Joanna (1856-1857)

Joanna (1856-1857)

Joanna was part of the so-called 'Mosquito Fleet', a large fleet of small ketches, cutters and schooners that sailed the waters of Port Phillip Bay and Victorian coastal waters between the 1840s and the early 1900s.

The lime trade involved the digging of shell from natural shell beds and Aboriginal middens in Western Port Bay, Walkerville, Corio Bay and Mornington Peninsula. It was then crushed and burned in kilns to produce quicklime, which was then bagged in hessian sacks for transport to Melbourne. When added to water and sand the lime was used for mortar in stone and brick buildings, or for lime-washing walls. The bags of lime with imprints of the hessian bags can be clearly seen on Joanna

With increased demand from the growing building trade, local lime was used to supplement the limited supplies of imported Portland lime. Initially, kilns were established at Portsea and Sorrento. Gradually the trade moved up the Bay to Rye and Mount Martha and then across to Geelong and Lara and then to Lilydale.

The mosquito fleet also carried tea-tree wood and bark. Tannin was extracted from the bark and used in the leather industry. Tea-tree wood was also a preferred source of fuel for baker’s ovens as the ash did not stick to bread.

The final voyage of Joanna

On the July 9, 1857, Joanna was loaded with lime and tea-tree from Point Nepean and anchored waiting for a favourable wind to sail to the Lime Wharf in Melbourne. A severe storm suddenly swept across the Port Phillip Bay. Joanna’s anchors dragged and the ship was driven across the Bay and onto the western bank of the Western Channel. The storm continued and Joanna filled with water and sank. After the storm passed, only the vessel’s masts were above the water. Neither the boat nor cargo could be salvaged.

Ship construction

Joanna was a small 34 ton, two masted wooden schooner built in 1856 at Mount Eliza, Port Phillip Bay. It was the pride and joy of its owner and captain, John Locke, a general merchant and Melbourne ship owner.

The ship had a single deck, square stern and carved hull. It measured 45ft (13.6m) long, 14ft (4.2m) in width and its hold was just over 6ft (1.8m) deep.

Interesting fact

Joanna is a very significant wreck. Not only is the vessel well preserved, but to date it is the earliest known example of a Victorian built sailing ship to be found in Australian waters.

Diving on the wreck of Joanna

Joanna has a 100 metre radius Protected Zone to which access is allowed by permit only. Anchoring is prohibited.

Victoria's historic shipwrecks

The wreck of Joanna offers maritime archaeologists a rare opportunity to learn about Australian shipbuilding and local trade in the mid 19th century. So that the wreck can be studied with minimal disturbance, Joanna was declared a Historic Shipwreck and Protected Zone on December 5, 1990. This means that divers cannot explore the wreck without a permit from Heritage Victoria and boating, or fishing is prohibited within 100 metres of the site.

Dive information sheet