigrant ship, teak, 600 tons. Built Moulmein, 1840. In September 1847 left Plymouth with 245 emigrants for Adelaide; in 1848 and 1852 again voyaged to Australia, berthing at Melbourne.
In 1852 she anchored in Corio Bay, where her crew deserted her for the goldfields. She rode at anchor for some time until purchased by the Victorian government and converted into a prison hulk. She remained as such till 1858. She later served as a women’s prison, a reformatory, a dormitory for boys and an explosives hulk. She then underwent a refit as a ‘convict ship’ and toured the world, ending her days in flames on Lake Erie, USA, 1946. [LC]

Superb. Ship. Stranded in West Channel, Port Phillip, 14 December 1839. Presumed refloated. [WPP]

Sussex. Barque, 332 tons. # 32123. Built Sussex, England, 1831; reg. Geelong 1865. Lbd 109 x 27.1 x 18.4 ft. Captain W.H. Gregory. Ashore, wrecked, on the outer edge of Point Nepean, when entering Port Phillip Heads from Newcastle, 26 August 1870.  The steamer Sophia towed the Queenscliff lifeboat and Customs boat to the wreck but they were not needed as the crew were able to leave in their boats. The tug Pharos was sent down to tow the wreckage into shallow water where it later broke up.
[LG], [LV - lbd 118.6 x 27 x 17.2 ft],[LR],[WPH],[LAH],[LPH],[LO],[LR],[WPH]
On 17 April 1863, stranded near Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip Heads.

Swallow. Ketch, 24 tons. Built in Wellington, South Australia, 1860.  Lbd 51.2 x 15.7 x 6 ft. Captain Dugueim. Wrecked in Symonds Channel, Port Phillip, about two miles off Swan Island, when bound for Apollo Bay, 2 June 1922. [LV],[LSS],[LPA - cutter],[WPP]
A few months earlier, went ashore in a gale while unloading at the Apollo Bay jetty where she remained on the sand for several days before being refloated on a high tide. [LO]

Swan. Cutter.
On  20 July 1854, damaged in a storm that battered many vessels at Geelong.
In 1859, used as a pilot boat to replace the lost Anonyma, until the Rip arrived.  [WPP],[LPH]

Swiftness. Tug. Was towing the lighter Albert William when the towline wrapped around her propellor, putting her out of action, Port Phillip, May 1955. The lighter subsequently went aground and was lost.. The Swiftness was saved from going ashore by the tug Goudie. [WPP]

Sybil. Schooner, 17 tons. # 64792. Built Mornington, Victoria, 1874. Lbd 48.4 x 11.5 x 6 ft. Foundered during rough weather in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 1880. She was not raised and became a totaal loss. Register closed on 9 October 1880. [WPP],[LV]

Sydney Griffiths. Barque.
On 16 November 1860, stranded in West Channel, Port Phillip. [AS1]
In 1880, last to see the barque Result.  [LG]

Sylvanus. Schooner, wood,  72 tons. Built at Hobart Town, 1843. Lbd 73.9 x 19.2 x 7.1 ft. Captain Mitchell. Wrecked in the little used West Channel while leaving Port Albert, Victoria, with a cargo of cattle, 2 July 1850. No loss of life.  [LG],[LPA],[AS1]
In 1845, ashore at bicheno, Tasmania, 1850. [WPP]

Sylvia. Schooner. Captain Gordon. From Sydney to Geelong, ashore on a reef at Queencliffe, Port Phillip, 7 September 1855. Refloated, and continued her journey. [LR],[WPP]

Tamar Maid. Schooner. Captaain Cartledge. Inward bound from Tasmania with timber, capsized in The Rip, Port Phillip Heads, 13 April 1866. Three men drowned; one survived, picked up by the pilot cutter Corsair. The wrecked schooner was towed in to Port Phillip by the steamer Resolute and dropped four miles from the heads, with the Government steamer Pharos standing by. The schooner was a complete wreck.
[LR],[WPH - 14 April]

Tambar. Steamer. Assisted in the raising of sections of the tug Terawhiti off Williamstown, 30 September 1950. [WPP]

Tambo. Steamship, 22, Melbourne, 1882. Converted into hulk, 1891. [ASR]

Taramung. Involved in collision with  Colusa, Yarra River, Melbourne, 1890. [LV]

Tarn. Vessel type not recorded. Collided with wharf, Yarraville, Melbourne, 21 June 1962. [WPP]

Taroona. Steamer.
On 10 May 1936, badly damaged by fire in Yarra, Melbourne. [WPP]
On 6 July 1937, badly damaged by fire in the Yarra, Melbourne. [WPP]
On 3 August 1952, on fire at North Wharf, Melbourne. [WPP]
An extremely unfortunate vessel - or incorrect details!!

