ALBATROSS 1867-1868
Description
Sailing Lighter, cutter rigged
Construction
Timber from African wreck
Size
Unknown
Built
1867 by William Garrard at Geraldton
Owner
William Garrard Master: William Garrard
Sunk
1868/06/15
Location
Opposite the mouth of the Irwin River
Latitude/Longitude
(-29.258317, 114.903235)
Sinking
En route from Irwin River to Geraldton with cargo of Equipment crew 7 deaths 8
Underwater
About a mile off shore and almost opposite the mouth of the Irwin River, the Albatross was swamped by a large wave. The mast carried away, and everything on deck including the passengers and crew washed overboard. The vessel was then rolled over and over in the surf and fetched up on the sand-bar at the mouth of the Irwin River. Of the eleven people aboard only three survived. These were Alexander Pead, one of the crew, and two whaling crew, Edward Lewington, and Burdee, an Aborigine. Those drowned were the vessel’s builder and master, William Garrard, six whalers and the woman, Margaret Allender.