The following extract from the West Australian, dated 25 March, 1912, contained an extraordinary amount of relevant information on the cyclone that devastated Balla Balla.
I have transcribed it as follows:
"A NOR'-WEST CYCLONE.
COASTLINE SWEPT.
TWO SHIPS WRECKED.
HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE.
MANY LUGGERS MISSING.
BIGGEST FLOOD FOR FOURTEEN YEARS.
Once again the nor'-west coast has been brought into sad and sudden prominence by the visitation of one of those terrible cyclones which from time to time swoop down so ruthlessly and play such havoc with life and limb as well as with property on land and sea. It is barely fourteen months ago since a gale off Cossack sent the tine barque Glenbank to her doom, permitting one man only out of her entire crew or 21 to reach the shore alive. An only four months before that Broome was visited by the most awful cyclone the town had ever known, causing damage estimated at over £ 30,000 and loss of life that in the case of one small fleet alone accounted for 23 men. On that occasion practically the whole length of the 90-mile beach was strewn with wreckage and for many days after the sea continued to give up its dead. And now again the roll have been called, and to the name of many a sailor, perchance not a few landsmen too, there is no response. One vessel, the Crown of England, has become a hopeless derelict, and the captain and but a small, a very small, remnant of her crew are reported to have been saved.
As usual, the pearling fleets have suffered much, and lugger after lugger seems to have met the fate of the larger vessel. Even the SS Bullarra only managed to get through the fierceness of the storm at the expense of a broken funnel. And there would seem to be even some anxiety as to the Koombana, for according to a telegram received from the Resident Magistrate at Broome the well-known steamer was then 72 hours overdue from Port Hedland. It is well, however, to remember that owing to the interruption to the telegraph line it is quite possible for the steamer to have arrived and for no word to reach the metropolis that she had done so. The disturbance commenced on Thursday, and appears to have been confined chiefly to that portion of the coast which lies between Roebourne and La Grange Bay, to the south of Broome. On Wednesday it was at its height, and was accompanied by such heavy downpours that by the third day nine inches of rain had fallen and the river Harding had risen higher than it has for 14 years. Tramlines have been washed away, and the Port Sampson jetty has been battered almost to pieces.
If matters were bad ashore they must have been fifty times worse at sea, where every moment the waves were growing larger and more powerful, and the chances of safely riding out the gale more remote. One of .......(Crown of England) somewhere off Balla Balla probably on Depuch Island, and of whose entire crew only Captain Olsen and one or two men were saved. The captain himself stated that six of the crew were buried on the island, while the bodies of the mate and steward had been accounted for even before that. The ship Concordia is ashore intact, her entire crew having been saved; the lighter Steady is high and dry on Depuch Island; the Enterprise is in pieces and the Clyo has gone to the bottom. The pearling lugger Clara was beached off Depuch Island, ....
....and after spending a couple of days there two of her crew, Narkiachi and Sider, swam across to Balla Balla. The lugger Karrakatta was anchored close to the Clara when the latter drove ashore, and the Japanese survivors have expressed the opinion that she also went down. So far as can be ascertained in regard to these vessels seven men are still missing, and it is hoped that some of them at least may be found on the island, to which assistance has been despatched in the shape of a police cutter bearing, amongst others, Dr. Shelmerdine. From La Grange comes word of the total loss of the lugger Constance, owned by Mr. E. Hunter, all hands having been saved, and of the loss of at least four other boats of the same description. Exactly how many have perished as the result of the storm it will doubtless take some little time to ascertain, but that there has been a serious loss of life seems to be only too true. Further details should come to hand today from the various centres of communication.
BODIES WASHED ASHORE
COURT WITNESSES DROWNED
Roebourne, through which the news is slowly filtering, has a terrible story to tell of death and devastation. On Wednesday last the glass started to fall. On Thursday it continued to go down all day, and the wind raged with hurricane force. Nearly 9 inches of rain fell in twenty-four hours. The storm and rising river did not cause much damage to the town itself, but the tramline from the junction to Point Sampson and Cossack was washed away and the approaches to the bridge at Pope's Nose Creek disappeared.
