Shipwreck Databases Western Australian Museum

Occator (1856/02/09)

Around 55 kilometres south of the Cape at Carbaddaman Passage

Occator

In January 1856 the 27.2 metre, 145-ton brigantine Occator left Melbourne to examine reportedly rich guano deposits on the Muiron Islands off North West Cape. Chartered by J. F. Jones of Melbourne, who also was a passenger on board, by the afternoon of 4 February, Occator was at an estimated 80 kilometres west of the Cape. Her master Captain Place then set a course towards the east, expecting to sight land in the morning. Around midnight Place went below leaving the mate at the helm. At about 3.30a.m. somewhere in the region of Carbaddaman Passage, breakers were sighted and as the helm was put hard over Place came on deck, seeing the vessel ‘in stays’ i.e. not coming around. After giving orders to haul the yards round, the vessel began to head back out to sea, but as she did so her keel touched and a heavy sea broke over the deck and threw the Occator onto the reef, damaging the hull. With water rising in the hold and the rudder unshipped the crew began to abandon ship.
The first boat launched was destroyed by the seas. This forced the crew to send off the longboat in which the mate, Jones and four crew went ashore. Three others in the crew remained onboard and Captain Place went below for provisions. On the boat's return, reasonably well-provisioned and with some navigation equipment, they all departed the stricken ship. When they regrouped the ten men sailed an estimated 90 kilometres north to Muiron Island, where they expected to find another vessel. After four days, and with no relief in sight, they elected to return to the wreck for more water. In being unable to launch the boat due to the topography and conditions, they dragged it nearly 3 kilometres across the island. After finding a suitable place on the eastern side, they then set of south towards the wreck.
After proceeding down the coast they found that a group of ‘about 40’ Aborigines were following the boat down to the wreck. While all went well initially, they reacted angrily when a cask of water that had been washed ashore was put into the boat. They then followed it out, armed with stones and spears. When the water got too deep about ten of them began swimming after the boat apparently with the intention of seizing it. A spear was thrown without causing any injury while ‘others cast stones with slings’. Jones then shot one man, causing the Aborigines to retire to the hills where they lit a fire.
The crew then departed for Shark Bay taking eight days to get to Dirk Hartog Island where they lived for around a month on crabs, wallabies and drinking turtle blood as a substitute for water. After unsuccessfully trying to depart for Fremantle, they crossed over to what they thought was the mainland with the intention of walking to safety. On returning to Dirk Hartog Island, 42 days after they had been wrecked, they saw the schooner Favourite at anchor off Bird Island where they had been collecting guano and were saved. The wreck has yet to be found.

In June 2004 a Mr Albert Gorman reported an acquaintance he called ‘the Yank’ finding what appears to have been an iron knee 10 feet long, by 6 inches wide by 3 inches deep with a ‘bronze fastening at the ‘drop off’ north of Yardie Creek and at a place he described as ‘south past the homestead near where the reef comes within 200m of shore. As Occator, which was built on Prince Edward Island in 1853 was copper and iron fastened, sheated in yellow metal and with 10 pairs of iron hanging knees, it is possible that Mr Gorman had seen part of the Occator , though equally they may be from another vessel. See the list of other as yet unfound wrecks following.

References:

Henderson G., and Henderson K.K., 1988. Unfinished Voyages. Western Australian Shipwrecks 1851-1880. UWA Press Nedlands: 29-31.
Perth Gazette. 11 April 1856.

Ship Built

Owner G. and R. Barclay

Master Captain Place

Country Built South Africa

Port Built Prince Edward Island

Port Registered Liverpool

When Built 1853

Ship Lost

Gouped Region North-West

Sinking On reef

Crew 9

When Lost 1856/02/09

Where Lost Around 55 kilometres south of the Cape at Carbaddaman Passage

Port From Melbourne

Port To Muiron Islands

Cargo Ballast

Ship Details

Engine N

Length 27.20

Beam 6.20

TONA 145.00

Draft 3.50

Museum Reference

Unique Number 1574

Sunk Code Wrecked and sunk

File Number 440/71

Chart Number A 329

Protected Protected Federal

Found N

Inspected N

Confidential NO