S.S. Casino Memorial & Propeller, Port Fairy, Victoria
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bucketeer
S 38° 23.271 E 142° 14.421
54H E 608325 N 5750422
Port Fairy was the home port of the Casino, which was wrecked at Apollo Bay in 1932.
Waymark Code: WM7GN6
Location: Victoria, Australia
Date Posted: 10/24/2009
Views: 13
The Steamer S.S. Casino made 2,500 voyages along the shipwreck coast, and had several brushes with disaster. It collided with another boat off Point Gellibrand, ran aground on a reef near Grey River, and was beached at Warrnambool while entering Lady Bay in a power blackout. Following each incident, the steamer was repaired and returned to service.
On July 10, 1932, The Casino was preparing to berth at the Apollo Bay pier, carrying a cargo of sugar, canned goods, drapery and raw animal hides as well as 17 crew and two passengers.
With a south-easterly gale blowing. Casino was battered and buffeted by waves but Captain Middleton managed to ease the ship towards the pier. The port anchor was dropped but the second mate was unable to throw a line to secure the vessel to the pier. All attempts to tie up the vessel were unsuccessful and the steamer bumped heavily on the sandy bottom. Captain Middleton gave the orders to take Casino out to deeper water until the storm abated but the port anchor had snagged and could not be raised.
As Casino steamed out into the middle of the Bay, water started rushing into the hold and Captain Middleton then made a desperate bid to beach the steamer. About 400 metres from the shore, Casino keeled over and sank. The crew and passengers were thrown into the sea. Captain Middleton and four of the crew clambered onto the hull while the others swam desperately to shore. Attempts were made to fire a rocket line from the shore across to the ship, but they failed.
Ten lives were lost in this disaster. The bodies of the captain and four of the crew were recovered and are buried at Sorrento Cemetery.
Casino was built in Dundee, Scotland in 1882, she was a three masted iron screw steamer. She measured 160.4ft (48.86m) in length, 24.1ft (7.34m) in breadth and had a depth of 10.2ft (3.1m). The ships gross tonnage was 425 tons. It could carry 71 passengers as well as cargo.
Casino currently lies on a sandy bottom about 400 metres out from Apollo Bay and is a protected heritage wreck.
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