GORGON AND MINDEROO DISCOVERIES.

The West Australian, Perth, Wednesday 4 April, 1912.

KOOMBANA'S FATE.

DISCOVERY OF WRECKAGE.

HEAR BEDOUT ISLAND.

SMOKEROOM FURNITURE FOUND

MINDEROO ABANDONS HER SEARCH

It is practically certain that the loss of the

steamer Koonmbana will have to be added to

the long list of disasters in Australian waters.

The discovery of wreckage by the steamer

Gorgon reported yesterday caused the most

sanguine to lose hope that the vessel with

her large passenger list and complement of

officers and crew was still within the reach

of human aid, and the news which filtered

through during the day only pointed further

to the probability that the Koombana had

failed to live through the fury of the hurricane 

which swept the north-west coast a

fortnight ago. 

From a most authoritative source the intelligence 

was conveyed to the Premier that the state-room 

door found by the steamer Gorgon belonged either 

to the chief steward's room or the printing room,

situated close to the main saloon entrance on

the Koombana. At a later stage a telegraphic 

message came to hand from the Resident 

Magistrate at Port Hedland to the effect that 

Captain Mills, of the steamer Minderoo, had 

reported on his arrival at that place that he 

had picked up a smoke-room settee, and 

part of a cabin drawer, 70 miles west of 

Bedout Island, and the bottom boards of 

a boat about 50 miles west of the island.

The following is a copy of Captain Mills' elegant chart of his search:

courtesy State Records Office, Western Australia; series 2357, cons 066

The news concerning the apparent fate of

the missing steamer had a depressing effect

on the residents of Fremantle, to whom the

officers and crew of the ill-fated steamer

were well known. The general opinion

among seafaring men was that the vessel

must have been the plaything of the elements 

for a brief period, prior to foundering, and 

the suggestion that she had been wrecked on 

any of the shoals was not received with favour..

Inquiries made at the offices of the Adelaide 

S.S. Company in regard to the telegrams 

received from the master of the A.U.S.N. 

liner Minderoo at Port Hedland, elicited the 

information that similar news had been furnished 

by the branch manager, Mr. Gardiner, at that port. 

From these it was plain to the management that 

the wreckage which Captain Mills had picked up 

had formerly been part and parcel of the 

Koombana's fittings.

The settee and red cushion which were

picked up approximately about 70 miles to

the westward of Bedout Island are according 

to the opinion of the manager. Mr. W. E Moxon

from the Koombana's smokeroom. In connection 

with the door which the master of the s.s. Gorgon 

reported having picked up, it is now considered 

that this would probably have belonged either to 

the chief steward's or the printer's room. Both

formed part of the vestibule, which was situated 

on the spar deck, underneath the hurricane deck, 

on the port side of the vessel, looking forward, 

and both were cedar covered. In fact, the whole 

of the outside portions of the vestibule were of 

polished cedar. The chief steward's and the 

printer's doors were painted white inside, as 

was the door picked up by the Gorgon. 

Apparently there were several leather-headed 

nails on the inside of this door, and this strengthens

the belief that it was the entrance to the chief 

steward's room. The chief steward was in the 

habit of hanging various articles of toilet on 

these nails the door having come from such 

a closed-in space of the vestibule under the 

hurricane deck, it is likely that a lot of other 

wreckage from the top deck will be floating 

round, and should be picked up by other 

vessels.

So far nothing definite has been decided

regarding the prolongation of the search.

Captain Townley, of the s.s. Gorgon, has

been asked to communicate to the master

of the s.s. Bullarra the news of the discovery 

of wreckage. The s.s. Moonta on her way 

up the coast is to coal the Bullarra at Cossack 

on April 8, but if she meets the Bullarra in 

Ashburton Roads en route she will coal her 

there.

It is reported that the passengers on the

Koombana included Mr. E. J. Dalton, a wool

classer, who was bound for Derby. His wife

and two children and his mother and sister

and two brothers reside in Hay-street West.

courtesy Trove