The enigma surrounding the disappearance of a ship lost approximately 120 years ago off the Australian coast has at last been unraveled. The SS Nemesis, carrying a cargo of coal bound for Melbourne in 1904, succumbed to a fierce storm off the coast of New South Wales, resulting in its disappearance alongside its 32 crew members. In subsequent weeks, the remains of crew members and fragments of the ship’s wreckage were discovered washing ashore. Still, the location of the 240-foot vessel remained a mystery until 2022, when a remote sensing company looking for cargo containers lost off the coast of Sydney accidentally stumbled upon it.
Initially, experts had a strong hunch that the found ship was the SS Nemesis, but it was when they were able to capture video imagery of the wreckage from a research vessel that it was confirmed. The video will be stitched together to create a 3D model that Heritage NSW can use to investigate the site further.
On 9 July 1904, the SS Nemesis set sail from Newcastle, Australia, loaded with coal. The 73-meter-long ship was bound for Melbourne but disappeared in rough seas somewhere off the coast of Wollongong, Australia’s southernmost city. The crew, including Australian and UK citizens and one Canadian, never made it to their destination. In the following weeks, bodies of the lost crew were found washed ashore on Cronulla Beach in Sydney’s south, while parts of the ship—including its doors and steering wheel—were discovered floating nearby. However, the location of the SS Nemesis remained unknown until 2022, when a remote sensing firm looking for lost cargo boxes off the coast of Sydney accidentally stumbled upon its ocean-floor wreckage.
CSIRO, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization of Australia, surveyed the area with advanced multi-beam echosounders and then sent down a drop camera to map the ocean floor and perform a visual inspection. The wreck is located toward the edge of the continental shelf and sits upright on the seafloor, but it shows significant damage and deterioration at its stern and bow. The CSIRO’s hydrographic surveyor, Phil Vandenbosche, says they were able to identify the SS Nemesis by comparing its dimensions with historical photos and sketches.
NSW Minister for Environment and Heritage Penny Sharpe praised the find, calling it “the resolution of one of Sydney’s most enduring maritime mysteries.” She added that she hopes the discovery will give peace to family members who were lost with the ship. She’s urging those with family connections to the lost ship to contact the government. As for those who lost their loved ones in the disaster, the government is offering financial compensation to eligible families. Only about half of the more than 200 shipwrecks off the coast of New South Wales have been found, highlighting the importance of ongoing maritime exploration and discovery. The discovery of the SS Nemesis is the first shipwreck to be found this year.