Source ABC Coffs Coast
A joyride in a stolen vehicle at Woolgoolga’s main beach has damaged to a century-old shipwreck, the 310-tonne timber barquentine “Buster”
An outline of what Buster would have looked like when it shipped timber in the 1800s. (Department of Primary Industries)
The Canadian-built, 39-metre vessel has been a prominent local landmark on the main beach since it washed ashore in 1893.
The barquentine departed Sydney for Woogoolga to load timber for various New Zealand ports. The construction of a jetty in 1891 saw a timber boom in the area. The vessel arrived safely but due to the blustery conditions could not get alongside the jetty. They put down two anchors and ran several hawsers to one of the offshore moorings.
Unfortunately over the next few hours conditions deteriorated rapidly and early on the morning of Friday 17th February the port anchor cable parted A storm smashed into the side of the boat, broke the anchor chain and swept her into heavy surf. Buster crashing onto the beach stern first. The crew escaped into the rigging. Dawn showed they were high and dry on the beach and they got down and walked to the jetty. The wreck slowly sank into the sand.
Two protruding parts signposted the buried wreck, which is only fully exposed during major storms every few years. The most prominent parts of the wreck were smashed off when a stolen car crashed into the wreck. The car was found abandoned at a nearby village.
Photo Brad Duncan