ROBERTINA (1874-1859)

A wooden Brig docked in an unidentified Port
A wooden Brig docked in an unidentified Port

Description:

2 Masted Brig

Owner:

James Spiers, Glasgow & A. Brown Jr, Greenock. Skipper: Captain Davis

Construction:

Carvel – built Wood

Sunk:

2 November 1859

Size:

213 tons length 26.3m beam 6.2m depth 4.6m

Underwater:

The wreckage lies at a depth of 7 to 8m and is spread over an area of 25 by 8m, on a sand bottom with reef surrounding it. The iron structure is well concreted and there is no loose surface material to be seen. The bow of the vessel lies along a mound in the centre of the site indicating the keelson. Previous surveys of the site have recorded bolts, pump sections, sheathing timbers and iron knees. Other remains include a single, 2m long, iron- stocked Admiralty pattern anchor, a windlass barrel, sheathing and lead piping. The location of the iron knees possibly indicate a poop-deck. Pump sections and a deck winch barrel can also be observed in the stern end of the wreck site. (Kenderdine, 1994d:6).

Built:

1843 by Thomson & Spiers, Greenock, England

Location:

The wreck site is located on Murray Reef approx. 1k from the Sisters Reef and 200m north-east of the Highland Forest wreck site.

Sinking:

The Brig Robertina, Davis, master, sailed from Fremantle, on Wednesday morning last, bound for Adelaide, with 6 passengers and a cargo composed of timber, flour, etc., and early on the same evening, about half-past 7 o’clock, she struck upon the Murray Reef, and immediately went down, head foremost, leaving about 3 feet of her stern above water. The crew and passengers escaping in her boats. Captain Davis reached Fremantle yesterday evening and reports that it is probable a portion of the cargo may be recovered. We understand that all on board had barely sufficient time to reach the boats before she went down.

Longitude:

115.6797

Latitude:

-32.3931

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