The SS ‘Coogee’ was a steel screw steamer, built by J.L. Thompson & Sons, in Sunderland, England, in 1887.
The SS ‘Coogee’ ploughed the waters of Bass Strait and Port Phillip Bay for almost forty years. Her career included many incidents and accidents – all of which she survived – to be sent to her watery grave just outside Port Phillip Heads in early 1928 . . .
Examiner (Launceston, Tas) – 30 Jul 1900
Gross Tonnage: 762
Net Tonnage: 286
Length: 225 ft (68.58 m)
Beam: 30 ft 2 in (9.19 m)
Draft: 13 ft 5 in (4.09 m)
Original Name: ‘Lancashire Witch’
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The SS ‘Lancashire Witch’ was originally purchased to service the Isle of Man to Liverpool run. She was purchased by Huddart, Parker & Co. Pty. Ltd. of Melbourne in 1888, when the original owners fell into bankruptcy, and renamed the SS ‘Coogee’.
Timeline:
Jan 1889 →
” . . . Huddart Parker and Co’s new steamer, the Coogee, has arrived at Melbourne from England . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘The Mercury’ (Hobart, Tas) – published 26th January 1889
5 May 1889 → the SS ‘Coogee’ commenced the Bass Strait run from Melbourne to Launceston
” . . . At the time when this company [Huddart, Parker & Co. Pty. Ltd] was running in opposition to the U.S.S. Co. [Union Steam Ship Company], she was put into the run between Melbourne and Launceston, and under her popular commander, Captain Carrington, she had thrilling races across the Strait against the steamers of the opposition.
Sydney Morning Herald (NSW) – 30 Apr 1892
When the Coogee proved herself too speedy for her opponents, the U.S.S. Co. sent to New Zealand for their greyhound, namely, the steamer Rotomahana, which now is in the hands of the ship breakers, and her hull is moored at Port Melbourne. Probably she will follow her old rival before long, and together their bones will lie in close proximity in Davy Jone’s locker. The two vessels raced side by side backward and forward across the Strait, until the Coogee showed her superiority by defeating her rival in a hard N.W. gale by six hours. Then the two companies amalgamated, and ran the steamers in conjunction on this run . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Kalgoorlie Miner’ (WA) – Article “The Story of the Coogee” – published 17th March 1928
25 Dec 1903 → the SS ‘Coogee’ was involved in a dreadful accident in Bass Strait killing the Captain and a crew member, as well as causing massive damage to both the ships involved – in an uncanny incident where, in all the expanse of Bass Strait, two ships would collide in thick fog.
The Sydney Morning Herald – 29 Dec 1903
The SS ‘Coogee’ departed Launceston on her regular run to Melbourne at 7.15 pm on the Christmas Eve of 1903 with thirty passengers on board. Captain Frederick Carrington set a course for Port Phillip Heads however, as the Coogee moved further into Bass Strait she ran into thick fog. With her speed greatly reduced, the SS ‘Coogee’ continued forward. Unaware of any other vessels nearby, Captain Carrington remained vigilant on the bridge as they steamed slowly through the fog. Some 115 km from Port Phillip Heads, at 3.45 am Christmas Day, the steamer collided with the sailing ship ‘Fortunato Figari’ which had left Melbourne almost a week earlier, on a voyage to Newcastle. The ‘Fortunato Figari’ was unable to make any headway to her destination due to strong headwinds. The incident happened so quickly that there was no time for either ship to take evasive action. The starboard bow of the ‘Coogee’ smashed into the bow of the sailing ship, whose massive bow sprit, held firm by strong iron stays, raked along the deck of the steamer, smashing the bridge structure to pieces. The foremast, funnel and mainmast of the Coogee collapsed as their starboard stays were torn away. The deckhouses were badly damaged on one side, and, Captain Carrington, who was on the bridge at the time, was killed instantly. The helmsman, Frank Golly, was severely injured and later died, whilst second mate Arthur Durant, also on the bridge at the time, was badly injured. Though the SS ‘Coogee’ suffered enormous damage to her upper deck, her hull remained intact and she was not taking on water. The ‘Fortunato Figari’ sustained a huge split from the deck to the waterline, leaving a hole ten feet high and four feet wide, but also, miraculously, remained afloat.
