It is extraordinary that after all that - the Inquiry process - this is what was produced.
"I have to report that the SS 'Koombana' was on a voyage from Fremantle to Derby calling at Ports en route with cargo and passengers. Port Hedland was reached on the 19th March, 1912, and after discharging cargo and landing passengers, she sailed on the 20th, at 10.40 a.m. for Broome. At this time the weather appeared to be a little unsettled but there were no indications of anything unusual, the wind at this time being easterly, fresh, and the barometer standing at 29.50. The ship was in good sea-going condition and the propellers well immersed. She was last seen by the Master of the 'Bullarra' at 1 p.m. who left Port Hedland 20 minutes later than the 'Koombana'. Both ships at this time were steaming in a northerly direction. After sunset the weather conditions deteriorated into a cyclone shortly after midnight."
There aren't an abundance of facts in this extract which contains a number of errors, intentional or otherwise.
1. 'The weather appeared to be a little unsettled...no indications of anything unusual...wind easterly, fresh... barometer 29.50.'
'Fresh' is 5 on the Beaufort Scale, a wind of 19-24 miles per hour. This is in sharp contrast with the following version:
A 'strong north-east gale' is 9 on the Beaufort scale, 47-54 miles per hour, which is significantly different from 5. In fact by 4 p.m. it had evolved into a heavy N.E. gale, which is presumably a 'whole gale' or 10 on the Beaufort scale, equating with uprooted trees and structural damage; all of this a mere 22 miles from Balla Balla.
The barometer stood at 29.50. However, a cattleman on Bullarra reported something quite different and significant in terms of anticipating a cyclonic event:
2. 'The ship was in good sea-going condition and the propellers well immersed.'
With all ballast tanks empty, a mere 260 tons of dead weight cargo, Koombana was in very light condition when she sailed; which would not have qualified her, in my opinion, for being in 'good sea-going condition'. The Court could only assume to what extent and how successfully the ballast tanks were filled and pressed up out at sea.
Furthermore, Koombana had only ONE propeller, which was unlikely to have been 'well immersed'.
3. She was last seen by the Master of the 'Bullarra' at 1 p.m. who left Port Hedland 20 minutes later than the 'Koombana'.
In fact, if Koombana had started to make significant progress to the north while attempting to fill tanks this would not have been the case. The fact that Bullarra was still in sight of Koombana by 1 p.m. implies that Captain Upjohn was holding back for some reason; either keeping an eye on Koombana rolling and pitching or simply that Bullarra stopped while crew ate lunch midday
4. 'Both ships at this time were steaming in a northerly direction.'
Initially this was the case as far as 3 miles from shore, then Bullarra headed towards the west. The comment made is somewhat bizarre. Had the Court experienced a loss of direction ??
Some might argue that they had, period !
"I have to report that the SS 'Koombana' was on a voyage from Fremantle to Derby calling at Ports en route with cargo and passengers. Port Hedland was reached on the 19th March, 1912, and after discharging cargo and landing passengers, she sailed on the 20th, at 10.40 a.m. for Broome. At this time the weather appeared to be a little unsettled but there were no indications of anything unusual, the wind at this time being easterly, fresh, and the barometer standing at 29.50. The ship was in good sea-going condition and the propellers well immersed. She was last seen by the Master of the 'Bullarra' at 1 p.m. who left Port Hedland 20 minutes later than the 'Koombana'. Both ships at this time were steaming in a northerly direction. After sunset the weather conditions deteriorated into a cyclone shortly after midnight."
There aren't an abundance of facts in this extract which contains a number of errors, intentional or otherwise.
1. 'The weather appeared to be a little unsettled...no indications of anything unusual...wind easterly, fresh... barometer 29.50.'
'Fresh' is 5 on the Beaufort Scale, a wind of 19-24 miles per hour. This is in sharp contrast with the following version:
' The steamer Bullarra sailed from Port
Hedland for Cossack via Balla Balla on
March 20, at 11 a.m., and encountered
a strong north-east gale on leaving the
harbor.'
A 'strong north-east gale' is 9 on the Beaufort scale, 47-54 miles per hour, which is significantly different from 5. In fact by 4 p.m. it had evolved into a heavy N.E. gale, which is presumably a 'whole gale' or 10 on the Beaufort scale, equating with uprooted trees and structural damage; all of this a mere 22 miles from Balla Balla.
The barometer stood at 29.50. However, a cattleman on Bullarra reported something quite different and significant in terms of anticipating a cyclonic event:
"I subsequently learnt that the glass was
extremely low, 28 something." 2. 'The ship was in good sea-going condition and the propellers well immersed.'
With all ballast tanks empty, a mere 260 tons of dead weight cargo, Koombana was in very light condition when she sailed; which would not have qualified her, in my opinion, for being in 'good sea-going condition'. The Court could only assume to what extent and how successfully the ballast tanks were filled and pressed up out at sea.
Furthermore, Koombana had only ONE propeller, which was unlikely to have been 'well immersed'.
3. She was last seen by the Master of the 'Bullarra' at 1 p.m. who left Port Hedland 20 minutes later than the 'Koombana'.
In fact, if Koombana had started to make significant progress to the north while attempting to fill tanks this would not have been the case. The fact that Bullarra was still in sight of Koombana by 1 p.m. implies that Captain Upjohn was holding back for some reason; either keeping an eye on Koombana rolling and pitching or simply that Bullarra stopped while crew ate lunch midday
4. 'Both ships at this time were steaming in a northerly direction.'
Initially this was the case as far as 3 miles from shore, then Bullarra headed towards the west. The comment made is somewhat bizarre. Had the Court experienced a loss of direction ??
Some might argue that they had, period !
 |
| courtesy State Office Records, Western Australia, series 2357, cons 066 |
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