The popular fishing spot City Rock at Green Cape is closely connected with one of NSW's most unfortunate shipping tragedies. In 1862, the fine 735 ton iron steamer City of Sydney ran onto the rock platform to become a total wreck. It was the first major shipwreck in what became known as Disaster Bay. The 53 metre vessel was built at Glasgow, Scotland, in 1853. It was the first screw vessel ordered by the Australasian Steam Navigation Company.
The disaster occurred on a voyage between Melbourne and Sydney. Until the fatal grounding, the passengers had been enjoying a pleasant evening on deck watching the nearly full moon. At about 2.00 a.m., the vessel ran into a bank of fog. The First Officer believed the vessel was three miles safely outside the bay. Just to make sure they would clear the cape, Captain Moodie ordered the steamer further east. At that moment breakers were seen ahead, Moodie screamed out "Stop her, back her!" as passengers were thrown off their berths and lamps in the saloon smashed to pieces. The steamer swung broadside onto the rocks, making water fast. The 100-odd passengers remained calm, except for a moment when the stricken vessel made a sudden lunge downward. During the evacuation, Captain Moodie had to be dragged into a lifeboat. Just as he was carried aboard, the City of Sydney "fell over onto the starboard side to seaward, filled and went down". It sank so quickly that the last boat was struck by falling masts, washing two crew overboard. The wreck site has been located.
Depth of site ~22m
