Copeland ex Jane Sprott ex Copeland Island (8904)
Quarter mile off False Island, Gull Rock Bay, Albany
The Jane Sprott was built by R. Williamson & Son for J.B. Sprott. Launched in June 1868 it had one deck, one bulkhead, two tiers of beams and was cemented. The barque had been built under special survey using heavier plating than that required by the rules. The owner in 1884 was G.M. Bushby, and the vessel was again registered at Liverpool. In 1900 the barque was sold to the Norwegian firm of Akties Copeland Island (Johan. Bryde), renamed Copeland Island and registered at Sandefjord, Norway.
The Copeland Island had been lying in Adelaide for some years when, in November 1902, it was purchased by The Adelaide Steamship Company Limited. In 1905 it was towed to Albany by the steamer Winfield for use as a coal hulk, arriving during the late evening of 27 March 1905. As a hulk it was always referred to as the Copeland. The winches were powered by a 15.9 HP steam engine fed by a vertical cross tube boiler, and there were three derricks.
THE LOSS
In May 1928, having served its useful life the hulk, Copeland was stripped of all fittings including the derricks, boilers and winches. It was then towed by the tug Awhina to a position off False Island near Cape Vancouver. Under the supervision of the harbourmaster, Captain Donaldson, explosive charges in the Copeland were fired, and the hulk sank within a few minutes in 15 fathoms (27.5 m) of water.
INITIAL SALVAGE
Two of the derricks (made from oregon timber) were later used as masts on the small steamer Silver Star at Albany.
Ship Built
Owner Adelaide Steamship Company Limited
Builder R. Williamson & Sons, Harrington
Country Built UK
Port Built Harrington
When Built 1868/06
Ship Lost
Grouped Region South-Coast
Sinking Blown up by explosives
When Lost 8904
Where Lost Quarter mile off False Island, Gull Rock Bay, Albany
Latitude -35.0109966667
Longitude 118.1694983333
Position Information DGPS
Ship Details
Engine N
Length 53.77
Beam 8.14
TONA 688.00
TONB 670.00
Draft 5.82
Museum Reference
Official Number 58900
Unique Number 202
Sunk Code Scuttled
File Number 2010/0030/SG _MA-195/72
Protected Protected Federal
Found Y
Inspected Y
Date Inspected 2007/03
Confidential NO