HMAS Canberra was scuttled to form a dive wreck and artificial reef off Barwon Heads, Victoria on 4 October 2009.Now a local diving site, the HMAS Canberra is of local and national significanceEscape hatch wheel from HMAS Canberra used to open/close hatches below deckshatch wheel, hmas canberra, artificial reef

Workboat was used by Queenscliff Ports and Harbours in the 1970sWooden carvel planked open workboat used by Queenscliff Ports and Harbours workboat, queenscliff harbour

The Loch Ard ran aground crashing into Mutton Bird Island in 1878. The only two survivors Tom Pearce and Eva Carmichael managed to drag themselves to the safety of the beach inside Loch Ard Gorge. For a moment, these two tragic teenagers were the talk of the English-speaking world, which very much hoped they would marry (they did not).Relics from a very well know wreck near the Twelve Apostles in VictoriaForty miniature toy train wheels some with encrustations.loch ard, toys, salvage

From the wreck of the Loch ArdHousehold items recovered from a shipwreck.Two earthenware containers, one with encrustation and concretion wrecks, salvage, ships relics, earthenware

Twin Cylinder water cooled 2 stroke outboard motorModel 550, Serial No. 33540800outboard motor

tankards from the wreck of the Loch ArdThe Loch Ard is historically significant as one of Victoria and Australia's worst shipwreck tragedies. It is archaeologically significant for its remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. It is highly educationally and recreationally significant as one of Victoria's most spectacular diving sites, and popular tourist sites in Port Campbell National Park.Pewter tankard with glass basetankard, loch ard, shipwrecks

The Loch Ard is historically significant as one of Victoria and Australia's worst shipwreck tragedies. It is archaeologically significant for its remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. It is highly educationally and recreationally significant as one of Victoria's most spectacular diving sites, and popular tourist sites in Port Campbell National Park.Pewter tankard with glass basetankard, loch ard, shipwrecks

The Loch Ard is historically significant as one of Victoria and Australia's worst shipwreck tragedies. It is archaeologically significant for its remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. It is highly educationally and recreationally significant as one of Victoria's most spectacular diving sites, and popular tourist sites in Port Campbell National Park.Round stem base glass saddle glass light saddle, shipwrecks, loch ard

The barque 'Eliza Ramsden', 395 tons, struck Corsair Rock on July 24, 1875 Ref: Victims of the Corsair Rock Page 6]. The telescope was found on board the ship by William Shapter Senior while attempting to tow for salvage.One of the many wrecks in the locality of the Rip and QueenscliffeA brass telescope from the 'Eliza Ramsden'Alexander Dobbie, 24 Clyde Place, Glasgowtelescope, eliza ramsden, corsair rock, salvage, william shapter

QUEENSCLIFFE was built in 1926 to a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) design called the Watson Class. The double-diagonal planked vessel was built by A McFarlane and Sons in Port Adelaide SA, commissioned on the 6th of March 1926, and then officially named and launched on the 9th of April 1926. The original Wayburn petrol engine was replaced with a Gardner diesel. This gave QUEENSCLIFFE a top speed of 7.5 knots with a range of 350 miles. The equipment carried aboard included a VHF Radio Telephone, HF radio transceiver, visual signals, life rafts, hand rocket gun, flare gun, generator, search light and first aid supplies. In the tradition of many shore based lifeboats, QUEENSCLIFFE had its own shed and slipway and was always ready for launching when required to go to sea in response to an emergency call. Its area of operation included 'the Rip' at Port Phillip Heads and the Bass Strait seas immediately offshore. She was taken out of service in 1976 by the Marine Board of Victoria and subsequently offered to the Borough of Queenscliffe for care and display. The Lifeboat is listed on the Australian Register of Historic Vessels (ARHV). During her 50 years of service the Queenscliffe attended many calls for assistance both inside and outside the Heads. Some of the vessels and calls for help the lifeboat attended were: 1960 - Army Commandos lost in the Rip 1967 - The search for the late Prime Minister Harold Holt 1974 - The last attendance to a vessel was to the Brisbane Trader which was on fire The shed which housed the lifeboat is located on the Queenscliff 'New' or 'Steamer' Pier (built in 1884). This shed includes the internal section of the slipway used to launch and retrieve the lifeboat. The external slipway and some other structures associated with the lifeboat shed have been removed. Originally fitted with two masts, the stern mast being removed in the 1960's. A retractable centre plate was used when under sail. Delivered with an 80 hp Wayburn petrol motor which was later replaced by a 72 hp Gardiner diesel. Top speed of 7.5 knots and a range of 350 miles.QUEENSCLIFFE is a wooden lifeboat built in 1926 in South Australia. It has a long association with the Victorian port of Queenscliff. It was manned voluntarily by their local fishermen and is therefore closely attached to families of the Queenscliff community. It is a rare surviving example of the coastal shore-based lifeboats that were based around the Australian coastline.The lifeboat 'Queenscliffe' a Watson Class LifeboatQueenscliffelifeboat, rescue, watson class boat

Part of a collection recovered while diving over a period of many years. Recovered from Loch Ard siteShips relics from most famous wreckCarbon crucibles [4 sizes] used for melting lead on shipsOn the side and base: Morgans Patent On base: Morgan's patent. The patent Plumbago Crucible Company Batterswa Londonloch ard, salvage, crucible

An aneroid barometer is an instrument used for measuring pressure without the use of a liquid. Invented in 1844 by French scientist Lucien Vidi, the aneroid barometer uses a small, flexible metal box called an aneroid cell (capsule), which is made from an alloy of beryllium and copper and responds to changes in air pressure.An example of a widely used type of barometer.A brass aneroid barometer with a white face.Manufactured by C. Wermer and Co, Melbournebarometer, aneroid barometer, c. wermer

Just off Port Phillip Heads on April 12 1936, a strong wave struck the Nairana, tipping her over for two minutes before she righted herself again. During the horrifying two minutes, four people were drowned, and eight people were injured. The ship was reportedly carrying roughly one tonne of concrete in the hull when she tipped. Reports from the local papers said that it was a tidal wave meanwhile others were saying it was either an earthquake or a total lie. A later paper said that the ship had been caught in a rip at the mouth of the bay, causing the tragedy. The S.S Nairana, was sold for £4,000 (over $170,200 in today’s money!) in 1951 after two years of being stranded on the beach at Port Melbourne, when the moorings broke one night during a storm and drifted ashore, causing her to wreck.After WWI in 1920 she was decommisioned as a seaplane carrier and returned to her Australian owners crossing Bass Strait until she was laid up in 1948.Pair of oars from the Nairanaoars, ss nairana

The Empress of the Sea is historically and archaeologically significant as it was one of Donald Mackay's famous wooden clipper ships ie: representative of a particular design or type. It was also associated with both the Black Ball and White Star Lines of Australian Packets, which carried thousands of immigrants from Britain to Australia.Photograph of an original water colour painting of the burning of the sailing ship 'Empress of the Sea' by Charles Dickson GregoryFront: Burning of the Empress of the Sea, C. Dickson Gregory. Back: nilempress of the sea, watercolours

A ship in fog collided with the lighthouse, it tilted 20 degrees & was eventually burnedHerald newspaper article 23June1976 re Gellibrand Lighthouse collision & burninglighthouse