COMMEMORATION OF 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF WRECK OF THE ADMELLA

A series of events have been held around the state in 2009 to mark the 150th anniversary of the wreck of the Admella. A dawn vigil was held in Port Adelaide at 5.30am on 5th August in memory of the SS Admella, which left Port Adelaide at that time (5.30am) on that day (5th August) in 1859. The ill-fated steamship was sailing to Melbourne but ran aground on Carpenter Rocks the next day (6th August) with the loss of 89 lives (including would-be rescuers). The 150th anniversary of the wreck of the Admella was also commemorated in Port Adelaide. It was commemorated at the The Navigator sculpture (an Admella Memorial), which is located at the Queen’s Wharf end of Timpson St, Port Adelaide. The sculpture The Navigator had been relocated there and that was unveiled for the ceremony. A few photos of the The Navigator have been posted at http://picasaweb.google.com.au/stevereynolds600/AdmellaMemorial. According to the web page found at http://www.dcgrant.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=289&c=6278, the Admella Commemoration Advisory Committee has recently taken possession of a large scale model of the S.S. Admella on behalf of the Port MacDonnell and District Maritime Museum. According to the web page found at http://www.admella.org.au/documents/MRAdmellaDiscoveryTrailJul09.doc,
timber salvaged from Beachport’s Jetty has been used to construct a series of interpretive markers which (have now been) installed along the South East coastline to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the wreck of the SS Admella. For further details about the Admella, visit http://www.admella.org.au/ .