Maritime archaeologists recording Mountain Maid wrecksite
When Mountain Maid was launched in Dundee in March 1841, the local newspaper reported that “the event ran smoothly, the mould of the vessel was beautiful, and the figureheads was exceptionally neat”.
Unfortunately no illustrations of the ship have ever been found. However, by careful examination of the wreck site near Swan Island and with the help of descriptions from archives such as Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, maritime archaeologists now have a good impression of the Mountain Maid.
Mountain Maid was a cargo vessel and for twelve years the ship sailed between Europe and North America and Europe and the Orient. At one point it was thought to be involved in the smuggling trade.
In 1853 it was sold to its third owner who recognised the potential of trading with the young but wealthy colony of Victoria. Mountain Maid sailed to Australia and made voyages to Calcutta and Manila. It was on a return voyage from Manila in 1856 that Mountain Maid was wrecked in a collision with the Victorian steamer SS Queen.
The final voyage of Mountain Maid
Mountain Maid was bound for Melbourne from Manila on September 14, 1856 carrying a cargo of rice, sugar and rope. The weather was fine and clear and a fresh southerly wind was blowing as the ship passed through the heads. With the help of a flood tide, Mountain Maid was heading towards the West Channel at a rate of seven knots. At the same time, the Victorian West Coast iron Screw Steamer, SS Queen, was making its way out through the Heads at full speed against a head wind and opposing tide.
On their set courses, both vessels had ample room to pass. However, Pilot Patterson on board Mountain Maid altered course to hug the west bank of the channel to avoid a shift in the wind as he was steering the ship past Swan Island. This move was not expected by SS Queen whose Captain had also ordered his vessel to turn towards Swan Island in an effort to make the two vessels pass on their port sides. The two vessels collided and SS Queen sliced through Mountain Maid’s starboard bow.
Mountain Maid filled with water and sank immediately. The crew had to swim for their lives but were picked up by SS Queen. As the vessel broke up, the cargo was washed away.
The Pilot Board found Pilot Patterson to blame for the collision. In his career with the Pilot Service he had already run two other ships aground on the approach to Corio Bay. As a result of his bad record and the collision between Mountain Maid and SS Queen, he was dismissed from the Pilot Service.
An attempt was made to drag Mountain Maid out of the channel and into the shallow waters of Swan Bay to salvage what remained of the wreck. This was unsuccessful and the ship was left where it now lies, just 200 metres north-north east of the Coles Channel Pile Light.
Ship construction
Mountain Maid was a strongly built wooden snowbrig. It had two square rigged masts and a smaller sail – a spanker, behind the main mast.
Mountain Maid was not a huge vessel. It measured only 84ft (25.59m) in length, 20.5ft (6.25m) in breadth and had a hold of 15ft (4.57m) deep. Lloyd’s Register of Shipping describes the ship as a well built vessel of good material having frames and keels of oak and planking of oak and elm. Surveyors from Lloyds said the timbers were well fastened with iron staples and the rigging was of best quality.
Diving on the wreck of Mountain Maid
Mountain Maid 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.
Mountain Maid was protected as a historic shipwreck on March 13, 1985, under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976). Any deliberate damage or interference to Mountain Maid is an offence under the Act and offenders face tough penalties.
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