According to the article titled “Fifth Expedition to the Wreck of HMS “Sirius”, Norfolk Island, March 1990” in the late Neville Coleman’s “Underwater Geographic” No. 29, Winter 1990, 5 expeditions were made to Sydney Bay, Norfolk Island to study the wreck site of HMS Sirius up to 1990. It marked the 200th anniversary of the wreck on 19th March 1790.
Graeme Henderson from the WA Maritime Museum led all 5 expeditions to the wreck. The 1990 expedition was made to “monitor the condition of the site & relics”. The previous expedition had been made 2 years earlier in 1988. Previous expeditions had documented & excavated the wreck.
The article in “Underwater Geographic” provided the following details of the history of the wreck: -
Originally built as a 500-ton collier
Was burnt to the waterline
Hulk was purchased by British Government
Rebuilt as the 520-ton Berwick
Used as a naval shoreship
Laid up after a run to the American colonies
Refitted and renamed HMS Sirius
Served as flagship of the First Fleet voyage from England to Australia in 1788
Sailed from Port Jackson with convicts and marines onboard on 6th March 1790
Totally wrecked at Norfolk Island 19th March 1790
Details of the wrecking are given as follows: -
Arrived at Norfolk Island 13th March 1790
Strong gales were blowing
Sirius unable to stand inshore to disembark passengers or stores for several days
Commenced to land stores by lighter 19th March whilst wind from the east-south-east
Wind change to south-east left Sirius embayed
Strengthening wind and worsening seas pushed Sirius onto reefs in Sydney Bay
All passengers & crew were put safely ashore
A great part of the stores were salvaged over the following weeks
Sirius broke up in a storm 2 years later (1792?)
Below is a drawing of the Sirius. It has been redrawn from the original drawing: -
As the caption reads, it is said to be “courtesy of the Mitchell Library and Marine Studies, Vol.4 #20, November 1988”.
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