A strange metal cylinder has appeared on Hungry Head beach, wedged into the sand cliffs carved by Dalhousie Creek near the Urunga Surf Life Saving Club's watchtower.
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The floods in February opened the mouth of the creek to the ocean, reshaping the contours of the beach and tossing up an array of flotsam and jetsam.
Local dogs were intrigued for weeks by the carcass of a calf at the Sandmines entrance, which presumably came down the Kalang or the Bellinger rivers and was taken and returned by the sea.
Massive amounts of timber also washed up, and some of it has been refashioned into a series of teepee constructions dotted along the shoreline.
But the cylinder is the most intriguing thing. Did it come from the sea, or has it been buried under the sand dunes for decades?
It's old and rusty, about six metres long and 65 centimeters in diameter. It has lugs in the centre, presumably for lifting it up.
When it was first described to local historian Ian O'Hearn, author of A history of shipping on the Bellinger River 1843-1937, he thought it might be the boiler from the S.S. Wollumbin.
Early on the morning of 10 November 1905, the steamship sprang a leak while conveying a load of timber from the North Coast to Sydney.
The inrush of water extinguished the fires driving its engines and the vessel sent up distress signals, which were noticed by the pilot station at Urunga.
Fortunately all aboard were rescued just before it foundered, and a tug managed to beach the wreck at Hungry Head so the insurers could pick its bones.
The contemporary account from the Sydney Morning Herald is stirringly written, so it is reproduced at the end of this article, despite being of dubious relevance.
Because after going to see the cylinder on the beach, Ian O'Hearn said it probably hadn't come from the 115-year-old wreck after all.
"This metal vessel looks like a ballast tank to me," Ian said. "It doesn't measure up to size of the boiler on the S.S. Wollumbin. Most likely that tank has been covered up in the sand dune for 30 or 40 years."
So, does anyone have any idea how it got there?
Update
Maritime Heritage in Sydney asked Derek Ridgely to send them more details about the cylinder on the beach so they can investigate further.
Derek, who has documented eight wrecks in our area, said he and Ian O'Hearn discussed whether the cylinder might be part of a king post from a ship's derrick, but they decided it is too short.
"It is probably part of a barge or perhaps a fuel storage canister as it has a very serious watertight hatch and is of very robust construction," Derek said.
"It's possible it came from the Wollumbin about 300 metres north, and if it is a historical artefact, it needs to be left alone."
It could also be something that's washed out of the river mouth and is not connected to the Wollumbin at all.
COASTAL SHIPWRECK. LOSS OF THE STEAMER WOLLUMBIN.
Sydney Morning Herald, November 11, 1905
SPRINGS A LEAK ON HER WAY TO SYDNEY. THE FIRES EXTINGUISHED. DISTRESS SIGNALS MADE FOR ASSISTANCE. THE VESSEL BEACHED. SENSATIONAL EXPERIENCES OF THE CREW. ALL HANDS SAVED.
"It is a vessel in distress sure enough," remarked the lookout at the Bellinger River Heads to Pilot Radcliffe just before break of day yesterday, and even as he spoke there was another boom of a gun, and still another rocket shot heavenward, indicating that help was urgently needed on the deep.
Eleven seafaring men at that very moment were anxiously straining their eyes in the direction of the shore, awaiting a response to the appeal, for their vessel - the well-known coasting steamer Wollumbin - was rapidly sinking beneath their feet.
Unable to assist themselves, for the inrush of water had already extinguished the fires, they relied solely upon aid being sent from the Bellinger.
"Thank God!" they exclaimed almost simultaneously a few minutes later, "our signals have been noticed," for an answering rocket at that moment made its appearance, giving the welcome assurance that the appeal for help had been heeded.
Still the position was one of great anxiety, for the Wollumbin was quickly settling down, and it was only too apparent to all that ere long she would founder in deep water.
The Wollumbin had loaded a full cargo of hardwood - about 200 tons - at the Tweed River, Woolgoolga, and Coffs Harbour, and was on her way to Sydney, when disaster overtook her.
During the early hours of yesterday morning she suddenly sprang a leak, and water made its way into the vessel at an alarming rate.
The bells were sounded at intervals of every few minutes, and all hands were engaged at the pumps.
Still the water continued to gain on the pumps, and Captain S. W. Muir resolved to run for the nearest port.
He turned his vessel round and steered a course for the Bellinger, which he had passed earlier in the morning.
Every man exerted himself to the utmost to keep the inflow in check, and the engineers and firemen bravely remained at their posts with the water almost waist high.
The furnaces were constantly fed, and the highest possible speed was got out of the Wollumbin's engines.
It was not long, however, before the water had reached the furnaces, and the fires were completely extinguished.
The vessel was now absolutely helpless, and everything depended upon assistance coming from the shore.
The hope had been entertained that sufficient steam would have been conserved to at any rate beach the vessel, but the inrush had been too great.
Guns were fired and rockets sent aloft for help, and in the meantime the officers and crew were preparing to abandon their vessel which by this time was quickly filling.
As soon as the signals of distress were noticed, at about 5 o'clock yesterday morning, Pilot Radcliffe ordered the steam tug Volunteer as well as the pilot boat to proceed at once and with all haste to the assistance of some vessel to the southward of the Bellinger Heads.
The instructions were promptly and cheerfully obeyed, and within the space of a few minutes both vessels were on their way.
ARRIVAL OF ASSISTANCE.
The decks of the Wollumbin were awash when the tug Volunteer reached her, and it was at once evident that she could not be safely towed to port.
The Wollumbin was quickly settling down by the head, and had a very heavy list.
Weighted with her hardwood cargo it was realised that at any moment she might founder liko a stone, and the fires having long been out, the distressed vessel was unable to lend any help.
Tho officers and men were therefore taken off the Wollumbin by the pilot boat, together with their effects and the ship's papers.
A line was next placed aboard the sinking vessel from the Volunteer, and it was decided to beach her at the nearest favourable spot.
The master of the tug steered a course for a fine sandy beach situated about two miles to the southward of the Bellinger Heads, and here the Wollumbin was beached bows on just in time.
Had assistance been sent a few minutes later the Wollumbin would have foundered at sea.
A TOTAL LOSS FEARED.
A telegram received late night from the pilot at the Bellinger indicated that there is very little hope of the hull being saved, and her owners in Sydney anticipate she will be a total loss.
The Wollumbin is full of water, and her position is stated to be "dangerous."
Captain S. W. Muir, the master of the Wollumbin, upon arrival at the Bellinger by the pilot boat, telegraphed to Mr. R. A. Bell, the manager of the North Coast Company, owners of the Wollumbin, giving the news of the disaster.
The Wollumbin, he added, had no passengers, and all hands had safely reached the shore.
Captain Muir did not indicate in his message the probable cause of the mishap.
SALVAGE OPERATIONS.
Captain C. C. Spinks, the chief surveyor to the Sydney Marine Underwriters' and Salvage Association, Limited, left Sydney yesterday afternoon by the steamer Burrawong for Trial Bay, where a steam tug will be in waiting today to convey him to the scene of the mishap.
The salvage appliances will be sent from Sydney today by the steamer Nerong.
Every effort will be made to refloat the vessel, but there is very little prospect of success.