Tasman. Cutter. Ashore near Mount Martha, Port Phillip, April 1846. The steamer Vesta attempted to refloat her without success, and eventually she was abandoned. [AS1],[LC]

Tasman. Wooden barque, 562 tons. Captain Blackman. While entering Port Phillip Heads on her inward voyage from London with twenty-five passengers, refused to answer her helm in the strong tide and was swept on to the Lonsdale Reef, 3  January 1851. Hauled free, she was towed to Hobsons Bay.
[LO],[LR],[WPH - Captain J.B.Blackburn],[LPH]
In 1868, involved in collision with the sunken Black Swan, Williamstown, Port Phillip, 1868. [LV]
On 1 June 1868, involved in a collission with the brigantine Swordfish, West Channel, Port Phillip. [WPP]

Tasmania Star. Freighter, 11950 tons. Built 1950. Owned by the Blue Star Line. From Geelong to Melbourne, stranded off Clifton Springs, Port Phillip, 9 May 1956. Reflaoted five days later. [WPP],[LC]

Teazer. (Teaser).  Ketch, 22 tons. # 32257. Built Gravelly Beach, Tamar River, Tasmania, 1865; reg. Melbourne 1878. Lbd 48.2 x 14.2 x 6.4 ft. Lost in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 1878. [LV],[WPP]

Templar. Ship. Attempted to enter Port Phillip without a pilot, ashore near Swan Point, 31 December 1853. Later refloated. [LR],[WPP]

Terawhiti. Twin screw steel tug. Built Leith, Scotlandd, 1907; reg. Dunedin 1907, Melbourne 1948. Owned by Australian Steamships Pty Ltd. Sunk at Williamstown, Port Phillip, while assisting to berth the freighter City of Khartoum, 1950. One life lost. Attempts to raise the tug were unsuccesful, so she was cut up and raised in pieces with the assistance of the steamer Tambar. [WPP],[LV]

Thames. Cutter. Foundered in Port Phillip, 1883. [LV]
Also listed:
Thames. Sloop. Ashore near Point Cook, Port Phillip, 1880. [LC]

Thames. Paddle steamer, 110 tons. Struck a rock near Point Cook, Port Phillip, then run ashore to save the passengers and crew, 19 February 1852. Attempts were made to salvage the vessel but a gale on 6 March 1852 saw her break apart.  [LV],[WPP]
In 1851, a steamer of this name took passengers on to Geelong from the stricken ship Lancastrian, 1851. [LR]

Thetis. Two masted wooden schooner, 95 tons. Built Moruya River, NSW, 1847; reg. Sydney 84/1847.  Lbd 66.1 x 18.4 x 9.6 ft. Master Alexander Collins. Inward bound from Sydney, struck Point Lonsdale reef, Port Phillip Heads, 26 May 1848. Fifteen minutes after she struck she was on her beam ends with her masts lying over the rocks.  The twenty-four passengers, most of whom were in bed at the time, rushed on deck and clung to the side of the vessel till low tide when they dropped on to the reef. Two children were swept from their mother’s arms and drowned. Their parents reached the reef in such a distressed and exhausted condition that they died before reaching the shore.  All other passengers and crew reached safety. [LO],[LR],[NH],[AS1],[LV],[WPH],[LPH]

Thistle. Schooner, 28 tons: Anchored off Point Henry, Port Phillip,  when a sudden squall caught her broadside and turned her over, 26 February 1854. No lives lost. [LV],[LC]
Thistle. Fishing cutter. Lost on Corsair rock, entrance to Port Phillip, 10 October 1945. [WPH]

