BELINDA 1819–1824
Brig Ebenezer, 1865, AD Edwards Collection, State Library of South Australia, PRG-1373-28-6
Description
Brig, one deck, iron knees
Construction
Wood
Size
Length and beam not known Draft: 3.96 m fully loaded Tonnage: 159
Built
Yarmouth, England
Owner
J Lee
Sunk
June 1824
Location
Goose Island Bay, Middle Island, Recherche Archipelago. The wreck lies at the eastern end of the sandy beach on the north side of Middle Island, some 30 m from the shore in 3–4 m of water on a sand bottom.
Latitude/Longitude
(-34.09009, 123.21031)
Sinking
The circumstances of the loss of the Belinda are not known. The Belinda arrived in Hobart on 12 November 1823 after a voyage from England during which the vessel sustained considerable damage and three crew members were drowned. After repairs, the Belinda sailed to Sydney to sell the rest of her cargo. On 17 May 1824 the Belinda left for the south coast of Western Australia to hunt seals. It was simply reported that the Belinda had standed on Middle Island. The crew attempted to sail back to Sydney in two of the ship’s boats but the attempt had to be abandoned after 200 miles. They were finally picked up by the Nereus and returned to Sydney.
Underwater
In 1989, a 12 m by 6 m section of part of one side of the hull was visible lying in 3 m of water, with the lower section coppered and the upper hull covered with sacrificial pine boards. The position of the timbers shows that the wreck had come to rest with the keel shoreward and the deck facing the sea. The hull timbers and the artefacts inside the Belinda’s hull are in relatively good condition, but were considered to have been covered by sand during an inspection in 2001 by the WA Museum.
Gallery