SS Koombana

The "SS Koombana" was a coastal passenger and cargo steamship which sank at an unknown location north of Port Hedland, Western Australia during a cyclone on 20 March 1912 with the loss of approximately 138 lives, including 20 crew. Other than some floating wreckage, no trace was ever found of the ship, which was presumed sunk along with several other vessels during the same storm. A further 11 people died in other ships and near the cyclone.

As accurate passenger lists were not kept at the time, the exact number of deaths is not known; however, all on board are presumed to have perished. The loss was Australia's worst weather-related maritime disaster in the twentieth century.

The ship was of steel construction, built in Glasgow, Scotland by shipbuilders Alex. Stephens & Sons three years earlier in 1909. Her dimensions were 103.6 m (340.1 ft) x 14.7 m (48.2 ft) x 6.3 m (20.8 ft) and weighed 3668 tonnes (4043 tons). She was owned and operated by the Adelaide Steamship Company and her master was Captain Thomas M. Allen.

Cyclone

The "Koombana" left Port Hedland for Broome on the morning of Wednesday, 20 March 1912 with a fresh north easterly blowing, following the "SS Bullarra" which also engaged in the north-west passenger and cargo trade. Before departing, the captain had reported a falling barometer and suggested that the voyage may take longer than normal. The two ships altered course several hours after departing as a heavy north easterly gale set in and they became separated. The storm increased and the "Bullarra" suffered damage but was able to limp into Cossack. She later returned to Port Hedland minus her smokestack reporting that the eye of the cyclone had passed directly over. The "Koombana" was not seen again.

A steel sailing ship, the "Crown of England", was wrecked on Depuch Island with another vessel, the "Concordia" beached nearby. Several lighter vessels and pearling luggers were also sunk or wrecked.

The cyclone crossed the coast two days later on 22 March just west of Balla Balla, a minor port for the Whim Creek copper mines. Damage was reported for more than 200 kilometres along the coast.

After the ship became overdue in Broome several days later, public concern was raised and a search organised. On 3 April one of the search ships steamed through a quantity of wreckage about convert|25|nmi|km north of Bedout Island and 100 km offshore. Among the items seen were a lifeboat and a stateroom door.

Possible discoveries

In 1973 the remains of what appeared to be a large vessel were located in deep water about convert|20|nmi|km off Eighty Mile Beach, about half way between Port Hedland and Broome. In 1985, crew members on an RAAF P-3 Orion testing magnetic detection equipment reported a significant magnetic anomaly on the seabed 75 km off Bedout Island.

To date no specific search attempts have been undertaken.

The death pearl

On board the "Koombana" was a Broome resident and pearl dealer, Abraham de Vahl Davies, who had just purchased a famous black pearl called the "Roseate Pearle" for £20,000. Legend had seven of the previous owners die after acquiring the jewel. [Beatty, Bill., "A Treasury of Australian Folk Tales and Traditions", Sydney, 1960.] [ [http://www.abc.net.au/kimberley/stories/s552132.htm ABC Interview with grandson of pearls owner] ]

ee also

*Waratah (ship)

Notes

References

*http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/collections/maritime/march/shipwrecks/Wreckfinder/Koombana.htm
*http://www.bom.gov.au/lam/climate/levelthree/c20thc/cyclone1.htm
*http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/wa/cyclone/about/pthed/index.shtml
*cite web|url=http://audit.deh.gov.au/nsd/public/search_results_state.cfm?v_row=681|title=National Shipwreck Database|work=Department of the Environment and Heritage|accessdate=2006-12-10

Further reading

*cite book|title=Forty Fathoms Deep|author=Idriess, Ion L.|year=1937|publisher=Angus & Robertson, Sydney

*cite book|title=The White Divers of Broome|author=Bailey, John|year=1944|publisher=Pan Macmillan, Australia