Ulidia had arrived in Bunbury on 13 February 1893 after a fast voyage of 87 days from Newport, Monmouthshire, with a fulf cargo of railway iron, rails and fittings. The next day the vessel was grounded at the jetty and although it was refloated the captain lost his ticket for one year. With new Captain Ulidia took 1000 tons of sand ballast in Cockburn sound, departing for Sydney on the morning of 18 May, under close haul, a wind change and heavy swell forced an attempt to anchor close to Stragglers rocks, with 190 metres of chain out the line snapped. Although the vessel initially struck gently, the waves and tide forced the vessel on more heavily. The Dolphin and Rescue were sent out from Fremantle. The Ulidia was declared a total wreck when it was found impossible to tow off. At the inquiry it was suggested that one of the reasons that the vessel did not respond to the helm was that in ballast it drew only 3.7 metres instead of the fully laden 6.6 metres. This left 2.7 metres of rudder out of the water and this in conjunction with the mild breeze stopped it from coming around. However, the captain’s certificate was suspended for six months.