Queensland government exploring how to preserve historic shipwreck sites

Australia Broadcast Center

03-05-2025

The wreck of the SS Yongala is a diver's Disneyland.
After sitting on the ocean floor for more than 100 years, the 110-metre wreck off the coast of Townsville in north Queensland has developed its own ecosystem, and is home to a diverse range of fish species, sharks, rays and turtles.
But there's another, darker side to the story of the SS Yongala.
And it fascinates archaeologist Celeste Jordan.
"Really, it is Disney diving, it's touted as Australia's Titanic," she said.
A diver watches a turtle swim around the wreck of the SS Yongala off the coast of Townsville.
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Supplied: Tourism and Events Queensland/Nigel Marsh
)
Wrecks deteriorating
About 122 people were killed when the luxurious passenger liner sank in 1911 during a cyclone.
There were no survivors.
The SS Yongala before it was wrecked.
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Supplied: Maritime Museum of Townsville
)
Despite a seven-day search, no official trace of the vessel was found until 1958 by divers, though there were reports of it being spotted by the Navy in the 1940s.
Ms Jordan works at the state Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation as a principal heritage officer.
Celeste Jordan, diving in waters off the coast of north Queensland, is passionate about shipwrecks.
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Supplied: Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation
)
She is part of a program searching for the final resting place of wrecks like the SS Yongala, mapping them and investigating how to preserve them.
"Understanding ship construction, the cargoes they were carrying, the people on board, what their personal possessions were on board, [it] gives us an understanding of what we were doing [then]," she said.
Ms Jordan said while sites naturally deteriorated, weather events being driven by climate change were speeding up the process.
For example, she said flooding could affect wrecks through run-off pouring into the ocean, while cyclones increased wave action hitting the boats.
Thousands of divers come to experience the abundance of wildlife around the SS Yongala each year.
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Supplied: Tourism and Events Queensland
)
In January 2024, waves from Cyclone Kirrily ripped parts of the bow port side of the Yongala shipwreck because the boat was not protected by reefs.
Preserving history
Ms Jordan said she was investigating potentially scuttling (intentionally sinking) another boat or structural barrier to reduce the impact of rough water on the ship.
Another issue for preservation is the threat of coral-eating bacteria.
"[It] eats the black coral, and then the black coral dies and then of course … the super structure could fail because the corals don't hold it together as well,"
Ms Jordan said.
She said if no preservation action was taken on the Yongala, it would continue to slowly deteriorate and eventually the wreck's structure would collapse.
Ms Jordan said it would be an expensive and challenging exercise to preserve it, and for many shipwrecks, doing nothing could be the best option.
Further south in central Queensland, the HMAS Protector forms a breakwater on Heron Island.
The rusting remains of the HMAS Protector lie off Heron Island, forming a breakwater.
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ABC News: Jasmine Hines
)
It's also a tourism drawcard for the island, with tourists snorkelling around the wreck.
It was one of Australia's first Navy ships and the only vessel to serve in three wars, but the rusted relic has decayed significantly in recent years.
The HMAS Protector with one of Australia's E class submarines during World War I, by marine artist John Ford.
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Supplied: Royal Australian Navy
)
The state government is now urging tourists to avoid swimming around the wreck because of its sharp edges and falling parts.
Ms Jordan said the best bet for preserving HMAS Protector would be to fully submerge it, which was not possible because of its location.
"Really for the [HMAS] Protector, it's about planning for how it might continue to deteriorate so it doesn't interfere with how people use Heron Island,"
she said.
All wrecked ships and aircraft that are at least 75 years old are protected by underwater cultural heritage legislation.
The Queensland government says visitors should avoid swimming near the HMAS Protector wreck.
(
ABC News: Jasmine Hines
)
Burying wrecks in sand, road crash barriers
While Queensland has yet to employ any of these tactics to save underwater wrecks, it has been done elsewhere in Australia.
Ms Jordan said more than a decade ago there was some experimental work done preserving historic wrecks in Victoria and Western Australia.
In Western Australia, a series of road crash barriers were put around the James Matthews shipwreck.
Road crash barriers were used to surround the James Matthews wreck.
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Supplied: WA Museum
)
It was then covered in sand to create an anaerobic environment, meaning oxygen could not impact the wreck.
"Because it's such a unique example of a type of ship, it was decided that the need to preserve it was of greater importance for our understanding of that type of history than people viewing it,"
Ms Jordan said.
"As researchers and archaeologists, you do have to sometimes weigh that up."
The James Matthews under sand following its reburial in 2013.
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Supplied: WA Museum
)
Ms Jordan said the James Matthews was historically significant as it was one of only a small number of
There are about 1,400 shipwrecks and 150 aircraft in Queensland waters, but only 200 have been found and positively identified.
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