Storm exposes wreck of steamship SS Bodalla at Narooma

Graeme Sawyer said he went out for a dive on Tuesday and found that the wreck has been exposed by the huge swells that pounded the Narooma bar breakwater walls last month.

The SS Bodalla is located in 5 metres of water or less at what is known as “Rounding Rock” just adjacent to the better known “Australia Rock” on the southern side of the Narooma bar entrance.

Mr Sawyer has dived on that spot many times over the years but this was the most he had ever seen the wreck exposed.

“I am pretty sure it is has to be the wreck of the SS Bodalla as I have seen it partially covered many times but never like this,” he said. “It’s lying totally exposed on the bare rock and the sand has been pushed all the way back.”

Mr Sawyer on Tuesday saw lots of timber and even machinery lying on the seafloor and the wreck site covered an area of about 18 metres by 6 metres.

Local historian Laurelle Pacey said the 166-ton SS Bodalla ran onto rocks at the entrance on Saturday evening, January 19, 1924 at the height of Narooma's short tourist season.

Ms Pacey covered the history of the SS Bodalla in her book Narooma’s Past – steamers, sawmills and salmon and here is an excerpt: 

“She grounded while crossing the bar in slight seas but strong winds. After attempts to back her off failed, the winds and swell drove her onto the rocks. The ship's back broke in two places and salvage was considered hopeless.

“Captain Jackson, the 14 crew and four passengers reached shore safely via a plank over the bow. The ship was a total loss. Pilot Charles Knott was on holidays at the time.

“Slight to moderate seas followed allowing for some cargo to be taken off the ship, but the 24th brought heavy seas and the Bodalla started to break up rapidly and one half of her went.  Some goods were carried in with the tides and up the inlet.

“The Bodalla had taken on a load at Moruya on the way to Narooma, including 1,000 Bodalla Company cheeses packed in cases and carried on deck. Some was recovered thanks to the crew who took the cheese out of any unsmashed cases and passed them from one to another on to the rocks before they left the ship.

“The wreck was sold at Narooma Heads by auction on 23 January to shipbreaker William Waugh of Balmain for only £50; the ship had been worth an estimated £11,000.”

The Lighthouse Museum at the Narooma Visitor Information Centre has artefacts salvaged from the wreck of the SS Bodalla on display. Ms Pacey said local abalone diver Bob Kershaw who died in the past week had recovered these from the wreck site not long before the Narooma breakwaters were built in the mid 1970s.

Mr Sawyer said these days declared wreck sites are protected by law and it is illegal to remove anything from them. He is informing the Batemans Marine Park Authority and the Heritage Office of his discovery. 

Other known wrecks in the Narooma include the Lady Darling lying in 31 metres of water south of Narooma off Mystery Bay. 

The following is from the Moruya and District Historical Society blog:

NEW STEAMER – The s.s. “Bodalla,” which is being built for the Illawarra and South Coast S.N. Co., Ltd., by Messrs. Morrison and Sinclair, of Balmain, is expected to be launched about the third week in July, and will be in commission in October. The “Bodalla” is a twin screw passenger and cargo steamer of 550 tons and is a sister ship to the “Benandra.” The policy of the Company in arranging for passenger accommodation even in the smallest of their vessels, and which has found favour with the general public, has been followed in the “Benandra” and “Bodalla”. The “Bodalla” has been built expressly for the Moruya and Narooma trade, and as her name implies, special provisions have been made for the carriage of cheese. She will, like the “Benandra,” carry a large dead weight of cargo on a light draught. The contract speed of the vessel is 9 knots loaded, and it is expected that she will do this comfortably.   27/6/1914

And according to the Trove website of the National Library of Australia, her sister ship the ‘Benandra’ also had some trouble on the Narooma bar only weeks later.

The Sydney Morning Herald on February 16, 1924 published this: The steamer Benandra, belonging to the Illawarra and South Coast Steam Navigation Co., Limited, and a similar vessel to the Bodalla, struck the Narooma bar yesterday afternoon, not far from the spot where her sister ship became a total wreck a few weeks ago. The Benandra arrived off Narooma at 9 o'clock yesterday morning, and stood off for some hours awaiting high tide. It is only possible to negotiate the channel at within half an hour of high tide, and at 2 o'clock the Benandra commenced to cross in. According to a message received late yesterday by the Department of Navigation, the Benandra struck the bar shortly after 2 o'clock, and grounded on the beach, with her stern to seaward. Only a slight sea prevailed. The striking of the bar by the Benandra is the third happening recorded within a few weeks. The steamer Kianga struck the bar recently, and sustained damage estimated at £750, and the Bodalla became a total wreck after striking at the entrance.