MARIE

Location Cape Bridgewater VHR Number S447 Date lost 09/1851

Statement of Significance

Physical Description
Construction Material	Wood
Rig	Barque
Hull Details	According to Mackenzie parts of the hull washed up were pitch pine planks fastened with pine treenails. Newspapers reported the remains washed up were copper sheathed and fastened, part iron bolt, iron knees. Oak and white pine with white pine treenails.
Propulsion	Sail
Number of Masts	3
Length / Breadth / Depth	0.0 Feet / 0.0 Feet / 0.0 Feet
History
Details	Wreckage came ashore between Cape Otway and Apollo Bay. The German barque carried 25 passengers and crew, including the Belgian Consul and his staff. Almost a month had passed before reports circulated through the district and back to the main ports that a vessel had been lost on a wild section of coastline about 12 miles west of Portland. A party from the Mount Gambier district searched hte coastline and recovered a large quantity of cargo and wreckage which lay scattered over more than 30 miles. Six badly mutilated bodies were subsequently washed ashore, followed by three more a few days later, while large sections of the vessel washed up weeks later at Cape Otway and Apollo Bay. Settlers near the scene of the wreck stated that they had seen a barque beat out of Bridgewater Bay during the heavy gale in September and that night gunfire was heard out to sea. In all 36 bodies were washed ashore and buried. Weather: S force 10. Extensive wreckage came ashore at Bridgewater Bay in late September 1851, including beams, planking, side of a ship's hull, masts and spars, clothes, personal effects, a small ship's boat, an ornate cassock (priests), harp and flag. An investigation and search revealed some wreckage from a sailing vessel at Cape Bridgewater. Further searches found six badly mutlilated bodies ashore at Whites Beach and another 3 further along Discovery Bay. A subsequent investigation found that the barque MARIE had sailed from Port Adelaide early in September and had not been heard of since. Among the material found ashore was a Hamburg flag. Stockmen mustering cattle along Discovery Bay saw a ship close in, battling with a wild south-westerly gale possibly a barque close into shore on the evening of 18 September. The weather at this time was extreme with gale force winds from the S.W. In 1930, local residents at Cape Bridgewater erected a cairn at Whites Beach.
Voyage Details
Date Lost	09/1851
Voyage	from Antwerp to Adelaide and Sydney
Cargo	Original cargo as well as 304 bags of Adelaide flour.
Owner	Belgium or German
Master of Vessel	Captain Rathje
Weather conditions	wild south-westerly gales
Cause of Loss	Locals thought the vessel struck near the Blow Holes
Further Details
Number of Passengers	11
Comments on Passenger	11 passengers including the Belgian Consul and staff
Number of Crew Members	14