The ship’s wheel from the Firefly is on display at
the City of Adelaide clipper ship in Port Adelaide: -
The Firefly was grounded adjacent to the Sir Charles Hardy Islands in the Gulf of Carpentaria 1861 under the command of Captain T. Kirby. According to this sign accompanying the ship’s wheel display, the wheel was donated by Mark Caudwell: -
The sign says that the Firefly was built in 1843 and that it was registered in Melbourne in July 1859. It also says that the ship was ‘lost with cargo’ “on 6th September 1861 …. off Sir Charles Hardy Islands-Albert”.
The ‘Albert’ bit refers to the fact that the vessel was
towed up the Albert River on Sir Charles Hardy Island.
The Firefly was being chartered by the Victorian government,
and it was bound for Brisbane whilst searching for the explorers Burke, Wills,
and King when it became wrecked. The ship struck sunken rocks and had to be
towed by the Victoria to Sweer's Island; it was later abandoned due to
its damaged state. The ship’s Registry was closed on 13th March 1862.
According to https://environment.gov.au/shipwreck/public/wreck/wreck.do?key=2506
, “The 'Firefly' was bound from Brisbane to the Gulf of Carpentaria on
the 24th of August 1861, in company with the colonial sloop Victoria…..
On board the 'Firefly' was William Landsborough and his search party.
“The Victoria and the Firefly were separated
in a gale on the 1st of September 1861. On the 3rd of September the Firefly
struck sunken rocks north of the Sir Charles Hardy Islands. The 'Victoria'
found the 'Firefly' on the east side of a reef, north of Sir Charles
Hardy Island, on the 5th of September. The 'Victoria' towed the 'Firefly'
off the reef ….. to Sweer's Island, thirty miles from Albert River in the Gulf
of Carpentaria, arriving on the 29th of September 1861.
“Landsborough later instructed that the 'Firefly'
should be towed up Albert River, to the junction of Norman River. At the hulk
of the 'Firefly' a depot for rescue parties was established by
Landsborough.
“It is assumed that the 'Firefly' was eventually
abandoned considering its damaged state. The Registry was closed on the 13th of
March 1862 with the statement: "Lost in the Gulf of Carpentaria some time
prior to January 1862"
Details about the Firefly are then given as: - Type
of vessel: Sailing vessel, Sailing rig type: Brig, Gross tonnage (imperial
tons):200.0.”
The Sir Charles Hardy Islands are said to be “a small group
of islands located about 40 kilometres east of Cape Grenville, off the coast of
Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. (They) …. are situated within a
reef system of the same name, adjacent to Pollard Channel and Blackwood
Channel. They are approximately 60 miles southwest of Pandora Entrance, a
passage through the Great Barrier Reef.”
According to https://www.burke.qld.gov.au/Our-Region/History/The-Firefly-Boat-Site
, “The 250-ton brig Firefly captained by T. Kirby was chartered to carry
Landsborough, his party and their supplies to last for six months in the search
for Burke and Wills, before proceeding on to Surabaya. It was considered that
Burke would have attempted to make a straight course from Eyres Creek to the
Albert (River?), and so the Albert was selected as the starting point. She
sailed from Melbourne on 29th July 1861. It was to be an eventful journey.
“After loading 30 horses and forage, on the 24th August 1861
they left Brisbane to sail for the Gulf in company with the H.M.C.S. Victoria
captained by Commander W. H. Norman.
“A hurricane struck near Reine Island, and '...it was
evident we were in great danger, but my officer and crew did their duty well
and showed no fear; the explorers were however, completely upset, and bewailed
their fate to such an extent that I really pitied them and endeavoured to keep
up their .spirits as far as possible as I feared their terrors might affect the
crew... ' was the Captains view of the situation.
“Somewhat later the Firefly grounded adjacent to Sir
Charles Hardy's Islands: '...Riot and drunkenness became the order of the day
... Sailors drank, Law and order set at defiance'...' says Landsborough's
journal, '...Decks were covered with cases of spirits, wine, beer ... and the
crew on the island very much the worse... for liquor ...' reported Captain
Norman referring to the Firefly’s crew; '...the sailors of the Victoria
... broke into the hold of the Firefly and were drunk for days and ...
plundered the ships stores...' responded Captain Kirby. It would never be
resolved which crew was responsible for these actions.
“The upshot of all of this was the ultimate salvage of the Firefly;
all but one of the horses had been saved by the expedient of cutting a hole in
the vessel's side and then leading and swimming them out The hulk was taken in
tow by the Victoria after whatever repairs were possible, with the
horses reinstalled. On Sunday 27th September both ships anchored in
Investigator Road, adjacent to Sweers Island, where they found the Gratia
and Native Lass, under charter to the Victorian Government, with stores
and coal to bunker the Victoria. A camp was established on the island as
a land base.
“Lieutenant Woods and Landsborough went to find a channel
into the Albert suitable for landing the horses and supplies. This they did and
all hands then faced the problem of manoeuvring the Firefly upstream to
it. After three weeks they managed to coax the Firefly to the spot.
Later she was moved to a channel close to the west bank where she could be
pumped out and kept upright to serve as accommodation for some of the party.
“The Firefly became the first ship to have entered the
Albert River. When the expeditioners finally left, the Firefly was left
to slowly rot and disappear under the murky waters of the Albert River.”
