Tyler Redway
YESTERDAY marked the 165th anniversary of the shipwreck of the SS Admella, which still remains one of Australia’s worst maritime disasters in history.
The Admella was a steamship which had departed from Port Adelaide on August 5, 1859 and was heading for Melbourne.
On the way, the ship unexpectedly struck a reef at Cape Banks, off the coast of Carpenters Rocks, in the early hours of August 6, 1859.
The collision split the ship into three parts, and killed a total of 89 people among both passengers and the Admella’s crew.
Surviving members of the wreck were stranded for seven days due to the extreme sea levels preventing rescue crews from reaching them.
Speaking on the importance of preserving the Admella’s memory and how it contributed to modern coastal protection was Mount Gambier History Group member Brian Brooksby, who said it was crucial to pass on the experiences and stories of local maritime history.
“The main thing is to bring history forward because it reinforces what happened in the past and it also reminds us what could happen in the future because we are not fool-proof enough yet,” Mr Brooksby said.
“It’s to help remember and pay respects for the older ones and for the younger ones it’s good to know this sort of thing because it’s not really taught in school that often anymore.
“It’s a good time when there is an anniversary like this to bring it up so it can continue to be reinforced.”
Mr Brooksby said it was important to pay tribute to those who died in the wreck, it also served as a major factor to the addition of more rescue boats, crew members and lighthouses along the region’s coastline.
He said after the wreck, several lifeboat crews were sent to nearby coastal towns to build more resources, while construction began on additional lighthouses.
“Along the South East and Victorian coast has been known to be one of the most treacherous places in Australian waters,” he said.
“Shipwrecks were important because when there was a major one, the crews realised there needed to be lighthouses along with more lifeboats and crews.
“They issued more lifeboats and for additional crew members to be trained after the accident, so they could go along to places like Robe and Beachport to give towns access to these kinds of things.
Mr Brooksby said it was important to educate future generations on disasters like the Admella, so more tragedies could be avoided.
“It’s an important thing to recognise, because it was probably one of the most traumatic shipwrecks at the time,” he said.
“The biggest thing is with all the libraries, they have maritime museums and school teachers should encourage their students to learn.”