A tragic note invested the proceedings in connection with a murder trial which was set down for hearing at Roebourne. Fourteen witnesses left Balla Balla on a lighter to catch the SS Bullarra at Depuch Roads, amongst them being Mr. Maginnis (Wharfinger for the Whim Creek Company at Balla Balla), and Mr. Thomas Hill (manager of the Federal Hotel, Whim Creek).
Mr. Maginnis took Messrs. Hill, Slavin, and Thompson out in the Whim Well motor launch. Messrs. Maginnis and Hill went aboard the lighter Clyo, but Slavin and Thompson returned on account of illness. Three lighters, including Steady Clyo, and Enterprise, were wrecked on Depuch Island. The dead bodies of Messrs. Hill and Maginnis were found along with that of the mate and steward of the Crown of England. It is possible that some survivors may be found on Depuch Island, but at Roebourne it is feared that not much can be hoped for in that direction. The police cuter sent out to investigate is expected to return shortly, when definite information will be available.
A message, addressed to the Chief Harbour Master at Fremantle, from the postmaster at Whim Creek, reads as follows:
"Mr. McDonald, assistant wharfinger at Balla Balla, reports a severe gale on the night of the 20th inst..The ship Crown of England is broken in pieces. The Concordia is on the beach intact, with fair prospects of refloating. The lighter Steady is high and dry on the island, unbroken. The lighter Clyo is sunk in shallow water, and the lighter Enterprise is broken in pieces. The bodies of Edward Maginnis, wharfinger Thomas J. Hill, also the first mate and steward of the Crown of England, have been recovered. Eight men are still missing from the Crown of England. All other passengers and crew supposed to be safe on Depuch Island. The pearling fleet in charge of Richard H. Thorley is sheltered in Balla Balla Creek. Captain Erikson, of the Concordia, and Messrs. Thorley and McDonald searched yesterday in heavy seas. Searching is going on today."
LUGGERS LOST
....Two Japanese- Narkiachi and Sider reported at Balla Balla yesterday morning that the lugger Clara was wrecked off Depuch Island on the night of 20th inst. Narkiachi and Sider were for three days on Depuch Island, and swam to Balla Balla reporting that four coloured med and one white of the crew were still missing. The worst is feared.
The lugger Karrakata, belonging to Mr. Talboys, and another lugger, supposed to be the Britannia, were anchored close to the Clara, but there was not trace of them after the blow. It is supposed that they sank, as the luggers could not live in such a sea. Two other luggers, names unknown, were ancored some miles off, and these also were not in sight after the blow. They have not been reported. So far as can be ascertained 11 bodies have been recovered. Captain Olsen of the Crown of England, and the remainder of the crew, arrived at Balla Balla on Saturday night, and reported having buried six of the crew on Depuch island on Friday. Messrs. Thorley and Armitage were to leave Balla Balla yesterday in luggers to make a further search.
The police cutter from Cossack arrived at Balla Balla yesterday afternoon, also in search of wreckage and bodies.
Robert M. Thompson, a recent arrival at Whim Creek, is reported missing. He was one of the passengers on board the lighter Clyo, and is supposed to have been caught in the rigging of the Clyo when it was sinking. All the Whim Creek and Balla Balla people are no accounted for.
POINT SAMPSON.
JETTY WRECKED.
Considerable damage was done at the Point Sampson wharf, some 60 fender piles and about 30 feet of the "T" head of the jetty being carried away. All the embankments were washed away from the bridges and culverts, and cargo will for some time to come have to be lightered and brought here via Cossack, as only two miles of marsh line will have to be repaired on that section. On the other there is about four miles of marsh line which is all flattened out.
Nearly all the telephone and telegraph poles are down across the marshes.