Thomas & Ann Cole. Wooden ship, 800 tons. Originally the French ship Antionette Cezard. Built France, 1852; reg. Bordeaux, reg. Melbourne in 1854. Inward bound from Callao under captain Adam, struck Lonsdale Reef, Port Phillip Heads, on 14 January 1856 and was badly holed.  She was towed free the following day and taken to Melbourne making more than two feet of water per hour. [LO],[LR],[WPH]
In 1854, as the Antionette Cezard (qv), struck Corsair rock. [LR]

Thomas Hughes. Barque. Was anchored in Corio Bay fully loaded with wool when dense smoke was seen coming from her hold, 29 November 1850. The removal of twenty bales of wool prevented an outbreak of the fire. [LC]

Ticonderoga. Vessel of 1089 tons. From Liverpool to Melbourne, arrived off Port Phillip in November 1852 with 814 passengers. Ninety-six deaths had occured on the voyage and nearly everyone on board was ill. During her six weeks of quarantine, a further eighty deaths occurred.  As a result of this terrible situation, in 1854 an area was set aside as a Sanatory Station, at the soutern end of Port Phillip, the name being changed to a Quarantine Station some years later. [LPH]

Tilikum. Indian war canoe, 3 tons. Lbd 38 x 5.6 x 3 ft. From Victoria, British Columbia. Reported to have been, and probably still is, the smallest vessel to have circumnavigated the world. Captain John Voss. Arrived in Australian waters in 1902. Encountered rough seas in Bass Strait when travelling from Newcastle to Melbourne, and at the mercy of the breakers, was thrown on to the beach at Shallow Inlet, Wilsons Promontory. Voss and his travelling companion were safe however. They repaired their vessel, and after enjoying local hospitality, made Melbourne then went on to Adelaide and Hobart, and crossed the Tasman to new Zealnd. The voyage ended on 21 May 1904, three years in the making. [LWP]

Time. Steel screw steamer, 3316/1746 tons. # 132442. Built Sunderland, UK, 1913; reg. Melbourne 1913.  Lbd  340 x 48.3 x 21.8 ft. Owned by Australian Steamships Ltd. Captain McClenaghan. Wrecked on Corsair Rock just outside Port Phillip Heads, 27 August 1949. Her  steering failed after she was struck by heavy seas while entering The Heads. Cargo was salvaged and she withstood the pounding of the seas for many years. When the film On The Beach was being made in Melbourne in 1959, it was required that Port Phillip Heads appear desolate. However, the Time still appeared as though she was merely at anchor, so explosive charges were set to make her look like a wreck. It seemed to have done the job, for on Good Friday 1960, the wrecked slipped from the rocks into deeper water during a storm.
[LG],[LR],[NH],[ASR],[LV],[WPH],[DD], [NWR],[NMC],[NSC],[LAH],[WB]
@ Wreckage lies scattered over a wide area on the northern side of Nepean Reef, 250 metres from Rock Beacon, in seven metres. She is rarely dived  due to her treacherous position, where slack tide provides the only a twenty-minute opportunity.

Tinto Hill. Four-masted barque, 2144 tons. Built Glasgow, 1888. Captain Doherty.
In 1899, stranded briefly in the Hopetoun Channel, Corio Bay, 1899. [LC],[WPP]

Titan. Tug, 97 tons. Built 1866.  Sold to New Zealand interests.
In 1867, attempted to tow stranded barque Monarch off a bank inside Port Phillip, but was not succesful. [LV]
In 1868, stood by the stricken ship Light of the Age near Ocean Grove, but was unable to assist.
In 1869, transfered passengers and crew from the ship Hurrican, sunk near Arthurs seat, Port Phillip. [LR]
In 1869, attended wreck of the ship Victoria Tower, 1869.
In 1871, attended the wreck of the ship Sussex, 1871. [LO]
In 1871, involved in attempted salvage  - see schooner Hector, lost Port Phillip.

