Dive standard : Basic – intermediate
Launch site : Queenscliff boat ramp
Chart no : AUS 158
Latitude : 38" 17’54" south
Longitude : 144"36’51" east
Compass Bearings: 1.
Dive Conditions: This is a tidal site and is best dived at slack-water at the end of the ebb tide.
Description : A four masted iron barque built to carry cargo.
The George Roper was on its maiden voyage to port Phillip when it ran onto rocks off Point Lonsdale. The ship was loaded with a valuable cargo worth £10,000 including iron railings for use in railway construction, malt, distilled liquors, drapery and dynamite.
The George Roper looked a magnificent sight, stranded on the reef with its sails intact, and it drew quite a crowd of onlookers. Knowledge that the ship’s cargo was still on board also lured scavengers. Some prospective looters camped on the beach at Buckley’s Cave to wait for the first opportunity to sneak on board the ship, or to pick up cargo which might eventually wash up ashore as the ship broke up.
The George Roper lies in shallow water (4-5 meters) with
its bow facing into Point Lonsdale Reef. The 66-ton steamer Blackboy, used
in the salvage of the vessel, used in the salvage of the vessel, lies
nearby.
The wreck of the George Roper extends to over 83 meters from the large anchor winch at the bow, to the rudder that lies seaward of the Lonsdale Reef.
The lower portion of the hull, below the bilge line, lies semi-intact with the ship’s keelson, side keelson’s and bilge keelson’s clearly visible for most of the wrecks length. At the bow, one of the ship’s large winches is offset to the port side of the wreck. A hawsehole can be seen amongst the hull plating on the starboard side of the vessel.
Parts of the rigging such as masts, yards, backstays and deadeyes lie among the hull remains. A lifting davit lies at the stern with a bollard and bit nearby. Divers should also be able to see rudder standing upright towards the port side of the wreck.
Fragments of the cargo including slate, ceramic pieces and clay pipes are strewn about the wreck.
The remnants of iron and other debris around the wreck have become home to many different species of reef fish. The wreck has also been colonised by masses of kelp and other seaweed, making this a very colourful wreck dive.
The George Roper was a four masted iron barque built in
Liverpool in 1882. The ship was built to carry large consignments of cargo
and was constructed with one bulkhead, two decks, a bridge deck amidships
and a cabin under the bridge. The George Roper was built especially for the
Australian run and designed for fast sailing.
The ship measured 30ft (91.76 meters) in length, 39.1ft (11.92 meters) in breadth, 23.6ft(7.1meters) in depth and had a gross tonnage of 2,104 tons.
Under the command of Captain John Ward, the George Roper departed Liverpool on the 4th April 1883 with a crew of 32 and a hefty cargo. The voyage was swift and uneventful.
The George Roper arrived safely in Bass Strait, outside Port Phillip Heads on 4th July 1883. At the time, a strong northerly wind was blowing and a haze had settled over the sea. Captain Ward was making his first visit to Port Phillip and was careful to keep well away from the Heads. Eight miles out, the George Roper was taken in tow by the small paddle steamer and pilot boat, the Williams. As they neared the Heads, conditions deteriorated and land became obscured by a thick fog.
The Williams lost its bearings and drifted 300 meters west toward the outer reef of Point Lonsdale. When the port paddle of the Williams scraped along the rocky reef, the Captain realised that both vessels were in dangerous waters. He tried to reverse at full speed but the George Roper was so heavily laden with cargo and was unable to stop.
Before the pilot boat could pull the George Roper’s stern around, the huge ship crashed into the reef, opposite the green light at Point Lonsdale. The rocks pierced the ship’s hull and all hands were on deck to try and manoeuvre the ship off the rocks. The Williams was also damaged. The towrope between the ship and pilot boat was cut so the Williams could make its way back to Queenscliff for repairs. The captain of the pilot boat was later to have his
pilot’s certificate suspended for two years.
Within fifteen minutes, the fog lifted and Captain John Ward and his crew could see the George Roper was stranded on one of the most dangerous and inaccessible parts of the reef. The steamers Dawn and Albatross tried to pull the George Roper free. Although the barque was lightened by the removal of cargo, all efforts failed. Captain Ward and his crew finally left the stricken ship and were taken to Queenscliff.
Two days later, the underwriters sold the wreck at auction for £3,600.
Attempts to salvage the cargo were thwarted by bad weather. The crew of the steamer Blackboy, had to jettison salvaged cargo and signal for help as it bashed against the hull of the George Roper. The vessel also became stranded on the reef and was sold to the syndicate, which owned the George Roper. However it sank the same night and its cargo floated away.
Over a period of weeks, more of he cargo was salvaged. Finally on the 26th August, 1883, the George Roper broke up and disappeared underwater.