WRECK MAY HOLD CLUE TO NATION'S DISCOVERY

peter.veth@anu.edu.au

In 1803 HMS Porpoise, with Matthew Flinders aboard, and HMS Cato struck a reef 450 km off the coast of Queensland. A third vessel abandoned the crews to their fate. Luckily Porpoise was saved and the majority of the crews lived. They made a temporary camp on small sand island where they found and subsequently burnt the timbers of a previous wreck. This was thought to be a 400 ton sturdily built ship. While Flinders thought this might be one of La Perouse's vessels - we now know they were lost in the Santa Cruz Islands. An expedtion is currently visiting the site headed by Australian National Maritime Archaeologist Kieran Hosty. While it is a possibility that it is of Portguese or Spanish origin - Mr Hosty believes it more likely to be an Amercan whaling vessel - known to have been operating in the area at the time. The team hope to locate the wreck of this vessel (from which the timbers were presumably salvaged) in likely 10 - 20m of water on the southern side of the reef. The wreck of the Porpoise has already been located and likely the wreck of the Cato will be confirmed on this trip.