Tommy Dodd. (Tommy Dod). Ketch, 17 tons. Captain Goble. Foundered at Port Phillip Heads, on or about 27 June 1876. The captain lost his life in the incident. [TS1],[LV - lost 1877],[WPP - lost May 1877]

Tooronga. Tug.
In 1934, assisted SS Milora when she stranded off Port Phillip Heads, 1934. [LR]
On 17 April 1952, stranded at Williamstown, Port Phillip. [WPP]
In 1957, refloated the stranded MV Minnipa, on Popes eye shoal, inside Port Phillip Heads. [LR]

Trebolgan. Ship. Damaged by fire, Sandridge, Port Phillip, 5 Jnuary 1863. [LV]

Tremalga. Portuguese barque. Arrived off Port Phillip in the winter of 1854 with four hundred chinese on board, presumably for the gold fields. A pilot went on board but waited till dawn to enter the bay. By then she had 'disappeared'. A search was made f Bass Strait and it was thought she had foundered with all hands, however after five weeks the steamer Waratah arrived at Port Phillip with the pilot on board. It appears that the barque had been driven into Bass Srait  where it battled adverse winds, and finally made Edn, on the southern NSW coast, with the passengers on the brink of starvation and close to mutiny.  [LPH]

Triad. Schooner. Ashore near Queenscliff, 22 May 1851. Refloated. [LR],[WPP - stranded at Williamstown]

Tyhee. (Tybee). Barque, 271 tons. # 43216. Reg. Sydney, 1862. Captain G. Jackson. Inward bound from Newcastle, aground near Swan Spit, Port Phillip, but escaped destruction, 17 April 1863. [LR],[WPP],[WPH]

United. Brig. Stranded near Port Phillip Heads, 20 July 1854. [WPP]

Uralba. Hulk. Sank at Footscray, Melbourne, 5 May 1960 [LV],[WPP]

Valentine. Schooner. Struck by the lighter Eolinn during a storm that battered many vessels at Geelong, 20 July 1854. [WPP]

Van Gallan. Type not recorded. Assisted the ship Sacramento, lost on Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip, 1853. [LR]

Vanguard. Vessel type not recorded. Stranded Popes Eye, Port Phillip, 30 October 1863. [WPP]

Venus. Schooner. Capsized due to being overloaded with firewood, Port Phillip, 21 October 1855. The master was saved but his wife and child died.  [LV],[WPP]

Venus. Steamer, tug, 80 tons. Destroyed by fire in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 13 September 1861. [LV],[WPP]

Veralum. Coal hulk. Sank in the Yarra, Melbourne, 4 October 1923. [LV],[WPP]

Veritas. Swedish barque, 748/672 tons. # 79513. Built Helsingborg, Sweden, 1876 and known then as the Verutas; reg. Melbourne 1880. Captain Goransson.. Struck rock off Point Nepean, Port Phillip Heads, 27 January 1879. Towed to melbourne by the tug Resolute, repaired and returned to service.  [LR],[WPH]

Vesta. Paddle steamer. The first iron steamer built in Melbourne.
In 1846, attempted salvage on the grounded cutter Tasman without success, Port Phillip. [AS1]
On 13 October 1847, stranded in the Yarra, Victoria. [WPP]
On 29 January 1855, involved in collision with steamer Hercules, Port Phillip Heads. [LV]
In 1864, involved in collision with vessel Empress, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip. [LV],[WPP - records vessel as Express]
In 1864, rescued crew of capsized schooner Melbourne, Port Phillip. [LR]

VH B53. Steel hopper barge. Scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Philip heads, 19 February 1971. [NSF]

VH B54. Steel hopper barge. Scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Philip heads, 17 December 1970. [NSF]

Victoria Packet. While entering Port Phillip under Captain Moffat, struck Point Lonsdale reef but floated free, and with a disabled rudder and full of water, stranded in Swan Bay, 25 November 1853. Towed to Melbourne for repairs. [LR],[LV],[WPH - master E.A.Peacock]
On 30 July 1857, stranded at Swan Spit, Port Phillip. [WPP]

Victoria. Lighter. Struck by the steamer Despatch at the entrance to the Yarra River, Port Phillip, July 1873. The lighter was at fault when she changed course, and although badly damaged was repaired.  [WPP],[LV]

Victoria. Steamer, steel, pilot vessel, 333 tons. Built at Williamstown, Port Phillip, 1900. Lbd 150.8 x 24.3 x 12.6 ft. Broken up 1957. [LSS]
In 1928, two men who had put out from the vessel to pick up the pilot were nearly lost when their open boat was swept out to sea. [LV]
In 1948, stranded at Western Port, Victoria. [LG]

Victoria. Steamship, 193 tons. Built 1858; reg. Melbourne. Broken up Melbourne, August, 1895. [ASR]

