Elvie (1923)
Albany, Frenchman Bay, Southern end of Whaler’s Beach
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.
Ship Built
Country Built Western Australia
Port Built Kalgan River
When Built 1900
Ship Lost
Grouped Region South-Coast
Sinking Left at her moorings by departing Norwegians
When Lost 1923
Where Lost Albany, Frenchman Bay, Southern end of Whaler’s Beach
Latitude -35.091117
Longitude 117.943167
Position Information GPS 2005
Ship Details
Engine N
Length 24.50
Beam 4.10
Draft 1.60
Museum Reference
Unique Number 556
Sunk Code Abandoned
File Number 2010/0030/SG _MA-195/72
Protected Not protected State
Found Y
Inspected Y
Confidential NO