Shipwreck proposed for Tasmanian Heritage Register

A depiction of the Cataraqui sinking by Julian Rossi Ashton.

The Cataraqui Shipwreck, Memorial and Grave Site (THR#11998) located on King Island is the first shipwreck site to include a land-based element to be entered on the Register, following a nomination from a member of the local community.

The 1845 wreck of the Cataraqui remains the largest civilian maritime disaster in Australian history, with over 400 people losing their lives.

The place is significant for demonstrating the shipping hazards of Bass Strait and in combination with the other nearby shipwrecks, prompted the development of navigation aids in Bass Strait.

There are two memorials that commemorate the wreck and the lives lost, one on the shore overlooking the wreck site, and a second marking the location of a mass grave for victims.

The Tasmanian Heritage Register contains almost 5,000 places of heritage significance to Tasmania.

Tasmania’s rich collection of built heritage creates land and streetscapes that are uniquely Tasmanian and contribute strongly to the Tasmanian brand.