The following is a long but by no means complete list of vessels lost in and around Newcastle during the past 200 years.
1 August 1808
The Dundee, making its way from Sydney to Fiji, battled against a gale attempting to enter Newcastle Harbour. It was washed onto Stockton Beach instead. Two lives were lost.
August 1826
The wreckage of Newcastle, a schooner was washed ashore after disappearing for almost a month. All nine people aboard were never seen again.
September 1827
Nine passengers on The Charlotte were killed when the ship wrecked on Stockton Beach.
March 1833
Two deaths were recorded when a second Charlotte was lost off the coast of Newcastle.
January 1838
All the souls aboard were lost when the sloop Elizabeth Gibbs disappeared between Newcastle and Sydney.
November 1856
After leaving Newcastle with a load of cargo, the Maria Theresa disappeared. No wreckage or passengers were ever recovered.
19 March 1864
Wrecked off Stockton Beach, the attempt to rescue passengers from the schooner Zone failed when its lifeboat overturned. Four lives were lost and four saved. The bodies of the Zone's captain and first mate were washed up on Stockton Beach the next say, still wearing their lifejackets, but two crewmen were never seen again.
2 June 1864
Seven lives were lost when The Waratah disappeared between Newcastle and Sydney.
12 July 1866
The Cawarra sank on the Oyster Bank during a storm period that claimed 14 other ships and 77 lives between Port Stephens and Sydney.
The Cawarra was the most tragic shipwreck, with 60 souls aboard, within meters of Stockton Beach the sea was so rough that only one passenger managed to stay above the water, a man name Frederick Hedges 31.
He told the inquiry into the shipwreck that, "Rounding Nobbys about 2pm, seas smashed the skylight and flooded the forcabin. The ship drifted over towards the Oyster Bank, her head pointing seaward. As she settled by the head, Captain Chatfield, passengers and crew were driven from the bridge to the poop. There was no panic.
A wave broke over the ship and she sank soon afterward. She did not first strike ground but foundered. Captain Chatfield had given an order to clear the boats. The first boat with eight or nine women soon capsized. The next boat fell straight into the water and all of its occupants were washed out. I was washed away and picked up at dusk" (Callen T. Bar Dangerous 1986:122).
The lifeboat deployed to save the Cawarra was in as much danger as the ship itself and had to return to dry land. The wreck of the Cawarra was salvaged, and 230 bags of flour, three hogshead of rum, 22 casks of wine and spirits, packets of tea, brass railings, parts if a winch and the anchor were recovered.
The ship broke into two sections and a section of the wreck was sold at action for 125 pounds. Remains of the Cawarra are still in Newcastle Harbour, underneath the wreck of Adolphe.
13 July 1866
Five people were lost when their boat Seagull, sunk off Nobbys. At 1am blue flares were seen out at sea and during the morning the stern section with the ships name visible, washed ashore on Stockton Beach.
9 May 1869
Six lost when Nancy sunk off Newcastle. On the same day the schooner Oriti and its crew disappeared off Stockton Beach.
12 December 1876
Nine lives lost when the Urainia sinks off Newcastle
