South East Family History Group

14 Stuckey Street, Millicent, South Australia 5280

URL: www.sefhg.org

Email: info@sefhg.org

Stones, Plaques & Memorials

CAPE BANKS, CARPENTER ROCKS, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA

Researcher/Photographer: Gwen Waters

Place	Inscription	Surname or Organisation
Baudin & Flinders Plaque Cape Banks Carpenters Rocks South Australia Australia	Canunda National Park A Tribute to Baudin and Flinders On 2^nd April 1802 Captain Nicholas Baudin in the French ship Le Geographe passed this cape…. On the 8^th April he met Captain Matthew Flinders on the HMS Investigator. The voyages of Baudin and Flinders in 1802 and 1803 completed the mapping of New Holland – the Great South Land. Most places along the South Australian coast are a legacy of their explorations. Flinders named the continent in his first general chart of Australia completed in 1804. Baudin died at Mauritius in September 1803 on his homeward voyage. Britain and France were at war and his discoveries and scientific achievements were largely ignored. On the return of the French expedition the remarkable collections of living plants and animals gathered under his direction were presented to the Empress Josephine for her estate at Malmaison outside Paris. Encounter 2002 pays tribute to the French and British voyages of discovery, which laid the foundation for Australian science and made possible the settlement of South Australia in 1836.	BAUDIN FLINDERS
Bicentenary Naming Plaque Cape Banks Carpenters Rocks South Australia Australia	In commemoration of the Bicentenary of the sighting and naming of Mount Gambier, Mount Schank, Cape Northumberland and Cape Banks on December 3^rd By Lieutenant J Grant	GRANT
Cape Banks Lighthouse Cape Banks Carpenters Rocks South Australia Australia	Cape Banks Lighthouse built 1882 Listed below are the ships known to have been wrecked on the treacherous hidden reefs within a few kilometres of this point. 1855 Iron Age 1858 Verone 1859 Admella 1865 Troas 1870 Flying Cloud 1876 Agnes 1877 Edith Haviland 1882 Helen 1892 Glenrosa 1894 Aeolus 1921 Lemael 1951 Corio Plaque erected 1986
Cape Banks Lighthouse Cottages Cape Banks Carpenters Rocks South Australia Australia	Cape Banks Lighthouse Cottages Originally the Cape Banks light station was a relatively small station with only two keepers, quarters and shed, a store and the lighthouse itself. These buildings were all separate with the residences ‘below’ the lighthouse in a depression presumably to provide some degree of protection from the elements. From Parliamentary Papers No40 1883-84 “…About five chains north of the tower (lighthouse) two stone cottages have been erected for the keepers, each containing four rooms and a kitchen and each cottage has a 5000 gallon rainwater tank. The contractors for the work were Messrs Goss and Lambert and the lighthouse was designed by the Engineer in Chief (Mr HC Mais), the work being carried out under his supervision. The cost of the buildings etc including erection of the lantern was £3,770 which was defrayed from the Loan Act No 227 1881. The lighting of the SE Coast of the province may now be said to be perfect and it is with very great pleasure that the fact is recorded.” The cottages and store building were demolished in 1928 when the lighthouse was de-manned. Supported by the South Australian Government through the History Trust of South Australia. Produced by Carpenter Rocks Progress Association.	GOSS LAMBERT MAIS
Admella Memorial Cape Banks Carpenters Rocks South Australia Australia	Near dawn on August 6^th 1859 SS Admella struck a reef about four kilometres north west of here and in a short time broke into three sections losing all her lifeboats. After numerous brave but fatal attempts to reach the shore a little over a kilometre away two seaman Leach and Knapman on the second day struggled through the raging surf and set of for Pt Macdonnell. The next day telegraph from Mt Gambier sounded the general alarm. For a week she lay helpless while steamers that were attempting a rescue and people on the shore were frustrated by the elements and watched helplessly as one by one the passengers and crew dropped from exposure and exhaustion to a watery grave.	LEACH KNAPMAN
Southern Ocean Shipwreck Trail Information Board Cape Banks – A Watery Grave Cape Banks Carpenters Rocks South Australia Australia	The Admella was the finest steamer of the Australian coasting fleet in 1859. It was carrying 113 people on this voyage, destined to be its last. Some were travelling to the Victorian goldfields, some to family reunions and some to a Melbourne horse race. Most would never reach their destinations. Below is a fragment of time from the eight days that the survivors clung to the wreck. Friday 5^th August 1859 Admella stands off at Glenelg to allow for any leaving or joining passengers…there are none…and continues down Gulf of St Vincent Saturday 6^th August ….5am,,,foggy cold and like the teeth of a saw, Carpenter Rocks breaks Admella into three sections, one mile from shore. Shocked passengers cling to the rigging in their night clothes; others are washed away….three deperate attempts to reach the shore fail. Sunday 7^th August …two children drown strapped to their father’s back as he attempts to haul himself from the fore to the safer aft section; fifteen succeed. After three hours on a raft, two reach the shore and stumble off for help. Monday 8^th August …many suffering from exposure with swollen and painful limbs…three thimblefuls given to each survivor of desiccated milk, currants and brandy. News of the disaster finally reaches the Adelaide Post Office. Tuesday 9^th August …rescuers arrive on the beach. Almonds distributed on the wreck…many chew strips of lead to ease their thirst…a screaming survivor dives into the sea having drunk seawater…more die quietly during the night, rolling off the deck or dropping from the rigging. Wednesday 10^th August 1859 …less than half remain…sea conditions worsen…some wait for death with glassed eyes; others talk of worldly possessions. The shore party repair one of Admella’s washed up boats with soap and canvas, and try in vain to reach the vessel. People die throughout the day. The steamer Corio arrives. Thursday 11^th August …resuce attempts by the shore party and Corio’s pilot boat fail. More die of cold and starvation including two of the remaining women. More rescuers arrive on the beach, swelling the number to over one hundred…. Friday 12^th August …sea mountainous. Corio departs for more coal. The Ant and the Ladybird arrive towing the Portland lifeboat and a whaleboat. Survivors described as ‘looking like seals perched on a rock’…almost beyond caring and too weak to assist the first rescue attempt…many vow to not live past the next afternoon. Thirty remain… Saturday 13^th August …thoughts of cannibalism ,,,thoughts of suicide…more die during the night. Two rescue boats from shore reach Admella… a line is thrown and four survivors drag themselves along it,,,three survive. Boats from the waiting vessels arrive… and those remaining also find the strength to lower themselves down a line to safety. Twenty four survive the wreck. Postscript Hurtle Fisher, one of the passengers who survived the ordeal lost almost 22 kgs in body weight. His horse named ‘The Barber’, one of six horses on board, survived. On the 2^nd October 1859 ‘The Barber’ ran in the inaugural Championship Sweepstake in Melbourne. Although it didn’t win the race it was known as a ‘champion swimmer’.	FISHER