The Governor Musgrave Hulk

Little was known about the demise of a former South Australian vessel with a long history. It turns out that the steamship Governor Musgrave built in 1874 was made a coal hulk in Sydney in 1925.

According to the Australian National Maritime Museum, “The Governor Musgrave was a steamship built in 1874 by Mort's Dock & Engineering Co for the Marine Board of South Australia. It was known for its extensive coastal service, including repairs to jetties, investigating and attending wrecks, delivering stores to lighthouses, and special government commissions. After the Federation of Australia, the vessel was transferred to the Commonwealth and hulked in Sydney. The ship's tonnage was 266 gross, with dimensions of 130 feet in length, 21 feet in breadth, and a draught of 11 feet. It was notable for its jury rudder and was employed for various coastal services for many years.”

According to The Express and Telegraph 14th Apr 1915 on Trove, “The Marine Board steamer, Governor Musgrave, which left Port Adelaide on Friday for Cape Thevenard, with the hulk Endeavor in tow. reached her destination on Wednesday morning. Usually, the trip occupies only a few bours, but the steamer had to contend with stormy seas, which greatly impeded her progress.”

The State Library of South Australia web page features this photograph of the Governor Musgrave circa 1907: -

"Governor Musgrave" [B 10948]

(Source: https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+10948 )

According to the caption for the photograph, “The "Governor Musgrave" stranded on a sand bar near Port Germein. She was built at Mort's Dock in Sydney in 1874. Registry was cancelled in 1925 when she was converted to a coal hulk.”

A museum web page features a photo of “The Marine Board's SS GOVERNOR MUSGRAVE now a hulk in Sydney, 30 August 1933 (Object numberANMS1431[005])

According to the Microsoft Copilot AI Assistant, the Governor Musgrave spent “Her later years as a coal hulk in Sydney Harbour and eventual abandonment at Port Stephens.”

Further, “The Governor Musgrave’s remains are reported to still lie in the Duckhole area of Port Stephens, New South Wales, where she was abandoned in 1925. The wreck is listed in the Australasian Underwater Cultural Heritage Database and is protected under the NSW Heritage Act. However, she is not a popular recreational dive site today—her remains are considered scattered and largely uninspected, with no formal surveys confirming intact structure.”

And, “Protection: Covered by the NSW Heritage Act 1977, meaning disturbance or salvage is prohibited.

Condition: The wreck has not been formally inspected; reports suggest she was used as a lighter for timber storage before being abandoned.

Visibility Today: Unlike well-known dive wrecks (e.g., SS Adelaide or Macleay), the Governor Musgrave is not charted as a recreational dive site. Her remains are likely scattered, buried, or degraded, making her more of an archival wreck than a visible heritage attraction.”

A museum web page features a “Half block model of the vessel GOVERNOR MUSGRAVE, Maker Mort's Dock and Engineering Company (Australian, 1855 - 1968), Date1870s (Object number00037244)

This photo featured in a post on the Eyre Peninsula Yarns and Family History’s Facebook page by William Hudson is thought to show the SS Governor Musgrave at the Tumby Bay jetty: -

Garry Keywood’s “Wedge Island – An Unexpected History” features this photo of the Governor Musgrave: -