Dive standard : intermediate
Launch site : Port Albert
Chart no : Aus 357
Latitude : 38" 43’75" south
Longitude : 146"41’75" east
Compass Bearings: 1. Mount Roundback – 323” (T) 2. Kay Hill - 270” (T)
Dive Conditions: Divers should be aware that the wreck site is often subject to poor visibility. A strong current runs parallel to the shoreline making the dive, at times, quite difficult. Port Albert has a reputation for one of the more difficult and dangerous estuarine entrances on the south-east coast. As sandbars often shift, it’s wise to check conditions before venturing out by boat.
Description : A mid-19th century steamship designed to carry cargo and passengers and later converted to carrying coal from Newcastle to Melbourne.
The SS Blackbird was a mid-19th century steamship initially designed to carry cargo and passengers but later converted to carry coal. It was built in Newcastle on Tyne, but was fitted with its steam engine in Melbourne.
As a new ship, the SS Blackbird made several journeys to New Zealand. Later, it carried cargo to East Coast ports of Australia including Rockhampton. For a short period it was also used to ferry passengers and cargo between Adelaide and Melbourne.
The growth of Melbourne and development of its industry created a need for coal to power machinery. Victoria’s existing coalfields at Kilcunda and Cape Patterson could not cope with the increasing demand for coal and authorities turned to Newcastle as an alternative source.
Newcastle had abundant coal reserves and good facilities for ships. From 1874 until 1878, until the vessel was wrecked, the SS Blackbird regularly made the 1,000-mile journey to Newcastle, to be loaded with coal bound for Melbourne.
The wreck of the SS Blackbird now lies
in shallow water 300-400meters from the southern shore of Clonmel Island,
three miles south of Port Albert.
The SS Blackbird offers divers an excellent opportunity to explore a traditional mid-19th century steamship. The wreck lies parallel to the shoreline. Its bow faces northeast. The hull is intact at the bow and stern where remnants of the original decking can be seen. Anchor chains hang from the bow and the anchors, which are still attached are firmly, embedded in the sand. Two lifting davits can be seen at the bow. One is still attached to the vessel, the other lies nearby next to a winch and scattered plating.
Some of the ship’s equipment including the engine, boiler and steering gear are in the original position towards the stern. In midships region of the vessel, the sides of the ship have collapsed outwards.
Steering gear and the rudder are still in place at the stern of the steamship.
The SS Blackbird was extensively salvaged in the past and the Port Albert Maritime Museum has a number of relics from the ship. During the illegal salvage in the 1960’s, the vessel was blasted with explosives. A large mass of jumbled debris around the wreck is probably a result of this.
The
SS Blackbird was a three masted iron screw steamer and was fitted with a
twin cylinder inverted engine capable of generating 80hp. The engine was
also equipped with a surface condenser, which enabled steam to be reused.
This type of engine was universally adopted by merchant services in the
1870’s.
The ship measured 196ft(59.75m) in length, 28.2ft(8.59m) in breadth, and had a depth of 16.7ft(5.09m) with a gross tonnage of 665 tons.
When the SS Blackbird began its coal run between Newcastle and Melbourne, the ship was fitted with special coal handling machinery such as loading chutes, derricks, boilers and winches. There was still room however, to carry a few passengers.
On the 2nd June 1878 the SS Blackbird was returning to Melbourne with a cargo of 800 tons of coal, three passengers and 26 crew. The weather was windy with heavy squalls of rain blowing from the south. Captain McConachy, who was in charge of the SS Blackbird, mistook the Latrobe Lighthouse inside the entrance to Port Albert for Wilson’s Promontory Lighthouse. The SS Blackbird hit a sandbar and the Captain threw the engines into reverse at full speed to back the vessel into deeper water. He then ordered the crew to set sail and steered north to avoid a reef. However the SS Blackbird was heading strait towards the beach on Clonmel Island. The engines were once again thrown into reverse, but the steamer struck the beach and swung side on into the breakers.
The Port Albert townsfolk soon became aware of the disaster and a whaleboat was launched to rescue the crew and passengers. Four crew were collected from the SS Blackbird and ten others, who had jumped and swam to Clonmel Island, were rescued from the beach. Meanwhile the Captain and the remaining crew and passengers had launched the ship’s lifeboat and were rowing west. The whaleboat eventually met up with the lifeboat and its weary passengers at Rabbit Island and returned them to safety at Port Albert Pier.
Captain McConachy suggested that a heavy current together with error in the compasses was the cause of the disaster. However the Marine Court of Inquiry was not convinced. The Captain was charged with reckless navigation and had his licence suspended for twelve months. The first mate also had his licence suspended for three months.