Shipwreck revealed by Cyclone Alfred at Black Rock, north of Newcastle, NSW. This spectacular find piqued the interest of local historians and archaeologists as well. The debris at Ballina’s Shelly Beach, as seen at the beginning of 2023. The recent ex-tropical cyclone in March laid it bare yet again. Heritage New South Wales indicated that the exposed timbers may be damaged or washed away to sea.
Timber samples recovered from the shipwreck indicate that it was likely built in the United Kingdom. Further investigations show that the ship could be of North American origin. It would likely have deep ties to shipbuilding states such as Maine, and provinces such as Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Archaeologists believe that the timbers they found may have broken off from a larger piece of debris. That larger unit, though, probably remains aground in the reef.
Community Response and Archaeological Interest
News of wreckage has drawn hundreds of curious visitors to Shelly Beach. At the end of the day, they are hungry to see the legacy of their history for themselves. As interest surged, Ballina Shire Council, alongside Heritage New South Wales, took immediate action to re-bury the timbers for preservation. This short-term response is intended to protect the historic site from further erosion and impacts due to ongoing coastal weather events.
Dr. Robert F. Duncan, an archaeologist who worked on the shipwreck identification effort, said this was a lengthy and complicated process. He compared it to trying to finish a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces.
“It’s a bit like doing a jigsaw puzzle where the lid of the box is missing and half of the pieces are gone,” – Dr. Duncan
Above all, he stressed the need for scientific inquiry—scientific methods, archaeological techniques, historical documentation—to determine the vessel’s origins. The wreckage continues to be a valuable asset to understanding and preserving the often-unrecognized history of maritime expansion in New South Wales.
Historical Significance
The shipwreck is one of 13 vessels known to have been wrecked around the Richmond River between the 1850s and 1870s. Remarkably, ten of those came from North America, and three came from the United Kingdom. Historical maritime records show more than 100 ships have come to grief on the dangerous corner that is the northern New South Wales coastline over the centuries.
Ron Creber, a local historian, said recent weather helped create the conditions needed to show parts of the wreck.
“I believe the southerly buster that’s come up has broken it off because some of it was freshly broken and brought in to shore,” – Ron Creber
Creber has spent a considerable amount of his retirement caring for the stewardship of local maritime history. He finds immense satisfaction in bringing these eye-popping discoveries to the community.
“I retired from paid work 20 years ago, but I’m still here at the museum — this is my joy,” – Ron Creber
Researchers from East Carolina University are currently investigating the historical wreck. Dr. Duncan hopes that by revealing more pieces they can get a better sense of its history.
“Anytime we get something new in it’s exciting for us,” – Dr. Duncan
