Yongala Wreck, Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

The Yongala wreck is the major wreck diving site of the Great Barrier Reef.  Located approximately 12 nautical miles off the east coast of Bowling Green Bay National Park and slightly south of Townsville. The Yongala sank in 1911, resting now at 28m. She lays on her starboard side, the shallowest part found at 14m. Laying in the Great Barrier Reef National Park, this national historical site provides perfect diving conditions for more experienced divers due to fluctuating current conditions and strong swell. Unfortunately due to current Australian law it is illegal to penetrate this wreck.

History

The vessel was named after a small town in South Australia. In the local Aboriginal language, Yongala originally pronounced "Yonggluh" meaning "broad water" or "broad wide watering place".  It was launched on the 29 April 1903, and left Southampton on 9th October. Carrying passengers bound for Australia, it arrived in Sydney on 6 December 1903.  She was registered in Adelaide and took up the lucrative Sydney to Fremantle round trip, completing 29 trips in all.  In January 1906 Yongala was transferred to the Brisbane to Fremantle run.  The wane in gold production and subsequent drop in passenger numbers made the Adelaide to Fremantle trip too expensive.  In January 1906, Yongala made its first visit to Brisbane. 

During the winter months from 1907 to early 1911, Yongala serviced the east coast run from Melbourne to Cairns, as the Fremantle to Brisbane route became quieter at this time of year, during one of these journeys on the 23rd March 1911, the Yongala sank in a cyclone with the loss of 123 lives. She was last sighted heading into a brewing storm by a lighthouse keeper on Dent Island in the Whitsunday Passage north of Mackay. She never arrived in Townsville and was reported missing on the 26th of March.

The only body ever found washed ashore was that of the racehorse Moonshine, which was being shipped north to compete in the Townsville Cup. Only fragements of wreckage were found along north Queensland beaches and despite searches at the time, and a reward, no sign of the wreck could be found.

Laying undiscovered until in 1943, a Royal Australian Navy minesweeper corvette, on a passage from Townsville to Brisbane clearing the shipping lanes off the Queensland coast mined at the beginning of the Second World War, fouled on an obstruction believed to be a shoal, but which was not investigated at this time.

Later in 1947, the Royal Australian Navy Hydrographic vessel Lachlan investigated the shoal. Using anti-submarine equipment and an echo sounder, the obstruction was reported as being that of a large wreck. Once more, no further action was taken.

In 1958, the wreck was found once more. George Konrat, a salvage and construction diver from Cairns and one of the self-styled 'finders', described the first recorded dive made on the site. He identified the wreck as that of the Yongala by the lettering of the name on the bow.  Konrat's salvage partner, and the other 'finder' of the wreck, was Bill Kirkpatrick, the skipper of the dive boat from which Konrat was working. On their return to land however, neither could substantiate that the wreck they had dived was the Yongala although Konrat's further description of an animal cage on the deck left little doubt.

Kirkpatrick continued to dive on the wreck with members of the Queensland Underwater Research Group, although positive identification remained elusive as subsequently they were not able to find the name on the bow.  They raised several artefacts, including a safe found in the purser's cabin and it was anticipated that any papers remaining inside would prove the wreck's identity.  The following day and in the presence of customs officers, the safe was opened but contained nothing but sludge.

The photograph of the safe published on 7 October 1958 in the Townsville Daily Bulletin was seen by the manager of Chubb's safes in Queensland.  He believed it to be a Chubb's safe by the way the door was hung on the left and sent the details of a partial serial number found on the door tongue to England for identification.  The makers' serial number eventually confirmed it as the Chubb safe that had been supplied to Armstrong, Whitworth and Company for Yongala and which had been installed in the purser's cabin, this providing positive identification.

Diving Yongala

The wreck is said to be Australia’s best dive and boasts the largest diversification of fish life at a wreck site. Huge Queensland gropers, turtles, sea snakes, manta rays, bull rays, trevally schools in their hundreds, coral trout and other marine life are all found here.  Humpback Whales are spotted regularly between the months of July and September.  Every square inch of the wreck is covered with hard corals, soft corals, sponges and oyster shells of every shape and colour imaginable. It is also a workstation for cleaner fish providing the perfect opportunity to view larger species including batfish which not only open up their gills for cleaner fish but also change colour so that the parasites are easer to find.

Divers from all levels can explore this wreck, however most dive companies have limitations.  Meaning all divers must have 15 logged dives with at least one at a depth of 25 metres. Don't worry if you don't meet these critiera many companies allow you to dive the wreck during your advanced course.

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