Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Letter - Loch Ard Centenary Letter, Koroit Council, March 1978
... Loch Ard Commemorative Committee... shipwreck Commemorative Committee Loch Ard centenary Koroit Council ...
The Loch Ard was an iron hulled clipper, built in Scotland in 1873 and wrecked on the southwest coast of Victoria in 1878 at what is now known as Loch Ard Gorge, near Port Campbell. Fifty two crew and passengers died and only Tom Pierce and Eva Carmichael survived.
The Loch Ard was the last sailing ship to lose emigrants' lives when negotiating the entrance to Bass Strait.
One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton porcelain peacock - one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today, the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artefact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register.
The Victorian History Advisory Council decided 1978 was an appropriate year to mark, not only the centenary of the sinking of the Loch Ard in 1878, but also commemorate the large part played by sailing ships in immigration, and through this, the development of Australia.
The Victorian Government authorised the commemoration and a "Loch Ard Centenary Committee" was formed. It was established to create public interest and awareness for the 100th anniversary of the tragic Loch Ard shipwreck.
Activities and events included student essays, exhibitions, videos, publications, competitions and historical information. A booklet called "Settlers Under Sail" by Don Charlwood was commissioned to be made available to all school children. The anchor of the Loch Ard was raised from the wreck and displayed at Port Campbell, a memorial plaque (erected by The National Park) was unveiled at Loch Ard Gorge, a special "Loch Ard Shipwreck Centennial Port Campbell" postmark was issued by the Post Office and a model ship competition was held.
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village, together with other local towns and shires along the south-west coast participated in many of these commemorative activities.
This letter is a significant reminder (and recognition) of the importance the Loch Ard (and other immigrant ships) played in the settling of Victoria and the dangers faced by the settlers who came to Australia in these ships.
Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from LOCH ARD is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR S417). The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the LOCH ARD.
The LOCH ARD collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The LOCH ARD collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the LOCH ARD, which was one of the worst and best-known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history.Single page letter typed in blue ink, on behalf of Koroit Council, written on 14th March 1978 and addressed to the Chairman, Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village Advisory Board, in recognition of the "Loch Ard Centenary Commemoration 1878 - 1978". It has the "Borough of Koroit" stamp at the top of the page and a red "Borough of Koroit" seal on the bottom right-hand corner of the page. It is signed by the Mayor (Allan R. Waterson), a councillor (J. W. Smith) and the Town Clerk (Jim Macdonald).
The letter is in a plain buff manilla folder labelled in blue type.Top left corner - "Address correspondence to:/TOWN CLERK / P.O. BOX 5/KOROIT, 3282"
Top Centre - blue circular ink stamp of "BOROUGH OF KOROIT 1870" with coat of arms in the center
Top right - "TOWN HALL,KOROIT/ PHONE KOROIT (055) 658230/After Hours (055) 658490"
The letter is addressed to - "CR. J. S. Lindsay, /Chairman,/ Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village Advisory Board,/ WARRNAMBOOL. 3280"
"LOCH ARD CENTENARY COMMEMORATION 1878 - 1978" (underlined)
The letter begins - "It is with much pleasure that the Council of the Borough of Koroit, join with neighbouring municipalities, civic leaders and other organisations on this day, in commemorating the "Loch Ard" Shipwreck centenary.
The "Loch Ard" operated as a cargo and passenger vessel for immigrants, for a period of five years, from 1873 to 1878. Its last voyage was from England to Melbourne, and the ship was sunk on the 1st June 1878, with only two survivors from passengers and crew of fifty-four.
The celebrations being conducted throughout our district this day will help us all to remember and appreciate the determination and spirit shown by these people, for they had the faith to realise that their endeavours would be successful, even against great odds in comparison to present day standards and techniques, and their imprint on our history is record of this fact.
This commemoration acknowledges the important role undertaken by sailing ships such as the "Loch Ard" and the vital role this ship played in the early settlement of the State of Victoria."
The letter ends with -" the Common Seal of the Mayor, Councillors and Burgesses of the Borough of Koroit was hereunto affixed this 18th day of March, 1978."
The letter is signed "Allan J. Waterson Mayor/J. W. Smith Councillor/ Jim Macdonald Town Clerk
and a large red seal of the Borough of Koroit (with their coat of arms) is in the bottom right-hand corner.
Front of manilla folder - "BOROUGH OF KOROIT / LOCH ARD CENTENARY COMMEMORATION/ 1878 - 1978"
"4050" written in black ink top right-hand corner next to a scribbled out numberflagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, loch ard, port cambell, shipwreck, commemorative committee, loch ard centenary, koroit council, commemorative letter, loch ard commemorative committee
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village