The state of affairs at Point Sampson was brought to Roebourne by a carpenter named Watson, who came through, swimming and walking, to obtain supplies for himself and others, who were on the job of repairing the jetty from a recent fire. The rotten state of these lines was reported months ago, but nothing was done to rectify matters. It will probably be three months, if not more, before vessels can come alongside Point Sampson jetty.
On Saturday morning Captain C.J.Irvine (Chief Harbourmaster at Fremantle) received a telegram from the wharfinger at Roebourne covering the information given above, adding that there had been no damage to the Roebourne shed or cargo excepting the new filling at the end. Owing to the damage at the Junction, Sampson, and Cossack lines, traffic was completely suspended, and the authorities anticipated having to fall back upon lightering from Cossack until the Sampson line was restored.
The Sampson jetty was severely damaged. It was impossible for shipping to come alonside unless the weather was very calm. The tramline was practically ruined, and the harbourmaster advised that cargo should be transhipped into lighters via Cossack for the present.
THE BULLARRA
A TEMPESTUOUS VOYAGE.
Fears were entertained for the safety of the Bullarra, but a telegram from Roebourne announced her appearance in Cossack Roads at noon on Saturday. The crew had a terrible experience battlin in the teeth of the gale. The Bullarra's funnel and a lifeboat were washed away and about 40 cattle were lost overboard. Happily the boat steamed into the roads without having loss of life to report. The crew and passengers speak highly of the pluck and seamanship displayed by the skipper (Captain Upjohn). The steamer is now safely anchored and the captain is awaiting orders from the agents.
OFFICIAL TELEGRAMS.
On Saturday telegrams were received by the Public Works Department indicating the damage the Point Sampson jetty had suffered, and that washaways had occurred on the Roebourne-Cossack railway. The telephone wires were down in almost every direction. Serious inundations had occurred on the Port Hedland foreshore. The effects of the storm had been felt at Geraldton.
ONSLOW SAFE.
Advices from Onslow state that the hurricane did not reach that place. Except for a strong breeze the weather is fine there. Broome also escaped the disaster. Half an inch of rain fell at Fortescue.
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| courtesy State Records Office, Western Australia, series 2357, cons 066 |
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| courtesy State Records Office, Western Australia, series 2357, cons 066 |
I have transcribed it as follows:
"A NOR'-WEST CYCLONE.
COASTLINE SWEPT.
TWO SHIPS WRECKED.
HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE.
MANY LUGGERS MISSING.
BIGGEST FLOOD FOR FOURTEEN YEARS.
Once again the nor'-west coast has been brought into sad and sudden prominence by the visitation of one of those terrible cyclones which from time to time swoop down so ruthlessly and play such havoc with life and limb as well as with property on land and sea. It is barely fourteen months ago since a gale off Cossack sent the tine barque Glenbank to her doom, permitting one man only out of her entire crew or 21 to reach the shore alive. An only four months before that Broome was visited by the most awful cyclone the town had ever known, causing damage estimated at over £ 30,000 and loss of life that in the case of one small fleet alone accounted for 23 men. On that occasion practically the whole length of the 90-mile beach was strewn with wreckage and for many days after the sea continued to give up its dead. And now again the roll have been called, and to the name of many a sailor, perchance not a few landsmen too, there is no response. One vessel, the Crown of England, has become a hopeless derelict, and the captain and but a small, a very small, remnant of her crew are reported to have been saved.
As usual, the pearling fleets have suffered much, and lugger after lugger seems to have met the fate of the larger vessel. Even the SS Bullarra only managed to get through the fierceness of the storm at the expense of a broken funnel. And there would seem to be even some anxiety as to the Koombana, for according to a telegram received from the Resident Magistrate at Broome the well-known steamer was then 72 hours overdue from Port Hedland. It is well, however, to remember that owing to the interruption to the telegraph line it is quite possible for the steamer to have arrived and for no word to reach the metropolis that she had done so. The disturbance commenced on Thursday, and appears to have been confined chiefly to that portion of the coast which lies between Roebourne and La Grange Bay, to the south of Broome. On Wednesday it was at its height, and was accompanied by such heavy downpours that by the third day nine inches of rain had fallen and the river Harding had risen higher than it has for 14 years. Tramlines have been washed away, and the Port Sampson jetty has been battered almost to pieces.
