Lots of ships (more than 15) came to grief while trying to ship coal from Bellambi NSW, or while trying to avoid the reef.

The area is quite exposed and can only be dived when the seas are relatively calm, generally during Westerly or WNW winds. The ESE point has heaps of scattered wreckage, the wreck they came from too difficult to determine. The area is near a sewerage works, but recently this has been upgraded and water quality has improved. The site should be avoided after heavy rain. The reef is largely barren but some spots still have very large blue groper. From shore to the outer most visible bommie is covered in green seaweed and a series of gutters can be found also with some larger fish. The reef can be subject to strong currents at times and caution is needed.

Aldinga

3-4M

The Aldinga was an iron screw steamer, 447 tons, 61.75m in length, built at Greenock, UK in 1860. The iron steamship had 2 funnels and was rigged as a 3 masted barque. She was built by Scott of Greenoch for McMeckan, Blackwood & Co in partnership with S White of Aldinga, Adelaide and J Darwent also of Adelaide. She was modified in 1862 to 446 gross. She worked the Tasman run to Otago. She was altered during 1887 with the passenger accomodation removed as well as one funnel and two masts. She was sold in August 1877 to Adelaide steamship Co. She was laid up until 1883 then placed on collier run by E Vickery who traded as the Mount Kembla Coal Co., of Sydney.

She struck the outer edge of Bellambi Reef on 20 Jan 1896 on a voyage from South Bulli with coal for Wollongong. The Master, Allen Boyle and 7 crew all survived.

An inquiry was held by the Marine Board into the cause of the loss of this vessel, owned by the Mount Kembla Coal Company. She left Wollongong half loaded with coal, at midnight of the 21st instant, bound for South Bulli, and she was waiting off and on for daylight to go alongside the wharf, when she struck the outer edge of Bellambi Reef, and soon after became a total wreck. The night was dark and misty, with a fresh breeze from the S.E. A

The Board reported that the wreck of the “Aldinga” was caused by the wrongful act or default of Hector Allan Boyle, the master, in not using the lead, or otherwise taking sufficient precautions to secure the safety of his vessel whilst she was lying to, waiting for daylight to go alongside the coal jetty; and they suspended his master’s foreign-going Certificate of Service for three months.

Wreckage is scattered on the eastern tip of Bellambi Reef and mixed up with the “Saxonia”. The vessel had a new compound engine fitted in 1883 which can be used to identify the site.

Breadalbane was a wooden barquentine, 214 tons gross, 31.9m in length, built at Cape Breton, Baddock, Canada in 1854. Registered at Sydney as folio 33 of 1862, Official No. 4633.

Duke of Wellington – Capsized while standing off Bellambi during a storm on 14 June 1863 while in ballast and under the command of Capt Edward Hebner. The wooden brigantine, 88 tons, 21.5m in length, built at a time and place unknown, had once operated as a slave trader in Brazil. Registered in Sydney as folio 73 of 1863, Official No. 32535.

Excelsior – Wrecked 180m offshore at Bellambi on 21 Oct 18 59 when the wind changed and then failed. Excelsior was on a voyage from Bellambi to Melbourne with coal under the command of Capt J Lewis. The wooden barquentine, 273 tons, was registered at Topsham, UK.

Hannah – Wrecked on Bulli Beach, 1/2 mile north of Bellambi Jetty on 26 April 1870. Hannah was on a voyage from the Shoalhaven to Sydney with a cargo of farm produce. The wooden schooner, 43 tons, 18.1m was built at Brisbane Water, NSW in 1864. Registered at Sydney as folio 8 of 1864, Official No. 46459.

Little Pet – Struck Bellami Reef 13 June 1885 and became a wreck. The wooden schooner was built at North Sheilds, UK,1851. Registered at Sydney as folio 44 of 1864, Official No. 32383. Llewellyn – Ran aground at Bellambi Reef on 23 May 1882 while on a voyage from Sydney to Wollongong in ballast. and with 3 passengers. No lives were lost. The wooden screw steamer, 478 tons gross, 47.24m was built at Woolloomooloo, Sydney in 1875. Registered in Sydney as folio 24 of 1877, Official No. 71828.

Munmorah – Ran aground on the inner reef at Bellambi Point on 18 May 1949 while on a voyage from Sydney to Bellambi in ballast and under the command of Capt K. Knutsen. The Captain and 17 crew all survived. Registered in Sydney and Official No.157618 the steel screw steamer was built at Leith, UK, 1934. The wreck lies 548m, 1330 from the Bellambi Jetty.

Norman – A navigation error lead to the loss of the Norman on Bellambi Reef on 28 Aug 1895. The wooden schooner was on a voyage to Sydney from Wollongong with 81 tons of coal. The crew of 5 survived. The Norman, 51 tons, 20.8m, was built at Lake Macquarie, NSW in1880. Registered in Sydney as folio 15 of 1880, Official No. 75056,

Ocean Queen – Wrecked on the south side of Bellambi harbour in a strong southerly on a voyage from Sydney to Bellambi in 1860. The wooden brig 120 tons, 23.29m was built in Canada in 1844. Registered in Sydney as folio 21 of 1855, Official No. 32417. Prospector – One person died when the wooden schooner sank in chains during a gale at Bellambi on 17 Nov 1860 while preparing to leave Bellambi with coal. Built at the Macleay River in 1854, 56 tons, 20.24m. Registered in Sydney as folio 130 of 1854, Official No. 32381, Reaper – Beached after being blown south while on a voyage from Richmond River to Sydney with a cargo of cedar on 11 June 1864. the wooden schooner, 39 tons, 15.54m, was built on the Manning River, NSW in 1852. Registered in Sydney as folio 31 of 1853, Official No. 32311.

Resolute – This wooden screw steamer ran aground at Bellambi Reef, about 1 mile offshore while in ballast on a voyage from Sydney to Kiama for ‘blue metal’. Built at Auckland in 1883, the Resolute was registered at Sydney as 113 of 1883, Official No. 83800.

Saxonia – A victim of the ‘Maitland gale’ and a navigation error lead to the loss of this iron screw steamer on Bellambi Reef on 17 May 1898. The coal for Bulli was lost but the 14 crew survived. the steamer was built at Hull, UK in 1856, 357 tons gross, 49.49m. Registered in Sydney as folio 42 of 1896.

Victoria Packet – Anchor chains parted and the 170 ton vessel drove ashore near the mouth of Bellambi Creek in September 1859 after a voyage from Melbourne. The 28.96m barquentine, was built in Tasmania in 1850. Registered in Sydney as folio 76 of 1853, Official No. 31646.

Visibility on the site is usually poor due to the proximity of the site to a cement works jetty. Barges deposit loads of lime sands at the end of the jetty for dredging into the factory. Consequently a fine milky suspension cloud repeatedly moves over the site, sometimes reducing visibility to less than 30 cm. A south-westerly breeze is necessary to clear the site entirely. The site is protected against swell and rough wave conditions during all weather with the exception of a north-westerly wind.