Elvie wreck
The wreck of the locally built 30 x 4.5m double-ended, flat-bottomed wooden lighter Elvie lies at the north end of Vancouver Beach, Frenchman Bay. It was built of jarrah around 1912 for the Frenchman Bay whaling station to transport barrels of whale oil to vessels in the harbour, and for ferrying supplies from Albany back to the whaling settlement. When not in use it was moored in the middle of Frenchman Bay. After being abandoned at its moorings by departing Norwegian whalers in 1917, the Elvie was driven ashore in a southeast gale in 1921 and filled with sand. Though mostly buried, the tops of the wooden hull frames and the stern and bow post are visible, the bow facing to seaward. The WA Museum has excavated and recorded the site.
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Country Built Western Australia
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Port Built Kalgan River
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When Built 1900
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Length 24.50
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Beam 4.10
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Draft 1.60
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Engine N
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When Lost 1923
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Where Lost Albany, Frenchman Bay, Southern end of Whaler’s Beach
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Sinking Left at her moorings by departing Norwegians
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Sunk Code Abandoned
Museum Reference
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wreck Elvie
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Protected Federal
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Found Y
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Inspected Y
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File Number 195/72
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Confidential NO
Artefact information
| wreck | Elvie |
|---|---|
| When Lost | 1923 |
| Protected | Federal |
| Found | Y |
| Inspected | Y |
| Where Lost | Albany, Frenchman Bay, Southern end of Whaler’s Beach |
| Latitude Max | -35.09 |
| Longitude Max | 117.94 |
| Position Information | GPS 2005 |
| Engine | N |
| Country Built | Western Australia |
| Port Built | Kalgan River |
| When Built | 1900 |
| Length | 24.50 |
| Beam | 4.10 |
| Draft | 1.60 |
| Sinking | Left at her moorings by departing Norwegians |
| Sunk Code | Abandoned |
| File Number | 195/72 |
| Comments | The wreck of the locally built 30 x 4.5m double-ended, flat-bottomed wooden lighter Elvie lies at the north end of Vancouver Beach, Frenchman Bay. It was built of jarrah around 1912 for the Frenchman Bay whaling station to transport barrels of whale oil to vessels in the harbour, and for ferrying supplies from Albany back to the whaling settlement. When not in use it was moored in the middle of Frenchman Bay. After being abandoned at its moorings by departing Norwegian whalers in 1917, the Elvie was driven ashore in a southeast gale in 1921 and filled with sand. Though mostly buried, the tops of the wooden hull frames and the stern and bow post are visible, the bow facing to seaward. The WA Museum has excavated and recorded the site. |
| Sources | Gordon de L. Marshall, Memories of Maritime Albany, Report, Department of Maritime Archaeology, Western Australian Maritime Museum, No 53 |
| Confidential | NO |
| URL | http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/maritime-archaeology-db/wrecks/elvie |