Showing the Damage sustained by the SS ‘Coogee’
Initially the tangle of fallen ropes and wires locked the two ships together, causing the SS ‘Coogee’ to swing locking the two vessel side by side. It was at this time that many crew members of the ‘Coogee’ clambered over the side onto the deck of the sailing ship, believing their steamer was sinking – an action that would come under scrutiny at a later date. Some of the frightened passengers also managed to climb on board the ‘Fortunato Figari’ before the two vessels drifted apart. Fortunately, it was soon realised that neither of the two vessels were in immediate danger of sinking. As the engineers of the ‘Coogee’ were initially unable to restart her engine, Captain GB Schiaffino of the ‘Fortunato Figarim’ organised to tow the ‘Coogee’ to Melbourne. Later, the cable-ship ‘Restorer’ happened upon the stricken ships and stopped to offer assistance. She soon hurried off to report the incident and a tug was immediately dispatched, however, by the time she arrived, the engineers of the ‘Coogee’ had successfully restarted the engine and she continued, at slow speed, to Melbourne. The tug attached a tow line to the ‘Fortunato Figari’. In late in the afternoon of the 26th December 1903, the SS ‘Coogee’ finally reached her usual No 4 Berthing Wharf in the Yarra River. The bodies of Captain Carrington and Frank Golly were carried ashore, whilst Arthur Durant was rushed off to hospital.
25 Oct 1904 → the turbine steamer ‘Loongana’ replaced the SS ‘Coogee’ on the Bass Strait run from Melbourne to Launceston
Argus (Melbourne, Vic) – 26 Feb 1914
25 Feb 1914 → the SS ‘Coogee’ sustained serious damage when she collided with the ‘Bombala’ in the Yarra River
Mar 1914 → the SS ‘Coogee’ ran aground in the Hopetoun Channel near Point Henry due to defective lighting in the channel
Argus (Melbourne, Vic) – 6 Mar 1914
20 Mar 1914 → the SS ‘Coogee’ collided with the ‘Uganda’ in Corio Bay
” . . . Further misfortune awaited the Coogee on her arrival at Geelong on Friday from Melbourne. As the vessel was approaching Moorabool street pier a strong easterly gale was blowing. The captain had some difficulty in swinging his charge towards the wharf. The vessel got too much to westward, and in endeavoring to pass the cargo boat Masunda anchored in the stream, it went stern foremost against the steamer Uganda, lying at the railway pier, opposite. There were three buoys against the side of the Uganda, the officers of which lowered tenders to prevent damage being done to the vessel, which is 6000 tons. Astern the window of the Coogee was smashed by the impact, and a stanchion twisted out of shape. Come difficulty was experienced consequent on the strong easterly gale in getting the Coogee to her berth. The steamer is due at Geelong at about 7.30 p.m., but it was 9.20 before she was berthed at the wharf. There were about 150 passengers on the Coogee, including the inmates of teh Geelong Protestant Orphanage, who had been on an excursion to Portarlington . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Ballarat Courier’ (Vic) – published 23rd March 1914
29 Apr 1918 → the SS ‘Coogee’ was requisitioned by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) to be engaged as a mine sweeper. She continued in this role until the 26th February 1919
” . . . After being laid up in ‘Rotten Row’ for some years, she was requisitioned and fitted out by the navy department in 1918, and she did service as a patrol boat in and about Bass Strait during the latter part of the Great War. She was then laid up after peace was declared until 1921 . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Kalgoorlie Miner’ (WA) – Article “The Story of the Coogee” – published 17th March 1928
1919 to 1928 → from the time the SS ‘Coogee’ was returned to her owners by the RAN, she was laid up in Williamstown, apart from one commission to repair a telegraph cable in Bass Strait in 1921
” . . . when she made her last sea voyage. This was to find the break in the cable between Victoria and Tasmania. When she had repaired the break she once more took her place in ‘Rotten Row,’ where she remained until sold to the ship breakers . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Kalgoorlie Miner’ (WA) – Article “The Story of the Coogee” – published 17th March 1928
21 Feb 1928 → the old bay steamer SS ‘Coogee’ was sunk by the ship breakers about 5 km outside Port Phillip Heads:
“ . . . After having all useful gear and valuable metals removed, she made her final voyage behind the tug Minah down the Bay, and out to sea beyond the three-mile limit. Here she took her final plunge, and thus ended a useful career extending over a period of forty one years . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Kalgoorlie Miner’ (WA) – Article “The Story of the Coogee” – published 17th March 1928
” . . . An interesting career of service in Australian waters will end this morning when the steamer Coogee will be towed outside the Port Phillip Heads and sunk. The captain of the tug Minah (Captain McBain) that will tow the Coogee to her resting place was formerly master of the Coogee . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Argus’ (Melbourne, Vic) – Article “Steamer Coogee – To Be Sunk To-Day – End of Interesting Career” – published 21st February 1928
Additional Sources: Website ‘Shipwrecks of Port Phillip & The Rip’
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