Ceres

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On 29 August 1836, the 250-ton paddle wheeler Ceres left Newcastle for Sydney carrying passengers and general cargo. Keeping inshore to gain protection from a predicted weather change, Captain Martin misjudged his course and that evening struck Bullen Agglen Rock off Bungaree Norah. The steamer's fires were soon flooded and the sinking ship could no longer be manoeuvred. The ship's boats were used to safely ferry the 52 passengers and crew ashore. About 60 sheep on board were obliged to swim ashore - only one was lost.

The Ceres settled in about 8 metres of water. The ship's engines and boilers were salvaged. The loss was a serious blow to the owners, the Hunter River Packet Association, which soon after ceased trading. The Ceres also has the dubious distinction of being the first steamship wrecked in Australian waters.

Built on the Clarence River, New South Wales, the 40.8-metre Ceres was a comparatively new vessel whose maiden voyage had been taken on Sydney Harbour in February 1836.

Database

Site information

Site ID:

1934

Type:

Steamer paddle

Construction:

Wood

Primary industry:

Transport

Sub-industry:

cargo - coastal

Gross tonnage:

250

Net tonnage:

250

Length (mtrs):

40.84

Beam (mtrs):

11.58

Draft (mtrs):

Cargo:

Passengers, sheep

Engine:

Country built:

AUSTRALIA

State built:

New South Wales

Port built:

Williams River, Clarence Town

builder:

Marshall & Lowe

Port registered:

Unregistered?

When built:

1836

Registration number:

Official number:

Sources:

The Sydney Herald 5/9, 19/9, 1/12/1836, 26/6/1838 Parsons, R Pre-1850 Registers Bateson 1836

Comments:

Built for the Packet River Assoc, the 'Ceres' was apparently never registered.

Lost event

When lost:

1836/08/29

Where lost:

Bird Island and Norah Head, on rock between

Wrecked/Refloated:

Wrecked

Sinking:

Struck rock

From port:

Newcastle

To port:

Sydney

Master:

Captain Martin

Owner:

Hunter River Packet Assoc.

Crew:

Passengers:

Crew deaths:

Passenger deaths:

Total deaths:

Location

Maximum latitude:

-33.2802620520468

Minimum latitude:

Maximum longitude:

151.57897787687

Minimum longitude:

Datum used:

WGS84

Datum	Latitude	Longitude	Zone	Easting	Northing
AGD66	-33.28026700063130	151.57897787687000	56	367669.39709207700000	6316728.57151501000000
AGD84	-33.28026700063130	151.57897787687000	56	367669.39709207700000	6316728.57151501000000
GDA94	-33.28026208519660	151.57897787687000	56	367669.87009643700000	6316741.89284764000000
WGS84	-33.28026208433060	151.57897787687000	56	367669.87009578500000	6316741.89284128000000

Management

Found:

Yes

Inspected:

Protected:

Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976

Jurisdiction:

Federal

Protection notes:

Signage:

Web address:

Links

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