Shipwreck Databases Western Australian Museum

Don Joseph (1899/04/30)

5-7 NM south of Point Cloates

Ship Built

Owner Francis Rodriguez

Master William Miles

Builder A.E. Brown

Country Built WA

Port Built Fremantle (by A.E. Francis)

Port Registered Fremantle

When Built 1899

Ship Lost

Grouped Region Mid-West

Sinking Struck reef

When Lost 1899/04/30

Where Lost 5-7 NM south of Point Cloates

Port From Broome

Port To Fremantle

Ship Details

Engine N

TONA 13.00

Museum Reference

Official Number 114473

Unique Number 108

Registration Number 20/1902

Sunk Code Wrecked and sunk

File Number 209/80

Chart Number A 745

Protected Protected Federal

Found N

Inspected N

Confidential NO

Sources

Inquiry 1901/03/01
West Austarlian, 27 April 1899, p. 4a
Inquirer, 19 May
Telegram, Resident Magistrate, Carnarvon, to Col. Sec., 9 May 1899; Telegrams, Police Inspector LaWRENCE TO COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, 16 MAY 1899; REPORT, SGT HOULAHAN, CARNARVON, 14 MAY 1899, CSO 1109/1899
photo of vessel in McKenna Collection, WA Maritime Museum Rod Dickson, They Kept This State Afloat
The West Australian Wednesday 24 May and Western Mail Friday 26 May 1899
The schooner Annie, 71 tons register, which arrived at Fremantle with wool and sandlewood from Maud’s Landing, visited the scene of the wreck of the pearling lugger Don Joseph, whilst in the Nor’-West. Captain Schroder, the master of the Annie states that he recieved instructions when in Carnarvon on the 10th instant to proceed to the wreck at Point Cloates, and leaving that port at 11 p.m. on the same date he reached the vicinity of the spot where the big ship was reported to be on shore, on the following evening. Next morning he entered the passage between the reefs and the shore, and instead of finding a large vessel ashore he was surprised to find only the wreckage of the lugger Don Joseph. The boat had drifted over the breakers onto the inside of the reef, on the edge of which she was lying on her beam ends, full of water. The vessel was a total wreck. Captain Schroder is of the opinion that by this time she has disappeared altogether. At the spot where the lugger struck there is an indentation in the line of the reefs, and the position being less exposed than elsewhere the breakers were comparatively smooth, otherwise the captain and crew would have had great difficulty in reaching the shore. He heard that those on board the lugger got ashore by means of a 10ft. dingey belonging to the Don Joseph, and that they were running short of water when a ‘ native from Hr. Carter’s station came across them, and guided them to that gentleman’s homestead. Captain,Schroder says that he “remained about the vicinity of the wreck for three days, but he saw no sign of the police boat, which as despatched from Onslow to Point Cloates.