Mary Wilson
A wine-laden brig from Portugal to Sydney that sheltered at Gabo Island and was driven ashore, one of the earliest recorded losses at the island.
The story
The Mary Wilson left Oporto on 17 April 1852 bound for Sydney with a cargo of wine, under Captain Richardson. She anchored in Gabo Harbour on 31 August to shelter from strong winds and take on water.
The wind swung west and the captain could not get her out of the bay. At 4 pm on 1 September the anchor dragged and the brig struck rocks stern first. A stream anchor hawser parted and she was driven ashore. The captain, crew and owner left in the quarter boat.
Other vessels helped recover cargo. The report says the wreck was stripped of everything but anchors and chain and soon went to pieces.
Where the records differ:
The Heritage Victoria header gives the loss as 6 December 1852, but its own narrative has the vessel anchoring on 31 August and striking on 1 September. The December date is unexplained.
A secondary list says she met unfavourable winds in Bass Strait and was forced ashore near Gabo Island, which is less specific than the Heritage Victoria report.
Archive photographs for this wreck are being gathered and will be added here.
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More wrecks on this coast
Matilda
A Tasmanian schooner sent to Gabo Island for guano in 1848. Reports agree she was blown ashore but disagree on whether it happened at Gabo or on Babel Island.
1856Phoebe
A schooner damaged in a storm that sheltered in Gabo Harbour in 1856 and was blown ashore by a northerly gale. Everyone aboard survived.
16 December 1859Margaret Nicol
A coal schooner damaged in a gale and lost at Gabo Island in 1859. The crew spent two days on the island before the steamer Wonga Wonga took them off.
21 October 1881 (last sighted)SS Balclutha
A steamer that disappeared in heavy weather off Gabo Island in October 1881. No wreck has been found and everyone aboard was lost.