SACRAMENTO

Location

Reclaimed land, Newport

VHR Number

S602

Date lost

1885

Statement of Significance

Potentially historically significant as example of convict hulk. Archaeological significance could be limited due to ships being broken up. A the time of the first gold rushes, many vessels were abandoned by their crews on Port Phillip Bay. Lawlessness was rife, and existing penal institutions were unable to cope with the number of criminals being gaoled. The Deborah and Sacramento wee therefore purchased by the Government in 1853 for hulking as prison ships and were moored off Williamstown with three other prison hulks Lysander, President and Success.

Physical Description

Rig Hulk

Length / Breadth / Depth 0.0 Feet / 0.0 Feet / 0.0 Feet

History

Details
Former barque, purchased from Messrs Degraves by colonial government foruse as an immigration hulk or depot. Then used as a penal hulk from 1852, one of five such hulks (Lysander, President, Deborah and Success were the others) employed during gold rushes to hold 1374 men custody. The last hulk in service when in 1878 the 18 convicts were transferred to new Gellibrand's Point gaol. Laid alongside another hulk in Greenwich Bay in 1878. Broken up and partially burned and buried under silt when Greenwich Bay was reclaimed. Hulks usually moored off Gellibrand Point although, according to some secondary sources, moved to other locations when prisoners were required for public works, such as roadmaking and cutting stone for pier construction. Mainly used as store-ship for convict hulk fleet, although it housed a few prisoners. Sacramento and Deborah became stores ships at Naval Depot, Fishermen's Bend. Recent extensive research by Wayne Manallack casts doubt on the identity of one of the convict hulks, and possibly even whether the buried hulks marked on a chart are indeed convict hulks.[However, if two convict hulks are buried under the reclaimed land, it seems likely they are the Sacramento and Deborah - not Sacramento and President, as claimed by Wilson Evans]. The existence of the hulks is dubious, although not impossible. The Illustrated Australian News stated, "The last relics of the Deborah and Sacramento, long used as timber hulks, but now broken up, exist no longer, except as transmitted by the artist..." 28 April 1888, p. 82. Mooring anchors found in 1990 during bucket dredging operations were speculated to be mooring anchors for the prison hulks but were in fact proven to be related to the floating dock Habitant. (Wreckings Sept. 2001 No. 223)

Voyage Details

Date Lost 1885

Cause of Loss
Abandoned and later broken up

Further Details

Number of Passengers 0

Number of Crew Members 0

Physical Description
Rig	Hulk
Length / Breadth / Depth	0.0 Feet / 0.0 Feet / 0.0 Feet

Details	Former barque, purchased from Messrs Degraves by colonial government foruse as an immigration hulk or depot. Then used as a penal hulk from 1852, one of five such hulks (Lysander, President, Deborah and Success were the others) employed during gold rushes to hold 1374 men custody. The last hulk in service when in 1878 the 18 convicts were transferred to new Gellibrand's Point gaol. Laid alongside another hulk in Greenwich Bay in 1878. Broken up and partially burned and buried under silt when Greenwich Bay was reclaimed. Hulks usually moored off Gellibrand Point although, according to some secondary sources, moved to other locations when prisoners were required for public works, such as roadmaking and cutting stone for pier construction. Mainly used as store-ship for convict hulk fleet, although it housed a few prisoners. Sacramento and Deborah became stores ships at Naval Depot, Fishermen's Bend. Recent extensive research by Wayne Manallack casts doubt on the identity of one of the convict hulks, and possibly even whether the buried hulks marked on a chart are indeed convict hulks.[However, if two convict hulks are buried under the reclaimed land, it seems likely they are the Sacramento and Deborah - not Sacramento and President, as claimed by Wilson Evans]. The existence of the hulks is dubious, although not impossible. The Illustrated Australian News stated, "The last relics of the Deborah and Sacramento, long used as timber hulks, but now broken up, exist no longer, except as transmitted by the artist..." 28 April 1888, p. 82. Mooring anchors found in 1990 during bucket dredging operations were speculated to be mooring anchors for the prison hulks but were in fact proven to be related to the floating dock Habitant. (Wreckings Sept. 2001 No. 223)


Date Lost	1885
Cause of Loss	Abandoned and later broken up

Number of Passengers	0
Number of Crew Members	0

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