Historical information

This portion of terracotta roof tile was salvaged from the wreck of the Antares by Flagstaff Hill diver, Peter Ronald. It has letters, numbers and symbols impressed into the clay by the manufacturer.

The Italian barque Antares was an iron three-masted sailing clipper built in 1888 by Russell & Co of Port Glasgow originally named the “Sutlej” and renamed in 1907 the “Antares” when sold to the Semider Bros of Genoa Italy. The vessel left Marseilles on the 18th of December 1913 with its master captain Gazedo destined for Mullaly & Byrne of Melbourne with a cargo of roof tiles but failed to arrive. The wreckage was found near the Bay of Islands twenty-two miles east of Warrnambool after a body had washed ashore. Some of the timbers washed up were charred by fire, and a small boat's stern board with the name "Sutlej" led to the identification of the wreck as Antares which had been reported missing. According to later reports, the Antares wrecking was overshadowed by war news at the time.

A young local boy had remarked that the Germans had arrived off the coast as he had seen them firing off shells and rockets, but his story was passed off as a joke. These rockets were most likely the distress signals from the stricken ship. The Italian barque/clipper Antares was sometime later reported as overdue. The wreck of the ship was later found at the base of a cliff at the Bay of Islands near Warrnambool in November 1914, there were no survivors.

Significance

This tile is significant in its association with the wreck of Antares and is registered as a Shipwreck Artefact A/2.

This tile is significant for its association with the sailing ship Antares, one of the last of the 'tall ships' to be lost along the southwest coast of Victoria, and the only wreck that took the lives of all people on board. The significance is recognised by its listing on the Victorian Heritage Register VHS S34.

The Antares is significant as a sail trader carrying international inbound cargo. It is part of the Great Ocean Road Historic Shipwreck Trail.

Physical description

Roof tile; terracotta clay tile shaped for fitting together with other tiles. Inscriptions are impressed into the clay. It was recovered from the wreck of the Antares.

Inscriptions & markings

Impressed text:”- E R I E S DE LA MEDITERRANEE” “ … T S – MI-LES BOU- R …..”
Impressed symbol: (Sideways crown or tree) (could be TULLERIES DE LA MEDITERRANEE)