 |
| courtesy Google Earth |
If matters were bad ashore they must have been fifty times worse at sea, where every moment the waves were growing larger and more powerful, and the chances of safely riding out the gale more remote. One of .......(Crown of England) somewhere off Balla Balla probably on Depuch Island, and of whose entire crew only Captain Olsen and one or two men were saved. The captain himself stated that six of the crew were buried on the island, while the bodies of the mate and steward had been accounted for even before that. The ship Concordia is ashore intact, her entire crew having been saved; the lighter Steady is high and dry on Depuch Island; the Enterprise is in pieces and the Clyo has gone to the bottom. The pearling lugger Clara was beached off Depuch Island, ....
....and after spending a couple of days there two of her crew, Narkiachi and Sider, swam across to Balla Balla. The lugger Karrakatta was anchored close to the Clara when the latter drove ashore, and the Japanese survivors have expressed the opinion that she also went down. So far as can be ascertained in regard to these vessels seven men are still missing, and it is hoped that some of them at least may be found on the island, to which assistance has been despatched in the shape of a police cutter bearing, amongst others, Dr. Shelmerdine. From La Grange comes word of the total loss of the lugger Constance, owned by Mr. E. Hunter, all hands having been saved, and of the loss of at least four other boats of the same description. Exactly how many have perished as the result of the storm it will doubtless take some little time to ascertain, but that there has been a serious loss of life seems to be only too true. Further details should come to hand today from the various centres of communication.
BODIES WASHED ASHORE
COURT WITNESSES DROWNED
Roebourne, through which the news is slowly filtering, has a terrible story to tell of death and devastation. On Wednesday last the glass started to fall. On Thursday it continued to go down all day, and the wind raged with hurricane force. Nearly 9 inches of rain fell in twenty-four hours. The storm and rising river did not cause much damage to the town itself, but the tramline from the junction to Point Sampson and Cossack was washed away and the approaches to the bridge at Pope's Nose Creek disappeared.
A tragic note invested the proceedings in connection with a murder trial which was set down for hearing at Roebourne. Fourteen witnesses left Balla Balla on a lighter to catch the SS Bullarra at Depuch Roads, amongst them being Mr. Maginnis (Wharfinger for the Whim Creek Company at Balla Balla), and Mr. Thomas Hill (manager of the Federal Hotel, Whim Creek).
Mr. Maginnis took Messrs. Hill, Slavin, and Thompson out in the Whim Well motor launch. Messrs. Maginnis and Hill went aboard the lighter Clyo, but Slavin and Thompson returned on account of illness. Three lighters, including Steady Clyo, and Enterprise, were wrecked on Depuch Island. The dead bodies of Messrs. Hill and Maginnis were found along with that of the mate and steward of the Crown of England. It is possible that some survivors may be found on Depuch Island, but at Roebourne it is feared that not much can be hoped for in that direction. The police cuter sent out to investigate is expected to return shortly, when definite information will be available.
A message, addressed to the Chief Harbour Master at Fremantle, from the postmaster at Whim Creek, reads as follows:
"Mr. McDonald, assistant wharfinger at Balla Balla, reports a severe gale on the night of the 20th inst..The ship Crown of England is broken in pieces. The Concordia is on the beach intact, with fair prospects of refloating. The lighter Steady is high and dry on the island, unbroken. The lighter Clyo is sunk in shallow water, and the lighter Enterprise is broken in pieces. The bodies of Edward Maginnis, wharfinger Thomas J. Hill, also the first mate and steward of the Crown of England, have been recovered. Eight men are still missing from the Crown of England. All other passengers and crew supposed to be safe on Depuch Island. The pearling fleet in charge of Richard H. Thorley is sheltered in Balla Balla Creek. Captain Erikson, of the Concordia, and Messrs. Thorley and McDonald searched yesterday in heavy seas. Searching is going on today."