Victoria. Wooden schooner, 25 tons. # 40920. Built Singapore, 1854; reg. Melbourne 1855. Destroyed by fire, Napier Street Pier, Footscray, Melbourne, 5 April 1890. [WPP],[LV],[ASR]

Victorian.  Steamer, 986/769 tons. Built on the Clyde, 1876 for the Adelaide Steamship Company on the Melbourne-Adelaide run. Burnt at Port Jackson, 1885; and converted into a coal hulk in 1895. Towed to sea and scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Phillip heads, Bass Strait, 8 May 1925.  [WL], [LV],[NSF],[DG]

Victory. Barque, 548/470 tons. Built Glasgow, 1846; reg. Glasgow. Out from Glasgow, 106 days,  with fifty passengers, stranded on Victory Shoal, near Point Lonsdale, Victoria, 15 August 1850. After throwing some cargo overboard and discharging the remainder into lighters, she was towed off and taken to Melbourne for repairs. The lighters Diana and Governor Arthur, SS Aphrasia, the schooner Apollo, and tug Vesta assisted.  [LR],[LO],[AS1 - ship],[WPH],[LPH - 352 tons]

Vivid. Barque, 238, Melbourne, 1870. Converted into hulk at Melbourne, 1894. [ASR]

W. J. Taylor. Ketch, 44 tons. Built Melbourne, 1884. Captain McLeod. Inward bound from Western Port with eight passengers and a crew of three, ashore, wrecked, on Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip Heads, 26 December 1894. No lives lost. [LO],[LR],[ASR],[LPA],[LPW],[WPH]

Waddon. Involved in collision with  Kirkdale, Yarra River, Melbourne, 1910. [LV]

Waimea. Vessel type not recorded. Stranded West Channel, Port Phillip, 4 September 1959. [WPP]

Waitemata. Involved in collision with vessel Flinders, Port Phillip Bay, 1889. [LV]

Wakefield. Steamer. Involved in collision with tug Nyora, Yarra River, Melbourne, 30 June 1910. [LV],WPP]

Walrus. Dredge, 1028 tons. Built 1897. Captain A. MacDonald. Left Durban on 13 August 1906 with a crew of twnety-two, to replace aging dredges in Port Phillip, but disappeared without trace. [LSS]

Wanderer. Schooner, 20 tons. Capsized and sank in Hobsons Bay on New Years Day, 1840. The crew were rescued by the Bright Planet. 1840. [LV],[WPP]

Wandering Minstrel. Involved in collision with Lubra,  Port Phillip Heads,  1878. [LV]

Wangara. Steamship. Captain Leonard. Stranded near Point Lonsdale on 18 November 1961 when forced too far to the west in the main channel by an incoming vessel, the vessel Darega, but she was freed and taken to Melbourne for repairs. [LO]

War Spray. Steamship. Involved in collision with SS Lutana, Port Phillip Heads, 1928. [LV],[LR]

Wareatea. Steamship, 474 tons.  Built Scotland, 1883.  Lbd 170.2 x 26.1 x 11.4 ft. To Australia for the Union Steamship Company; sold to William holyman and Son in 1904. Used on the MelbourneTasmania run for many years as a one-class passenger ship, and later as a cargo vessel.  Stripped and scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Phillip heads Bass-Strait, 16 March 1945.
[LV],[RW],[LC - 512 tons],[NSF]
In 1911, collided with SS Glaucus near Point Nepean, Port Phillip Heads, 30 November 1911. Both vessel suffered only minor damage. [LR],[LG gives date of 1907]
On 24 September 1924, involved in collision with a barge, Port Phillip. [LV],[WPP]

Warhawk. (War Hawk) Tug, 59 tons. Built 1865.  Lbd 102.5 x 17.6 x 8.6 ft - lengthened to 110 ft in 1877. Broken up 1901. [LM - 197 tons]
In 1868, attended wreck of Light of the Age,  near Ocean Grove, but was unable to assist.
In 1871, attended the wreck of the ship Sussex. [LO]
In 1875, involved in collision with vessel Girage, Yarra River, Melbourne. [LV]
On 25 July 1875, under Captin James Deanes, attended the stricken barque Eliza Ramsden.
In 1891, involved in collision with a barge, Yarra River, Melbourne. [LV]
Also listed:
Warhawk. Ketch, 42 tons. Built at Sandridge, 1871. Lbd 64.1 x 19.1 x 5.7 ft. Broken up, 1901. [LSS],[LPA]

