Cherry Venture
 The shipwreck in the 1970s |
|
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Cherry Venture |
| Route: | Auckland to Brisbane |
| Builder: | Lindholmens Varv, Gothenburg |
| Completed: | 1944 |
| Out of service: | 1973 |
| Fate: | Shipwrecked |
| Status: | Demolished |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 1600 |
Cherry Venture was a 1600 ton cargo ship of Scandinavian origin. It ran aground on Teewah Beach in South East Queensland, Australia on the 6 July 1973 and remained on the beach for 34 years until its removal in early 2007.
Contents |
[edit] Cause of the wreck
Cherry Venture was wrecked due to a combination of severe storms and a lack of cargo.[1] Buoys in the area recorded wave heights of up to 40 feet (12 m).[1] The unladen ship sat high in the water, which when combined with the high tides and strong swell propelled it to a point far enough up the sand that it could not be successfully re-floated, despite attempts that involved dredging the beach.[1][2]
On the day of the storm the ship was traveling from Auckland to Brisbane.
[edit] Salvage attempts
The wreck was subsequently purchased by Peter Vagellas an Australian entrepreneur who had intended to re-float to vessel and convert it into a luxury liner and floating casino to service the Great Barrier Reef. In 1977 there was a failed attempt to refloat the ship.[3] Eight salvage attempts over the next few years failed.[citation needed]
[edit] Public interest
The wreck was a popular stopping point for tourists en-route between Noosa and Fraser Island and has been photographed often.[4] Despite safety warnings describing the unsound nature of the structure visitors would often climb over the wreck.[3]
[edit] Removal
In late 2006 it was announced that the wreck would be demolished due to increasing dangers posed by the wreck, including exposed asbestos in the engine room.[5][6]
The removal process, which necessitated cordoning off a section of public highway which runs along the beach next to the wreck, began on 13 February 2007.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Shipwrecks in Australia, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
- ^ The Cherry Venture
- ^ a b "Cherry Venture to be removed next month". The Age. Fairfax Digital. 16 January 2007. http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Cherry-Venture-to-be-removed-next-month/2007/01/16/1168709731283.html. Retrieved 2008-01-30.
- ^ Flickr Tag for Cherry Venture
- ^ A Fading Queensland icon is about to receive its last rites.
- ^ Cherry Venture wreck to be removed from Teewah Beach
[edit] External links
Coordinates: 25°57′42.00″S 153°10′26.14″E / 25.96167°S 153.1739278°E
