Shipwreck of historic SS Nemesis found after 120 years underwater
Australia’s oldest maritime mystery has finally been solved with the accidental discovery of historic ship SS Nemesis at the bottom of the ocean, 120 years after it vanished during a fierce 1904 storm
READING LEVEL: ORANGE
A 120-year old shipwreck mystery has finally been solved.
A company looking for lost shipping containers has instead found the shipwreck of historic coal ship the SS Nemesis, which went missing off the coast of NSW in 1904.
The ship sank after it was caught in a fierce storm while transporting coal from Newcastle to Melbourne.
Despite search efforts, the 73m long vessel had never been found, leading it to become one of Australia’s longest unsolved maritime mysteries.
Remote sensing company Subsea Professional Marine Services, which had been looking for lost cargo, reported seeing on sonar equipment a shipwreck 160m below the surface on the ocean floor about 26km from the NSW coast.
The wreck was identified as the Nemesis after underwater photos taken by the CSIRO were compared with historical photographs and sketches of the vessel.
The NSW government has now issued a global call-out for the UK, Canadian and Australian relatives of the lost crew.
Environment and Heritage Minister Penny Sharpe said its discovery would now bring closure for the families involved.
“The loss of Nemesis has been described as one of Sydney’s most enduring maritime mysteries and has even been described by shipwreck researchers as the Holy Grail,” she said.
“Thanks to collaborative work with CSIRO and Subsea, using modern technology and historical records, Heritage NSW has been able to write the final chapter of SS Nemesis’ story.
“I hope this discovery brings closure to families and friends connected to the ship who have never known its fate.”
Ed Korber, from Subsea Professional Marine Services, said he was glad the families of the crew would now get answers as to what happened to the ship.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SS NEMESIS?
Built in the UK in 1881, the SS Nemesis operated as a coal trade ship and a Sydney cargo ship but was also used during the 1890s gold rushes.
At the time of the Nemesis’ disappearance, Sydney newspapers reported that the ship, under the control of Captain Lusher, had left Newcastle on July 8, 1904, bound for Melbourne with a hold full of coke and coal, when it ran into a southerly gale.
The vessel was last sighted near Wollongong by the crew of another ship, which had also been caught in the storm.
Distress rockets were later seen off Port Hacking in Sydney’s south before wreckage began washing ashore at Cronulla beach over the following days.
Despite extensive searches, the main body of the ship could never be found.
Underwater photographs taken by the CSIRO have given clues as to why the ship sank that night.
“Catastrophic damage” to the bow and stern suggested the Nemesis had been struck by a large wave that caused the engine to stop working.
Sadly, it is believed the ship sank too quickly for lifeboats to be put to use and all 32 crew members lost their lives.
POLL
GLOSSARY
- closure: a feeling of peace brought about by understanding what happened to a departed loved one
- enduring: long-lasting
- maritime: relating to travel on the sea
- holy grail: something that is eagerly looked for yet hard to find
EXTRA READING
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QUICK QUIZ
1. What year did the SS Nemesis sink?
2. Who was the captain of the ship?
3. Where was the ship headed when it sank?
4. What is thought to have caused it to sink?
5. How far from the NSW coast was it discovered?
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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Lost at sea
What would finding this vessel after 120 years lost mean to the families of the crew members who died?
As it was 120 years ago, a lot of friends and relatives would have died. But their grandchildren and descendants would still appreciate solving the mystery.
What sort of service would you like to plan to commemorate a family member or friend that died on SS Nemesis? Write some ideas below;
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Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, History, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking
2. Extension
Do you think a vessel such as the SS Nemesis might sink today in the same storm or do you think it might have a different outcome? Explain your reasons.
Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, History, Design and Technologies, Critical and Creative Thinking
VCOP ACTIVITY
Creative vocabulary
Find a bland sentence from the article to up-level. Can you add more detail and description? Can you replace any ‘said’ words with more specific synonyms?
Have you outdone yourself and used some really great vocabulary throughout your writing? Firstly, well done. Secondly, let’s ensure everyone can understand it by adding a glossary of terms. Pick three of your wow words and create a glossary for each word to explain what it means.