CITY OF MELBOURNE

Location

Point Henry, Corio Bay, Port Phillip Bay

VHR Number

S125

Date lost

30/01/1890

Year of construction

1853

Official number

44652

Statement of Significance

The City of Melbourne is historically significant as an American built fast sailing clipper that was owned by the Black Ball Line. It was then used within Port Phillip Bay as a coal hulk and was also acquired for defence use as a block ship.

Physical Description

Construction Material Wood

Rig Hulk

Hull Details Wood, had been "materially strengthened" (GA 21/1/1868)

Propulsion Sail

Engine Builder engine removed 1858 (UID 2)

Number of Masts 0

Length / Breadth / Depth 217.3 Feet / 40.8 Feet / 0.0

History

Builder Austin

Built Date 1853

Built Port / Country Newcastle, Maine (Parsons; ASRO)also Damariscotta, Memphis (Cutler) / United States of America

Registration Number 8 of 1874

Registration Port / Country Melbourne / Australia

Former Details of Registration No. 110 of 1862 Previously owned by Black Ball Line; G.W. Cole; Australasian S.H.Co. in 1850s (UID 2)

Details
Originally built in USA as the Black Warrior, and sold in 1862 to James Baines & Co. Magnificent Black Ball Line ship burnt at Williamstown with valuable wool cargo (possibly spontaneous combustion), 26 January 1868, scuttled, sank in 28 ft water. Raised 4 February 1868, converted to hulk at Melbourne. In 1885 bought from Melbourne Coal Company for 2150 pounds by private negotiation for defence of Port 'against the attacks of hostile cruisers'. Press outcry at waste of money and impropriety in purchase of 6 hulks and lighters (incl. City of Melbourne) to sink in shipping channels in case of war with Russia (or any other power). It had been sold for 450 pounds 13 years earlier. H.R. Reid, who had conducted negotiations on behalf of the Government, was Chairman of Melb. Coal Co. which owned City of Melbourne and some of the other vessels. Register closed 6 September 1889 - 'vessel broken up under contract with the Defence Department. Loney and Nayler report it grounded in 1889, floated later to Point Henry and used as landing stage for Bellarine Tea Gardens and in 1890 settled on seabed, explosives used in 1895 to break it up. A further blasting of a hulk took place in 1907, presumably either the Briton or the City of Melbourne. The Briton replaced the City of Melbourne as the landing stage at Point Henry after the City of Melbourne sank.

Voyage Details

Date Lost 30/01/1890

Voyage from Sank at mooring

Cargo
None Previously wool, leather, tallow (UID 72)

Owner 1862-1868: J. Baines & Co. 1869: 1874: Hugh Donald Reid (43/64) and James Deane (21/64), shipowners of Melbourne 1885: Melbourne Coal Company Victorian Defence Department

Master of Vessel 1853: Murphy

Cause of Loss
Grounded. "..on 27th July, 1889 , she stranded near Port Henry and became a total loss. Her remains were broken up under instructions from the Defence Department." (UID 52) "the hulk sank at its mooroings where it lay for five years before bing dynamited" (Loney, JK, Ships in Corio Bay, Geelong: 1840-1980; Newtown Neptune Press, 1981

Further Details

Number of Passengers 0

Number of Crew Members 0

Physical Description
Construction Material	Wood
Rig	Hulk
Hull Details	Wood, had been "materially strengthened" (GA 21/1/1868)
Propulsion	Sail
Engine Builder	engine removed 1858 (UID 2)
Number of Masts	0
Length / Breadth / Depth	217.3 Feet / 40.8 Feet / 0.0

Builder	Austin
Built Date	1853
Built Port / Country	Newcastle, Maine (Parsons; ASRO)also Damariscotta, Memphis (Cutler) / United States of America
Registration Number	8 of 1874
Registration Port / Country	Melbourne / Australia
Former Details of Registration	No. 110 of 1862 Previously owned by Black Ball Line; G.W. Cole; Australasian S.H.Co. in 1850s (UID 2)
Details	Originally built in USA as the Black Warrior, and sold in 1862 to James Baines & Co. Magnificent Black Ball Line ship burnt at Williamstown with valuable wool cargo (possibly spontaneous combustion), 26 January 1868, scuttled, sank in 28 ft water. Raised 4 February 1868, converted to hulk at Melbourne. In 1885 bought from Melbourne Coal Company for 2150 pounds by private negotiation for defence of Port 'against the attacks of hostile cruisers'. Press outcry at waste of money and impropriety in purchase of 6 hulks and lighters (incl. City of Melbourne) to sink in shipping channels in case of war with Russia (or any other power). It had been sold for 450 pounds 13 years earlier. H.R. Reid, who had conducted negotiations on behalf of the Government, was Chairman of Melb. Coal Co. which owned City of Melbourne and some of the other vessels. Register closed 6 September 1889 - 'vessel broken up under contract with the Defence Department. Loney and Nayler report it grounded in 1889, floated later to Point Henry and used as landing stage for Bellarine Tea Gardens and in 1890 settled on seabed, explosives used in 1895 to break it up. A further blasting of a hulk took place in 1907, presumably either the Briton or the City of Melbourne. The Briton replaced the City of Melbourne as the landing stage at Point Henry after the City of Melbourne sank.


Date Lost	30/01/1890
Voyage	from Sank at mooring
Cargo	None Previously wool, leather, tallow (UID 72)
Owner	1862-1868: J. Baines & Co. 1869: 1874: Hugh Donald Reid (43/64) and James Deane (21/64), shipowners of Melbourne 1885: Melbourne Coal Company Victorian Defence Department
Master of Vessel	1853: Murphy
Cause of Loss	Grounded. "..on 27th July, 1889 , she stranded near Port Henry and became a total loss. Her remains were broken up under instructions from the Defence Department." (UID 52) "the hulk sank at its mooroings where it lay for five years before bing dynamited" (Loney, JK, Ships in Corio Bay, Geelong: 1840-1980; Newtown Neptune Press, 1981

Number of Passengers	0
Number of Crew Members	0

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