Warrigal. Involved in collision with vessel Charles Duckett, Port Phillip, 1913. [LV]

Warspray. Collier, steamer. Struck and sank an unidentified lighter when she drew away from South Wharf, Melbourne, 30 May 1923. [WPP]

Wasp. Ketch, 16.54 tons. # 48422. Built Williamsstown, 1859; reg. Melbourne 1859. Lbd 40.9 x 14.6 x 5.9 ft. Master-owner A. Fetherigihi. Driven ashore and wrecked during a storm, near Sandridge, Port Phillip, October, 1875. [WPP],[LV]

Wastewater. Involved in collision with steamer Time,  Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, Port Phillip, 1890. [LV]

Water Witch. Wooden schooner, 23 tons. # 31768. Built Melbourne 1851, reg. Melbourne 1853. Lbd 40.2 x 12.1 x 6.5 ft. Lost in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 1870. [LV],[WPP - foundered off Brighton, Port Phillip]

Wattenbach. Involved in collision with Matilda, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 9 June 1854. [LV],[WPP]

Wauchope. Wooden screw steamship, 269 tons. Captain Bennett. Built Sydney 1905; reg. Melbourne 1905. Lbd 127.5 x 25.5 x 9.2 ft. Owned by William Holyman & Son. Whilst anchored at the quarantine station, Portsea, port Phillip, destroyed by fire and several explosions,  1 August 1919. Petrol and bottles of acetylene gas added to the inferno. She drifted toward Sorrento and went aground 200 yards from the shore. The boilers of the vessel ares still visible.  LV],[RW],[LV],[WPH],[WB]
Vessel of this name involved in rescue - see ship Carnarvon Bay, King Island, 1910. [LK]
Vessel of this name involved in rescue - see fishing ketch Unique, lost western Bass Strait, 1910. [TS2]
@ What remains of the wreck, a boiler, propeller shaft, keel and ribss, lies in only 4 metres and may be snorkelled.
~ Boiler is visible, about 400 m north-of the Sorrento (aquarium) boatramp.

Weeroona. Cutter, 3 tons. Driven ashore at St Kilda, Port Phillip, 10 May.1878. [LV]

Weeroona. Cutter, 17 tons. Lost at St.Kilda, Port Phillip, 1886. [LV]

Weeroona. Excursion steamer. Built 1910. Operated on Port Phillip. [DG]

Welcome. Yacht. Damaged in a storm, Williamstown, 1910. See schooner Stephen. [WPP]

Werfa. Iron lighter, coal hulk, 935 tons. # 89167. Built Hawdon 1883; reg. Melbourne 1914. Lbd 216 x 30.2 x 15.5 ft. Hulked 1914.  In 1925 she was sunk in Victoria Dock by the destroyer MacDonough, as the American Fleet left Melbourne.  She was raised and finally scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Phillip heads Bass Strait, 21 March 1929. [LV],[NSF - 862 tons]

West Wind. American screw steamship, wood, 500/350 tons. Built Delaware, USA, launched December 1851; reg. Melbourne 1853. Lbd 146 x 26 x 15.1 ft. Captain Eager. Destroyed by fire whilst laid up in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 27 February 1854. Towed ashore at Sandridge (Port Melbourne), and finally broken up. Her boiler remained on the bach for forty years. Charges of arson were laid against the captain, former captain (Smith) and owner, of wilfully setting the vessel alight but they were aquitted. [LV],[WPP - men found guilty],[LV - men aquitted],[LAH]
On 28 April 1853, collided with vessel Prince Albert when entering Port Phillip. [WPP]
On 14 August 1853, inward bound from Adelaide, collided with pilot schooner Anonyma off Port Philip Heads. [LO],[LR],[WPP - inward from Sydney],[WPH]
In 1855, the vessel Comet struck the sunken West Wind. [LV]

Whitebait. Fishing vessel. Run down and destroyed by the steamer Dandenong, Port Phillip, March 1873. It appears that there was no lookout on the steamer. [LV],[WPP]

Whitepine. Iron lighter, 447 tons. Built 1879. Scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Phillip heads, 14 January 1947. [NSF]