LUGGERS LOST
....Two Japanese- Narkiachi and Sider reported at Balla Balla yesterday morning that the lugger Clara was wrecked off Depuch Island on the night of 20th inst. Narkiachi and Sider were for three days on Depuch Island, and swam to Balla Balla reporting that four coloured med and one white of the crew were still missing. The worst is feared.
The lugger Karrakata, belonging to Mr. Talboys, and another lugger, supposed to be the Britannia, were anchored close to the Clara, but there was not trace of them after the blow. It is supposed that they sank, as the luggers could not live in such a sea. Two other luggers, names unknown, were ancored some miles off, and these also were not in sight after the blow. They have not been reported. So far as can be ascertained 11 bodies have been recovered. Captain Olsen of the Crown of England, and the remainder of the crew, arrived at Balla Balla on Saturday night, and reported having buried six of the crew on Depuch island on Friday. Messrs. Thorley and Armitage were to leave Balla Balla yesterday in luggers to make a further search.
The police cutter from Cossack arrived at Balla Balla yesterday afternoon, also in search of wreckage and bodies.
Robert M. Thompson, a recent arrival at Whim Creek, is reported missing. He was one of the passengers on board the lighter Clyo, and is supposed to have been caught in the rigging of the Clyo when it was sinking. All the Whim Creek and Balla Balla people are no accounted for.
POINT SAMPSON.
JETTY WRECKED.
Considerable damage was done at the Point Sampson wharf, some 60 fender piles and about 30 feet of the "T" head of the jetty being carried away. All the embankments were washed away from the bridges and culverts, and cargo will for some time to come have to be lightered and brought here via Cossack, as only two miles of marsh line will have to be repaired on that section. On the other there is about four miles of marsh line which is all flattened out.
Nearly all the telephone and telegraph poles are down across the marshes.
The state of affairs at Point Sampson was brought to Roebourne by a carpenter named Watson, who came through, swimming and walking, to obtain supplies for himself and others, who were on the job of repairing the jetty from a recent fire. The rotten state of these lines was reported months ago, but nothing was done to rectify matters. It will probably be three months, if not more, before vessels can come alongside Point Sampson jetty.
On Saturday morning Captain C.J.Irvine (Chief Harbourmaster at Fremantle) received a telegram from the wharfinger at Roebourne covering the information given above, adding that there had been no damage to the Roebourne shed or cargo excepting the new filling at the end. Owing to the damage at the Junction, Sampson, and Cossack lines, traffic was completely suspended, and the authorities anticipated having to fall back upon lightering from Cossack until the Sampson line was restored.
The Sampson jetty was severely damaged. It was impossible for shipping to come alonside unless the weather was very calm. The tramline was practically ruined, and the harbourmaster advised that cargo should be transhipped into lighters via Cossack for the present.
THE BULLARRA
A TEMPESTUOUS VOYAGE.
Fears were entertained for the safety of the Bullarra, but a telegram from Roebourne announced her appearance in Cossack Roads at noon on Saturday. The crew had a terrible experience battlin in the teeth of the gale. The Bullarra's funnel and a lifeboat were washed away and about 40 cattle were lost overboard. Happily the boat steamed into the roads without having loss of life to report. The crew and passengers speak highly of the pluck and seamanship displayed by the skipper (Captain Upjohn). The steamer is now safely anchored and the captain is awaiting orders from the agents.
OFFICIAL TELEGRAMS.
On Saturday telegrams were received by the Public Works Department indicating the damage the Point Sampson jetty had suffered, and that washaways had occurred on the Roebourne-Cossack railway. The telephone wires were down in almost every direction. Serious inundations had occurred on the Port Hedland foreshore. The effects of the storm had been felt at Geraldton.
ONSLOW SAFE.
Advices from Onslow state that the hurricane did not reach that place. Except for a strong breeze the weather is fine there. Broome also escaped the disaster. Half an inch of rain fell at Fortescue.
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