Rottnest Island shipwrecks

The following list of shipwrecks off Rottnest Island (coord|32|0|S|115|31|E|type:isle) shows twelve larger and surveyed wrecks close to the island, which is off the Western Australia coast. The wrecks are listed in chronological order.

Since the first Europeans visited the west coast of Australia in the 16th century, Rottnest has seen numerous recorded shipwrecks. The 11 kilometre long and 4.5 kilometre wide island is surrounded by hidden and partly exposed reefs whilst being buffeted by the Roaring Forties. It is situated 12 km west of the port of Fremantle meaning that much of the maritime traffic to Western Australia's major port passes close by.

Details on "every" shipwreck at the island are unknown as many thousands of vessels of varying size visit the island each year. Other ships have been lost in waters further off-shore including some closer to Fremantle. Still others were stranded on rocks at Rottnest but were re-floated. The "Anitra II" is in this latter category but is included in the list as the hull was on display on the island near the main settlement.

All of the wrecks are protected under Commonwealth legislation in the Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976) and State legislation in the Maritime Archaeology Act (1973). Plaques have been located next to the wrecks as well as onshore to indicate their locations.

Lighthouses

The first stone lighthouse built in Western Australia was completed in 1849 and built in the centre of the island. [cite web|url=http://www.lighthouse.net.au/liGhTS/WA/Rottnest%20Main/Rottnest%20Main.htm|title=The Wadjemup Lighthouse on Rottnest Island|work=Lighthouses of Western Australia|accessdate=2007-02-12] The 20 m tower was replaced in 1896 with a new tower as the current Wadjemup Lighthouse.

Following an inquiry after the "City of York" disaster in 1899, a second lighthouse was built at Bathurst Point on the north eastern end of the island. [cite web|url=http://www.lighthouse.net.au/liGhTS/WA/Bathurst/Bathurst.htm|title=The Bathurst Lighthouse on Rottnest Island|work=Lighthouses of Western Australia|accessdate=2007-02-12]

Map

List

ee also

* Shipwrecks of Western Australia

Notes

References

* cite book
title=Unfinished Voyages - Shipwrecks of Western Australia 1622-1850 (Volume 1)
author=Henderson, Graeme
year=1988
publisher=UWA Press, Nedlands
id=ISBN 0 85564 176 2

*cite book
title=Unfinished Voyages - Shipwrecks of Western Australia 1851 - 1880 (Volume 2)
author=Henderson, Graeme
year=1988
publisher=UWA Press, Nedlands
id=ISBN 0 85564 283 3

*cite book
title=Unfinished Voyages - Shipwrecks of Western Australia 1881-1900 (Volume 3)
author=Henderson, Graeme
year=1988
publisher=UWA Press, Nedlands
id=ISBN 0 875560 24 6

*cite book
title=Wrecks on the Western Australian Coast
author=Loney, Jack
year=1994
publisher=Lonestone Press

*cite web
url=http://oceans1.customer.netspace.net.au/rottnest-main.html
title=Rottnest Island Shipwrecks
work=Encyclopaedia of Australian Shipwrecks (online)|accessdate=2007-02-10

*cite web
url=http://audit.deh.gov.au/nsd/public/Search.cfm
title=National Shipwreck database|work=Department of Environment and Water Resources
accessdate=2007-03-06

External links

* [http://www.rottnestisland.com/en/History+and+Culture/Maritime+History.htm Rottnest Island Authority]
* [http://www.rottnestisland.com/NR/rdonlyres/350AA64F-AC60-494A-8C32-6D4DAAA74CBF/0/island_map.pdf Map]
* [http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/collections/maritime/march/shipwrecks/Wreckfinder/menu1.html Wreckfinder database of Western Australian Museum]