VICTORIA

Statement of Significance

Physical Description
Construction Material	Wood
Rig	Barque
Propulsion	Sail
Number of Masts	3
Length / Breadth / Depth	116.4 Feet / 26.1 Feet / 12.0 Feet
History
Built Date	1858
Built Port / Country	Greenpoint, New York / United States of America
Registration Number	40 of 1862
Registration Port / Country	Melbourne / Australia
Former Details of Registration	No. 271 of 1862
Details	When the barque Victoria ran onto the bar at Port Albert, it broke up rapidly drowning most of the cargo of livestock. The timber in the hull was later found to be rotten although the vessel was only five years old. After lying wind bound behind the Port Albert bar, the barque Victoria attempted to leave for a voyage to New Zealand with a cargo of livestock. The discoloured state of the water caused by floods, and the absence of channel buoys which had all been washed away, made the channel difficult to navigate. The vessel struck the bar and began to take water. As the tide rose, the waves began to break over the vessel and it was abandoned, breaking up soon after. Mariners at Port Albert were surprised by the rapidity at which the vessel disintegrated. Later, timber samples brought from the wreck were found to be badly decayed, even though the vessel was supposed to be only five years old.
Voyage Details
Date Lost	25/02/1863
Voyage	from Port Albert to New Zealand (several Ports)
Cargo	60 fat cattle, 10 working bullocks and 10 horses.
Owner	Daniel Asaro Osborn
Cause of Loss	Missed the channel whilst out bound and went aground
Further Details
Number of Passengers	0
Number of Crew Members	0