SS Cawarra facts for kids
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Plaque on Stocktonbreakwall commemorating the Cawarra
Location of Cawarra on Stocktonbreakwall in relation to other wrecks
The SS Cawarra was a paddle-steamer that sank on July 12, 1866. This sad event happened in Newcastle harbour, Australia. Sixty people lost their lives that day. It was one of the worst ship disasters in Australia's history.
The Cawarra was owned by the Australasian Steam Navigation Company. It was a passenger ship heading to Brisbane.
Contents
- The Great Storm of 1866
- The Sinking of the Cawarra
- A Lone Survivor
- The Cawarra's Resting Place
- See also
The Great Storm of 1866
The Cawarra got caught in a terrible storm. This storm hit the east coast of Australia. It was a huge storm that caused a lot of damage.
- The storm sank 14 other ships.
- A total of 77 people died because of the storm.
- The affected area stretched from Port Stephens to Sydney.
The Sinking of the Cawarra
The Cawarra tried to find safety in Newcastle harbour. As it entered, huge waves crashed over the ship. The ship was quickly overwhelmed. It sank bow first, meaning the front of the ship went down first.
Thousands of people had gathered along the harbour shoreline. They watched in horror as the ship went down. It was a very sad sight for everyone.
A Lone Survivor
Most of the people on board died. Only one passenger survived the sinking. Hours later, the lighthouse-keeper spotted him. The keeper and his helper, James Johnson, launched a boat. They brought the man safely to shore.
The survivor was an ordinary seaman named Frederick V. Hedges. He managed to grab a wooden plank as the ship sank. The waves eventually washed him against a harbour buoy. He was barely alive when rescued.
The Cawarra's Resting Place
Today, the wreckage of the Cawarra lies underwater. It is buried beneath three other ships that also sank in the harbour later.
These shipwrecks, including the Cawarra, were used to build the Stockton breakwall. A breakwall is a barrier built to protect a harbour from waves. There are special plaques on the breakwall. These plaques remember each of the lost ships, including the Cawarra.
See also
- Dunbar (ship)
- List of disasters in Australia by death toll
| History | |
|---|---|
 New South Wales |
|
| Owner | Australasian Steam Navigation Company |
| Operator | Australasian Steam Navigation Company |
| Builder | A. & J. Inglis Pointhouse Glasgow, Scotland |
| Yard number | 14 |
| Launched | 2 June 1864 |
| Out of service | 12 July 1866 |
| Homeport | Sydney |
| Fate | Foundered in Newcastle harbour on 12 July 1866 with the loss of 60 lives |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 439 |
| Length | 64.28 m (211 ft) |
| Beam | 7.665 m (25 ft) |
| Draft | 3.688 m (12 ft) |
| Propulsion | Steam |
| Complement | 36 crew, 25 passengers |
