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Shipwreck Hunters Australia: The Mystery of Koombana, 1912

  • WA Maritime Museum Victoria Quay Road Fremantle WA 6160 Australia (map)

There is a long-held and ongoing mystery regarding the whereabouts of the luxury coastal passenger steamship SS Koombana (1912), lost in a cyclone between Port Hedland and Broome.

The impact of its disappearance has been felt by many WA families linked to the 157 crew and passengers lost, with this shipwreck representing the largest civilian maritime disaster in Australian waters. Immediately following the disaster, searches for the ship found only widely dispersed pieces of wreckage that gave no clues as to the wreck’s location.

Join WA Museum maritime archaeologists Dr Ross Anderson and Dr Deb Shefi, from the Shipwreck Hunters Australia Disney+ series, during National Archaeology Week 2023 for a discussion about the most recent 2021 expedition, and how the focus has narrowed towards the next stage of finding this elusive shipwreck.

See details of the dramatic story of the loss of Koombana and the recent search for the wreck site on Shipwreck Hunters Australia, now screening on Disney+ Australia.

This event is presented by the WA Maritime Museum in partnership with VAM Media and Terra Australis Films.

When: 2-3pm, Sunday 21 May 2023

Where: NWS Shipping Theatre, WA Maritime Museum, Victoria Quay Road, Fremantle WA 6160

For more information: https://visit.museum.wa.gov.au/maritime/shipwreck-hunters-australia-mystery-koombana-1912

To register: https://ticketing.museum.wa.gov.au/mm-shipwreck-hunters/koombana

Earlier Event: May 21
Aboriginal Heritage Walk
Later Event: May 22
Melbourne Lanes and Arcades Tour