SS Wauchope (1877 - 1900)

Like the few other ships that sailed that route, the SS Wauchope was the lifeline between the mainland and the rugged Bass Strait Island.

The ship served as a passenger ship and delivered mail, food, machinery and other necessities to the small settlement.

In the early 1900s, shipping to King Island was limited because the harbours were small, shallow and narrow and approaches to the small jetties were tricky.

The seas of Bass Strait had a reputation for being unpredictable and discouraged all but the most determined seafarers.The ship was wrecked by fire as it was anchored off Portsea.

At the time, the Seaman's Union was striking for better conditions and wages. The ship was one of the few ships able to round up a loyalist crew (non-unionists) to work the vessel.

The Seaman's Union had in fact made a very substantial contribution to the war effort and had been the only union not to make a wages claim during that time.

The strike dragged on for several months before it was resolved and claims by the Union were met.

Ships Construction

It was a two masted wooden screw steamer with one 22 inch stroke engine and a combined horsepower capable of ten and a half knots.

The SS Wauchope had a gross tonnage of 296 tons and measured 127ft (38.7m) in length, 25ft (7.6m) in width and 9.2ft (2.8m) in the hold.

The Final Voyage of the SS Wauchope

The ship was carrying a cargo of 250 tons including flour, sugar, maize, machinery, one car, drapery, benzine, oil and 28 cylinders of acetylene gas for the lighthouses on King Island.

Five crew and 19 passengers were also on board. At 7pm that night, as many of the passengers were getting ready for bed, the crew and Captain were frantically trying to extinguish a fire in the forward hold of the ship.

The passengers were alerted and ordered to dress and pack their belongings. Meanwhile, the Captain and crew used the ships water pumps to try and stop the fire spreading. However their task was made difficult because the benzine stored in the hold was fuelling the fire.

The Captain ordered the crew to lower the two lifeboats for the passengers. As the fire was gaining the upper hand, the Captain signalled two nearby steamers for help.

The Hall Cain was first on the scene and towered the passengers and their luggage to safety.

A tug, the Plover which supplied the Quarantine Station with water came alongside the ship and sprayed water on the flames and into the hold. Still the fire continued to rage.

At 11.00pm the situation looked hopeless and the Captain and crew abandoned ship. Of concern to the Captain were the gas cylinders which were still stowed on board the ship.

In the early hours of the morning the fire became more intense this caused the gas cylinders to explode. After each explosion a great ball of flame rose above the ship.

The noise rattled windows at the Quarantine Station and could be heard in Queenscliff and Sorrento.The next morning, the burned-out remains of the ship had drifted toward Sorrento Pier.

It was burned to the water line and there was nothing on board to be salvaged. The wreck was eventually sold by auction for 130 pounds.

The Court of Marine inquiry held an investigation into the wreck, but the cause of the fire remained a mystery.

Some suspected that the fire was deliberately lit as a protest against the non-union crew. However this was never proven.

Check this wreck on the Shipwreck Map

Check out these Hot Items: