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December 2021 Newsletter

Unveiling of the Deadwood. Read more by clicking here…

Jordan Crugnale MP unveiling the Deadwood with Karyn & Jackie looking on

The Amazon

The remains of this protected historic shipwreck are buried near the lnverloch Surf Life Saving Club on the Bass Coast in South Gippsland, Australia.

The AMAZON was a barque of 362 tons built by at St Helier’s, Jersey by Fredrick Charles Clarke, Ship-builder.

The Amazon was a Jersey-built three-masted barque, thought to be similar to the one pictured. (Source: Heritage Victoria)

Brief History

The Melbourne Argus newspaper reported the loss of the Jersey-built barque AMAZON near Cape Paterson and the despatch of HMCS Victoria to rescue the crew in late December 1863.

According to the newspaper accounts, the barque left Melbourne on Dec 12 1863 bound for Mauritius with a cargo of salted meats. During the night a gale blew up from the south, the sails were reefed and the vessel hove to.

Despite all attempts the Amazon started to drift leeward towards the shore. On the morning of the 15 December 1863 the vessel came ashore on a sandy beach, close to some cliffs one mile south west of Andersons Inlet.

The fore and main masts were cut away to prevent the vessel from breaking up. The crew got ashore and set up camp.

The wreck was discovered eight days later by a Mr Heales on his way to Melbourne to spend Christmas with his family.

HMCS Victoria was despatched to rescue the crew.

The vessel was put up for auction on 31 December 1863.

The location was given as one mile south west of Andersons inlet and eight miles east of Cape Paterson, lying broadside to the beach and buried to a depth of nine feet in the sand. The water in the hull was level with the lower deck beams.

The Project

Our mission

Preservation of significant Amazon artefacts, the site & written records. To Educate & share the history of this amazing ship.

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