The wreck of the George Roper. Divers recovering cargo
George Roper was on its maiden voyage to Port Phillip when it ran onto rocks off Point Lonsdale. The ship was loaded with a valuable cargo worth ₤10000 including iron railings for use in railway construction, malt, distilled liquors, drapery and dynamite.
George Roper looked a magnificent sight, stranded on the reef with its sails intact, and it drew quite a crowd of onlookers. Knowledge that the ship’s cargo was still on board also lured scavengers. Some prospective looters camped on the beach at Buckley’s Cave to wait for the first opportunity to sneak on board the ship, or to pick up cargo which might eventually wash ashore as the ship broke up.
The final voyage of George Roper
Under the command of Captain John Ward, George Roper departed Liverpool on April 4, 1883 with a crew of 32 and a hefty cargo. The voyage was swift and otherwise uneventful.
George Roper arrived safely in Bass Strait, outside Port Phillip Heads on July 4, 1883. At the time, a strong northerly wind was blowing and a haze had settled over the sea. Captain Ward was making his first visit to Port Phillip and was careful to keep well away from the Heads. Eight miles out, George Roper was taken in tow by the small paddle steamer and pilot boat, Williams. As they neared the Heads, conditions deteriorated and land became obscured by a thick fog.
Williams lost its bearings and drifted 300 metres west toward the outer reef of Point Lonsdale. When the port paddle of Williams scraped along the rocky reef, the Captain realised that both vessels were in dangerous waters. He tried to reverse at full speed but George Roper was so heavily laden with cargo and was unable to stop.
Before the pilot boat could pull George Roper’s stern around, the huge ship crashed onto Lonsdale Reef, about 100 metres from the lighthouse. The rocks pierced the ship’s hull and all hands were on deck to try and manoeuvre the ship off the rocks. Williams was also damaged. The tow rope between the ship and pilot boat was cut so Williams could make its way back to Queenscliff for repairs. The Captain of the pilot boat was later to have his pilot’s certificate suspended for two years.
Within fifteen minutes, the fog lifted and Captain John Ward and his crew could see George Roper was stranded on one of the most dangerous and inaccessible parts of the reef. The steamers Dawn and Albatross tried to pull George Roper free. Although the barque was lightened by the removal of cargo, all efforts failed. Captain Ward and the crew finally left the stricken ship and were taken to Queenscliff.
Two days later, the underwriter sold the wreck at auction for £3,600.
Attempts to salvage the cargo were thwarted by bad weather. The crew of the steamer Blackboy, had to jettison salvaged cargo and signal for help rough seas pounded it against the hull of George Roper. The vessel also became stranded on the reef and was sold to the syndicate which owned George Roper. However it sank the same night and its cargo floated away - to date the site of Blackboy remains unlocated.
Over a period of weeks, more of George Roper’s cargo was salvaged. Finally on the August 26, 1883, George Roper broke up and disappeared underwater.
Ship construction
George Roper was a four masted iron barque built in Liverpool in 1882. The ship was built to carry large consignments of cargo and was constructed with one bulkhead, two decks, a bridge deck amidships and a cabin under the bridge. George Roper was built especially for the Australian run and designed for fast sailing.
The ship measured 301ft (91.76m) in length, 39.1ft (11.92m) in breadth, 23.6ft (7.1m) in depth and had a gross tonnage of 2,104 tons.
Further information on George Roper and some relics from the wreck can be seen at the Queenscliff Maritime Centre. A photo of the stranded ship can also be seen at the Ozone Hotel.
Diving on the wreck of George Roper
George Roper is one of the many historic shipwrecks included in Victoria’s Underwater Shipwreck Discovery Trail. Qualified divers can explore the wrecks of old wooden clippers, iron steamships and cargo and passenger vessels located along the coast and in Port Phillip Bay. Some of these wreck dives are suitable for beginners while other wrecks require the skills and experience of advanced divers.
Victoria's historic shipwrecks
In the 18th and 19th centuries, an enormous number of ships sailed in Victorian waters. For instance, at the height of the gold rush, 50 ships were reported sailing past Cape Otway Lighthouse in one day. In 1852, 150 ships were reported anchored in Hobson’s Bay at one time.
Despite Victoria being such a busy shipping region and although Bass Strait and the entrance to Port Phillip Bay presented many hazards to the unwary sailor, only 800 shipwrecks have occurred along the Victorian coast since 1797. Fewer than 200 of these wrecks have actually been found. All Australian shipwrecks over 75 years old are protected by state and Commonwealth historic shipwreck laws. Some younger wrecks may also be especially declared to be historic eg; World War II wrecks.
George Roper was protected as an Historic Shipwreck on January 17, 1989, under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976). Any deliberate damage or interference to the George Roper is an offence under the Act and offenders face tough penalties.
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