Lady Elizabeth - Rottnest Island snorkelling

The Lady Elizabeth was a 658-ton composite barque - timber planking over iron framing - built at Sunderland in 1869 and regarded as one of the finest ships in the Fremantle-London trade. She left Fremantle on 25 June 1878 for Shanghai with sandalwood and lead ore, but days of gales drove her south, a man was swept overboard, and Captain Scott turned back for Fremantle. On the night of 30 June she struck reef in Bickley Bay and was driven in behind Dyer Island.

The pilot could not reach her until daybreak, when he took the rest of the crew and the captain's daughter, the only passenger, safely ashore. Much of the sandalwood broke free and was strewn along the coast as far as Bunbury.

The wreck lies on sand in about 7 metres of water in sheltered Porpoise Bay, on the shoreward side of Dyer Island. She settled on her starboard side and then collapsed outwards, so hull framing, deck beams, bollards, a windlass and a deck winch are all still recognisable - one of the few Rottnest wrecks that can be made out from the surface on a calm, clear day.

• Experience level: Advanced
• Depth: 7-9 m
• Access: Boat needed: beside Dyer Island, about 700 m off the south-east coast. It lies on the sheltered, shoreward side of the islet; the dive guide wants swell under 1 m and an easterly wind. On calm, clear days the hull can be seen from the surface (WA Museum trail leaflet). Protected wreck - look, but do not touch or remove anything.
• Historic Wreck (1878)
• Composite Barque
• Visible Hull & Framing
• Sandalwood Cargo
• Porpoise Bay
• Sandy Bottom

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