CARBET CASTLE 1875–1897

Carbet Castle (right) and the Duchess of Argyle, c. 1890s, State Library of South Australia, PRG-1373-13-25

Description:

Barque; two decks, one bulkhead, a poop 15.9 m long and a forecastle with a length of 9.1 m

Owner:

John Moralee Jnr, South Shields, UK

Construction:

Iron

Sunk:

14 May 1897

Size:

Length: 75.8 m Beam: 11.60 m Draft: 7.00 m Tonnage: 1,531 net, 1,657 gross

Underwater:

The wreck of the Carbet Castle was gradually encroached upon by sands. It now lies under approx. 5 metres of sand about 500m from the shoreline. The Carbet Castle’s bell hangs at the Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School. The ship’s clock is in the WA Museum.

Built:

Mounsey & Foster, Sunderland, UK

Location:

Koombana Bay, Bunbury

Sinking:

The Carbet Castle left Wales on 14 January 1897 with a mixed cargo; the major item was material for the Collie to Bridgetown railway. It arrived in Bunbury on 2 April and was moored at the government mooring in 5 fathoms. Half the cargo had been discharged when the Carbet Castle went ashore in a gale on 14 May. The captain let go one anchor and paid out 27.5 m of cable. It seemed that the Carbet Castle had weathered the gale but suddenly the wind changed and the barque parted from the mooring. It was caught broadside on to huge seas. It struck the bottom stern first and became a total wreck. The remaining cargo was salvaged, as were the ship’s stores and fittings.

Longitude:

115.664136

Latitude:

-33.313053