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S.S. CITY OF LAUNCESTON
Locationnorth of West Channel, Port Phillip Bay VHR NumberS124 Date lost19/11/1865 Year of construction1863 Official number32240 |
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Statement of Significance
The City of Launceston is one of Victoria's most significant shipwrecks. The discovery and reporting of the wreck and subsequent lobbying of the State Government led to the proclamation of the State Historic Shipwrecks Act 1981. It is one of the most intact iron steamship wrecks of its age in Australian waters, is technically and scientifically significant for the remains of its engine and boiler, and evidence of the experimental salvage attempts using Patented Maquay hydrogen gas generating ... more
| Physical Description | |
|---|---|
| Construction Material | Iron |
| Rig | Schooner |
| Hull Details | Iron, clipper bow, elliptic stern |
| Propulsion | Steam - Screw |
| Engine Specification | Blackwood & Gordon |
| Engine Builder | direct acting inverted 2 cylinder, 80 HP, fitted with Thomas Silver s Patent steam governor, cylinders 34" diameter with 27 inch stroke, boiler 30lbs psi |
| Number of Masts | 2 |
| Length / Breadth / Depth | 177.2 Feet / 24.4 Feet / 11.7 Feet |
| History | |
| Builder | Blackwood & Gordon |
| Built Date | 1863 |
| Built Port / Country | Newark, Glasgow / Scotland |
| Registration Number | 11 of 1863 |
| Registration Port / Country | Launceston / Australia |
| Details |
About 9 pm, incoming SS Penola ( 500 tons) struck and ran down City of Launceston which began to settle almost immediately. Passengers and crew transferred with difficulty to Penola. Sunken vessel ... more |
| Uses of Vessel | |
| Primary Use | Services |
| Secondary Use | Passenger - Coastal |
| Voyage Details | |
| Date Lost | 19/11/1865 |
| Voyage | from Launceston to Launceston |
| Cargo |
General cargo including English mails, luggage, drapery inc. crinolines, cases of brandy, port, rum, cigars, tea, boots, sheepwash |
| Owner | G. Fisher and partners, trading as Launceston and Melbourne Steam Navigation Co. |
| Master of Vessel | Capt. William Thom |
| Weather conditions |
Clear; starlit night; calm seas |
| Cause of Loss |
Confusion between ships masters, collision |
| Further Details | |
| Number of Passengers | 25 |
| Comments on Passenger |
Mr & Mrs Bowland, Mr & Mrs Horne and their 2 children, Mrs Woods (wife of the vessel's usual captain), Mrs Richards, Mrs McDonald, Dr Brook, Dr Moore and Messrs. J Moore, Chesterman, Thom, Bowland, M. ... more |
| Number of Crew Members | 23 |