NOT LIKELY TO BE SOUTH OF PORT HEDLAND

The Advertiser, Adelaide, 30 March, 1912

THE KOOMBANA.

SEARCHES THAT FAILED.

Fremantle. March 29.

News is still awaited from vessels in

search of the Koombana. The Adelaide

Steamship Company received a telegram

from the branch manager at Port Hedland 

that the examination of Bedout Island and 

Amphinome Shoals had been resultless, 

and the search along the coast by luggers 

also has been unsuccessful. The Bullarra 

arrived at Broome at 4 p.m., and signalled-

"No news of the Koombana."

The steamer Una, chartered by the

Government, will leave Geraldton

to-night on a four weeks' search.

She will take sufficient coal and food to

enable her to remain at sea if necessary for

two months.

FEDERAL TRAWLER TO SEARCH.

Melbourne, March 29.

The Federal Government have decided to

dispatch the trawler Endeavor in search

of the Koombana, should the Western

Australian Government desire it. The

trawler is now engaged in the Bight, but

her whereabouts are fairly accurately

known, and sending her to the assistance

of the search parties will be, it is officially 

stated, an easy matter. To-day communications 

passed between the Federal and Western 

Australian Governments, the former having 

decided to offer assistance, in response to 

a suggestion from Mr. G. Piggott, who fears 

that relatives of his were passengers on the 

vessel. Mr. Piggott was supported by Mr. W. H. 

Irvine, M.H.R. The Prime Minister informed

the Premier of Western Australia (Mr.

Scaddan) that the Federal Government

were prepared to bear portion of the expense 

of searching by sea or land for the vessel, 

and of succoring survivors if in distress. 

Mr. Scaddan replied with the following 

account of what the State Government were doing:-

"Thank for your telegram, Koombana. The Government

have done everything possible to ascertain

whether the steamer has met with mishap.

At present the captains of the Gorgon

and Minderoo have been instructed to

keep a sharp lookout for her, whilst the

Bullara has been dispatched from Port

Hedland to make special search. 

Arrangements have also been made for 

luggers to search near the coast between 

Broome and Port Hedland. I was negotiating 

for using the steamer Moira from Wyndham,

but she sailed at 10.30 a.m. to-day, and

the agents have instructed her captain to

keep a lookout on the southward journey.

Captain Irvine, chief harbormaster, has

been in conference with representatives of

the steamship companies at Fremantle, and

having charts available, is arranging a

course as deemed most advisable. 

Regarding your enquiry as to the search being

made south of Port Hedland, Captain Irvine 

points out that the Bullara passed near the 

coast from Cossack to Port Hedland, also 

that a number of luggers are out. He does 

not think there is any probability of a 

successful search being made south of that 

port. The police also have sent men along 

the coastline. Everything possible is being 

done, but the extent of water requiring 

examination covers a large area. Should 

we be unable to find the vessel, could your 

Government arrange for a gunboat or vessel 

such as the Protector to proceed north-west, 

with the object of assisting in the search?"

The Protector is in Port Phillip Bay,

and as time would be lost in sending her

to Western Australia, the trawler has

been selected.

Very interesting comment made by Captain Irvine that a search south of Port Hedland was unlikely to yield results. One would have thought that he would be pushing for the loss of the Koombana well within the hurricane-force core of the cyclone, possibly being driven to the west as had happened to the Moira. Furthermore, the date 29 March was before all the major wreckage discoveries. I have the distinct impression that he knew more than he ever let on!!

Barrier Miner, 3 April, 1912.

BEDOUT ISLAND.

Bedout Island, where the wreckage

was found, is almost on the direct

route of steamers travelling between

Port Hedland and Broome, being a

few miles to the west of the regular

"track." Vessels steer wide of the

presence of "foul ground" there. The

Amphinome Shoals lie between 

Bedout Island and the Mainland. The 

fact that the wreckage was not discovered

earlier might have been on account of

the steamer having foundered in deep

water, and did not break up sufficiently

to release much wreckage until the

last few days.

Entirely in keeping with my theory that Koombana will be found in the vicinity of the 27.5 mile mark, within the steamer track between Hedland and Broome.

For Koombana to have foundered in the region of the 'foul ground' would have been a feat of extraordinary seamanship to avoid the plethora of shallow shoals - running aground!!!

courtesy Google Earth

courtesy Trove.