Awhina wreck
Awhina was a 136 tonne wooden screw steam tug, owned by Swan River Shipping Co. Ltd., Perth. It was built by Hector Macquarrie in Auckland, New Zealand in 1884 and registered at Fremantle in 1900. Awhina was a strongly built working vessel and after working in the New Zealand timber trade was sold to owners in Newcastle, NSW where it became part of a fleet of 11 tugs. In 1900 it arrived in Fremantle where it again worked as a tug during the week, and a pleasure cruise boat on the weekends! The Awhina came to Albany in 1912 where it spent the remainder of its working life in the harbour as a tug towing vessels in and out of port, towing hulks out to sea to be sunk, towing floats for gunnery target practice and supplying the Eclipse Island lighthouse. On 19 April 1936, Awhina was towed out of the harbour and burnt off Gull Rock at Ledge Bay, near Albany.
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Country Built NZ
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Port Built Auckland
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When Built 1884/12/04
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Length 30.50
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Beam 6.40
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Draft 3.10
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Engine 50 Sc. built by Bowen McLauchlin and Coy, Paisley, Scotland
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TONA 135.00
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When Lost 1936/04/19
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Where Lost Albany, Ledge Bay, off Gull Rock
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Sinking Set alight after being sprinkled with tar and oil. (Collided with Uraidla?)
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Sunk Code Burnt
Museum Reference
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wreck Awhina
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Protected Not protected
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Found Y
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Inspected Y
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Official Number 87528
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File Number 195/72
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Chart Number 1849/2619
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Confidential NO
Artefact information
| wreck | Awhina |
|---|---|
| When Lost | 1936/04/19 |
| Protected | Not protected |
| Found | Y |
| Inspected | Y |
| Date Inspected | 1991 |
| Where Lost | Albany, Ledge Bay, off Gull Rock |
| Latitude Max | -35.01 |
| Longitude Max | 118 |
| Position Information | GPS 2005 |
| Engine | 50 Sc. built by Bowen McLauchlin and Coy, Paisley, Scotland |
| TONA | 135.00 |
| Country Built | NZ |
| Port Built | Auckland |
| When Built | 1884/12/04 |
| Port Registered | Fremantle |
| Official Number | 87528 |
| Length | 30.50 |
| Beam | 6.40 |
| Draft | 3.10 |
| Crew | 4 |
| Sinking | Set alight after being sprinkled with tar and oil. (Collided with Uraidla?) |
| Sunk Code | Burnt |
| Master | Martin |
| Owner | The Swan River Shipping Co., Lim., Perth, Mssrs. Douglas, Armstrong & others |
| Builder | Hector Macquarrie, designed by Mr Trevithick |
| File Number | 195/72 |
| Chart Number | 1849/2619 |
| Comments | Awhina was a 136 tonne wooden screw steam tug, owned by Swan River Shipping Co. Ltd., Perth. It was built by Hector Macquarrie in Auckland, New Zealand in 1884 and registered at Fremantle in 1900. Awhina was a strongly built working vessel and after working in the New Zealand timber trade was sold to owners in Newcastle, NSW where it became part of a fleet of 11 tugs. In 1900 it arrived in Fremantle where it again worked as a tug during the week, and a pleasure cruise boat on the weekends! The Awhina came to Albany in 1912 where it spent the remainder of its working life in the harbour as a tug towing vessels in and out of port, towing hulks out to sea to be sunk, towing floats for gunnery target practice and supplying the Eclipse Island lighthouse. On 19 April 1936, Awhina was towed out of the harbour and burnt off Gull Rock at Ledge Bay, near Albany. |
| Sources | Gordon de L. Marshall, Memories of Maritime Albany, Report, Department of Maritime Archaeology, Western Australian Maritime Museum, No 53 R. McKenna Photo Collection McKenna Collection 681, WA Maritime Museum |
| Minimum Depth of site | 2.00 |
| Confidential | NO |
| URL | http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/maritime-archaeology-db/wrecks/awhina |