Will-o-the-Wisp. (Will of the Wisp). Schooner, 150 tons. Port Phillip Heads, 1853. Inward bound from Auckland, struck on a bank opposite Swan Point, wrecked, 8 October 1853. No lives lost. Captain and crew taken on to Melbourne by SS Hellespont. [LR],[LV],[LSS],[WPH - wrecked 9 October]

William Ackers. Barque, 299 tons. Captain Beer. Stranded near Geelong, 2 April 1871. Her cargo of coal was offloaded to lighters and she was freed. [LC],[WPP]

William Cole. Ship. Stranded at Swan Spit, Port Phillip, 12 June 1854. [WPP]

William Hill. Brig, 119 tons.
On 2 July 1858, stranded near Queenscliff, Port Phillip, 2 July 1858. [WPP]
On 19 June 1861, stranded on Pope’s Eye, Port Phillip. [WPP]
In July 1863, ashore in a gale at Port Welshpool, Gippsland coast; soon refloated. [LPG], [LG],[LPW]

William Parsons. Cutter, 14 tons. Wrecked at St Leonards, Port Phillip,  while anchored alongside the hulk of the Boujah Maiden, 6 July 1863. The crew of two escaped but the cutter broke up and her remains were strewn along the beach. [LV],[WPP],[LC]

William Salthouse. Barque, 350/260 tons. Captain Brown. Inward bound from Quebec, she struck the outer edge of a reef at Point Nepean, Port Phillip Heads, 28 November 1841. As a result, she became unmanageable and was beached; refloated but sank between the West and South Channels. The revenue cutter Ranger went to her assistance. The cutter Emily took the crew on to Melbourne. The value of her considerable cargo was £12.000.
 [LV],\ [LR],[NH],[AS1],[WPH],[WB],[DA]
@ Located in 1982, she was enthusiastically dived and scavenged inspite of historic protection. She lies in 12 metres about 600 m north of Popes Eye, inside Port Phillip. Therev is much to see on the site, even though the upper structure shave collapsed. Artifical matting has been laid over the sany site for protection.

Williams. Iron double-funnel paddle steamer, 327/203 tons. # 32291. Built Cartsdyke, Scotland, 1854; reg. Melbourne 1872. Broken up 1894.  Initially operated in the Hunter River, NSW, trade, then sold and came to Melbourne, commencing excursions on 9 November 1872 to Queenscliff and Sorrento. Used as an excursion steamer in the summer and a tug in winter. Involved in the salvage of the barque George Roper off Port Phillip Heads, 1883.  [LO],[WPH],[LPH],[DG], [ASR]
In 1877, involved in collision with vessel Golden Crown, Queenscliff, Port Phillip. [LV]

Williams. Steamer. Attended the wrecked barque Medea, Port Phillip, 1847.

Williamstown. Ferry, steamer. Stranded at Port Melbourne, 8 June 1915. [WPP]
Also listed:
Williamstown Short Road Ferry. Steamer. Sunk 25 August 1931. [WPP]

Wills. Steel hopper, 345 tons.  Scuttled in the ships graveyard, off Port Phillip heads Bass Strait, 22 August 1935. [LV]

Winchester. Barque, wood, 393 tons.  Built 1837 Captain Curry. Burned off Queencliff, 16 April 1853. After the crew escaped, fifty pounds of gelignite aboard exploded, destroying the vessel. She was outward bound from Melbourne to Newcastle. An anchor lies on the foreshore. The captain gave the opinion that the fire was sudden and rapid, no doubt due to the copious amount of varnish being laid on inside every time the vessel arrived at her home port, Bristol, UK.
[LR],[LV],[AS6],[LH],[WPH],[LPH]

Windsor. Ship. A transport vessel from Cork with troops, was entering the South Channel, Port Phillip  when she was struck by a squall which carried her three masts over the side, 1854. She was repaired. [LV]

Windward. Barque. Involved in a collision with the brig Alexandria, Port Phillip, 21 January 1866. [WPP],[LV]

Wodonga. Steel screw steamship, 2341 tons. # 98127. Built 1890. A popular passenger liner. Hulked in 1924. [LWP]
On 19 November 1892, outward bound to Sydney, stranded near Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip Heads. All saved. The vessel was hauled free by two tugs on the next flood tide, and proceeded on to Sydney. [LR],[LO],[WPH]
In 1893, with 229 passengers on board, broke her propeller sshaft when near Cliffy Island, off Wilsons Promontory, but was towed safely back to Melbourne by SS Time. [LWP]

