National Archives of Australia
Queen Victoria Terrace
Parkes ACT 2600
Through tales of disaster, heroism and loss, Wrecked! charts the impact of shipwrecks on colonial Australia.
The early Australian colonies were totally dependent on the sea for trade, industry, culture, migration, travel and survival. Shipwrecks could lose an entire community’s supplies or destroy valuable export goods.
Wrecked! assembles many beautiful and intriguing shipwreck treasures to explore the tragic history of maritime disasters. In July 1888, for example, the Star of Greece foundered in a violent storm off Port Willunga. Nineteen people died in the cold sea before the life-saving equipment arrived 14 hours after the ship had sunk.
The exhibition was developed by the South Australian Maritime Museum, with the support of Flinders Ports and Pacific Marine Batteries. It is touring Australia thanks to a Visions of Australia grant.
More information, including an education kit, is available from the South Australian Maritime Museum website.