William Salthouse (1824-1841)
William Salthouse is one of the oldest and most important shipwrecks to be discovered in Victoria. As a British cargo ship built for the Salthouse Company in Liverpool, William Salthouse sailed on trading voyages to the West Indies, Mauritius, India, Singapore and Batavia.
In 1841 it was sold and sent to Canada where it picked up cargo for the young Australian settlement at Port Phillip Bay. As William Salthouse was the first cargo vessel to sail between Canada and Australia and as, at the time, British law banned direct trade between its colonies, this was indeed a pioneering voyage. It was also an example of the mercantile spirit of the time which led to the British laws being changed in 1849.
Unfortunately, William Salthouse never delivered its cargo to its final destination, but sank on its way through Port Phillip Heads. From reports in the Port Phillip Patriot of 1841, this was a great disappointment. Many settlers felt it would jeopardise future trade between Canada and Australia.
The final voyage of William Salthouse
William Salthouse was carrying a cargo valued at £12,000. It included 394 barrels of flour, 241 barrels of salted beef, 355 barrels of salted pork, six hog sheds of cider, 149 barrels of salted fish, ten casks of vinegar, a large quantity of pine boards, 20 wicker baskets of champagne, five cases of sauterne, 1000 bars of iron as well as nails, whiskey, bottles of stout, snuff, crackers, cheese, corn, brooms, mustard and oars.
The voyage from Canada to Port Phillip Bay took five long months. On Saturday November 27, 1841 the William Salthouse entered Port Phillip Bay. A strong south-westerly wind was blowing and as the ship steered through the Heads it hit a submerged rock off Port Nepean. The rudder was damaged and within an hour there was eighteen inches of water in the hold. A Port Phillip Pilot boarded the vessel and managed to sail it into the Bay. But the ship became unmanageable as the water level rose in the hold.
An anchor was thrown overboard, but the anchor chain snapped. The ship then ran ashore on Pope’s Eye sandbar. The Captain and crew managed to salvage the ship’s sails, papers and some of their personal belongings and row to shore in lifeboats.
The following morning, William Salthouse settled on the seabed with six feet of water over its deck. The ship’s agent inspected the wreck but stormy weather made it impossible to salvage the ship’s cargo. The wreck was quickly sold for £275. Several early salvage attempts were unsuccessful, however some cargo was recovered in late December, 1841.
Ship construction
William Salthouse was typical of the small British trading ships built in the early 19th century to carry cargo between Britain and its colonies. The 251 ton wooden barque was built in Liverpool. The ship’s ribs were made of white oak. Its hull was constructed from an African timber resistant to marine borers and sheathed in yellow metal. William Salthouse had three masts and a single deck beneath where the crew slept and cargo was stowed. The ship measured 90ft (27.5m) in length, 27ft (8.2m) in width and had a depth in the hold of 16ft (4.9m).
A remarkable discovery
From the time the cargo ship sank until 1982, the wreck of William Salthouse lay partially buried in a sand dune. When found, it was well protected and in remarkable condition.
During March and April 1983, the Maritime Archaeology Unit carried out a survey and excavation of William Salthouse. Although the upper portion of the hull had disintegrated, about three meters of the structure remained above the keel. It was packed with remains of the cargo and covered in sand. Two narrow trenches were carefully excavated across the ship. As the sand was removed it revealed intact barrels stowed as they were over 140 years ago.
Baskets of champagne and crates of wine were also found. Many of the corks were still in place although the contents were undrinkable. Some of the barrels and other artefacts were raised from the wreck. Brands and marks on the barrel lids indicated what they contained, the date and place of packing, the name of the merchant and confirmed the wreck as William Salthouse. This collection represents the only mid-19th century provision barrels in Australia.
The ship’s bilge pumps were raised and found to be well preserved with the wooden and leather valves still in working order. A clay pipe and part of a leather shoe were some of the smaller items uncovered.
Preserving on the wreck of William Salthouse
After the excavation, the Unit continued to monitor the wreck, and found that the site was being badly eroded by strong tidal currents. As the sand dune encompassing the wreck was being washed away, the hull was likely to break up and the remaining barrels and artefacts were at risk from being swept away.
Realising the situation was urgent, the Maritime Archaeology Unit built six sandbag walls against the hull to support the wreck. The sand, bagged in Hessian was a good temporary measure, but further work was needed. In early 1990, artificial sea grass mats were installed around the wreck to trap sand and stabilise the site. Although the system has been successful, the site requires continual monitoring because of seasonal changes in sand levels.
Diving on the wreck of William Salthouse
William Salthouse 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.
William Salthouse is within a 250 meter radius protected zone. Access is by permit only. Anchoring is prohibited.
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.
William Salthouse was protected as a Historic Shipwreck on December 22, 1982, under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1981). Any deliberate damage or interference to William Salthouse is an offence under the Act and offenders face tough penalties.
The wreck of William Salthouse is also within a Protected Zone which prohibits boating, fishing and diving within 250 metres of the wreck site.
Dive information sheet
William Salthouse dive permit (PDF)