Wombat. Dredge. Involved in collision with paddle steamer Black Eagle, Yarra River, Melbourne, about September 1875. [LV],[WPP]

Woolamai. Ketch, 37 tons. Built 1912 as the Little Angelina. Ashore at Clifton Springs during a gale, 25 August 1931. A crewman, later returning to the vessel, apparently ignited petrol vapour in the cabin, the explosion throwing him through the cabin door - and into the Geelong Hospital. The vessel was later refloated. [LC]

Woolamai. Schooner, 33 tons. Built Williamstown, 1875. Lbd 60.4 x 16.8 x 5.3 ft. Originally Little Angelina, and also Britannia in 1929. Fitted with an engine and used for yachting anf fishing cruises before being used to carry shell grit from Portarlington.  [LSS],[LC]
On 14 March 1921, stranded in West Channel, Port Phillip. [WPP]
On 25 August 1931, stranded at Clifton Springs, Corio Bay, Port Phillip. [WPP],[LC]

Wyrallah. Twin screw iron steamship, 302/205 tons. # 93558. Built at Sydney, 1887; reg. Melbourne. Lbd 140 x 22.3 x 13.2 ft. Captain Bracken. Collided with SS Dilkerra, and sank outside Port Phillip Heads, having been nearly cut in half, 8 April 1924. Five of the engine room crew and one passenger drowned when the Wyrallah sank within ten minutes. Nine persons jumped across on to the deck of the Dilkerra and were taken back to Melbourne. The wreck, south of the Corsair Rock, partly blocked the channel until it was removed. [LG],[LV],[LR],[LPA],[WPH],[LAH],[WB],[DG]
@ Rarely dived inspite of her interest, she lies right in the middle of The Rip, the notorious entrance to Port Phillip, in 13 metres. Although blasted, and badly broken up, Wealthy and Bugg indicate it is an interesting dive, but conditions need to be 'near perfect'.

Wyuna. Pilot cutter.
In 1972, collided with MV Bass Trader  in foggy conditions off Port Phillip Heads. No one was injured and both vessels suffered only minor damage. [LO]
On 22 October 1953, a vessel of this name was involved in a collision with the motor vessel Karoon, Yarra River, Melbourne. [LV],[WPP]

Yarrow. Snow brig, 229 tons. # 32318. Built Rustico, Prince Edward Island, 1851; reg. Melbourne 1868. Lbd 99 x 20.5 x 14.5 ft. Captain Bartlett. From Newcastle with coal, struck Point Lonsdale reef, Port Phillip Heads, 23 August 1870. The crew of nine dropped into the sea from the vessel’s yards and were rescued by the Queenscliff lifeboat, towed to the wreck by the steam paddle tug Mystery. [LO],[LR],]LV],[WPH],[DD]

You Yangs. Steamer. 672 tons. Built in England, 1856 as the Kief. Purchased by Captain Howard Smith in 1863, renamed. Ran between Melbourne and Newcastle.  [WL]
Involved in collision with  Pomare, Yarra River, Melbourne, 1878. [LV]

UNIDENTIFIED

Unidentified. 1840. Schooner.  Reported lost in Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, 1840. [LV]

Unidentified. 1866. Whaleboat. Ashore in a gale, wrecked, Sandridge, Port Phillip, 6 October 1866. [WPP]

Unidentified. 1872. Cutter. Driven ashore near Portarlington, Port Phillip, during a gale, wrecked, 13 March 1872. [LV]

Unidentified. 1892. An un-named fishing vessel foundered between Mordialloc and Mornington, Port Phillip, 21 May 1892. This was a particularly tragic accident as it wiped out virtually a complete Australian rules football team. The team had been returning home from Mordialloc to Mornington when a sudden squall came up and fifteen lives were lost when she foundered. [WPP][IL - sank off Pelican Point, Port Phillip]

Unidentified. 1923. Lighter. Sunk by the collier steamer Warspray as she drew away from South Wharf, Melbourne, 30 May 1923. [WPP]

Unidentified. Fishing boat. Sunk on the east, inside, of the Portarlington pier, Port Phillip.
May be explored with care as penetration is cramped. [IL]