WRECK DISCOVERED, 1947

Newcastle Morning Herald, 5 July, 1947.

Sea Riddle

May

Be Solved

In locating the hull of a

ship in 80 feet (24.3 m) of 

water near Mackay, anti-submarine 

instruments and echo sounding

equipment aboard the H.M.A.S. 

Lachlan are believed to

have solved Australia's great

est riddle of the seas.

The wreck may be that of the

S.S. Yongala which disappeared

between Mackay and Townsville 

on March 23, 1911, with the loss 

of 120 lives.

The Yongala was well known at

Newcastle. She was a popular inter

state tourist steamer.

A series of mishaps to the Yongala,

followed by a grounding in the 

Brisbane River, near Victoria Bridge,

culminated in her disappearance.

Tidal Wave?

She left Flat Top, Mackay, for

Townsville. Her Master (Captain W.

Knight) knew every inch of water

between the Great Barrier Reef and

coast. She was last seen near Dent

Island at 6 p.m., but after that nothing 

was heard or seen of the ship

or her crew of 72 and 48 passengers.

It was suggested that a huge tidal

wave which struck Mackay that

night, causing considerable damage,

sent the Yongala to the bottom. The

weather was heavy and passengers

would have been locked below decks.

This would explain the absence of

floating bodies.

A fascinating angle which did not appear in period reports. A storm surge from the cyclone could theoretically have caused a so-called tidal wave; which might have contributed to the disaster unfolding 11 miles off Cape Bowling Green.

Lieut.-Commander C. G. Little. captain 

of the Lachlan, has reported that

the ship's hull is about 300 feet long

and lying on its side in 80 feet (24.4 m)

of water.

The Yongala was the only ship

ever reported lost in these waters.

courtesy Explore Dive

courtesy Museum of Tropical Queensland

courtesy Trove