["An Echo from the Cradle of the Deep", Northern Territory Times and Gazette (Darwin, NT), Tuesday 03 October 1922, page 3]
An Echo from the Cradle of the Deep
After many years the mystery surrounding the sudden disappearance of the steamer Koombana, some time in March 1912, is about to be solved.
During her recent trip up the north-west coast, steaming quietly along in a smooth sea, between the mainland and Bedout Island, with the chart showing 66 fathoms of water, the S. S. Bambra suddenly struck an obstacle. Her bow rose up, the vessel slid along with a grating sound, and then fell again; the stern dropped with a plunge that brought the water up into the scuppers. When the ship first struck the obstacle she rolled over so alarmingly to the starboard that it was thought that she would roll clean over. On arrival at Broome, however, and when high and dry on the mud at low tide an examination was made and the ship found to have sustained no damage. It was evident, therefore, that the Bambra had not scraped over an uncharted rock. The absence of any damage was naturally surprising, and the incident created much comment at that port until the information was volunteered by a local pearlshell fisher that sometime during last year he was pearling in the vicinity of Bedout Island, and on one occasion he descended into the water and landed right on the deck of a large sunken steamer! He stated that he was so scared by the uncanny surroundings, that he held his peace after coming to the surface and moved operations to another spot!
It is not unlikely, therefore, that obstruction encountered by the Bambra was the remains of the ill-fated steamer Koombana. This vessel, it will be remembered, was lost in the great blow in March, 1912. The vessel was specially built for the north-west trade by the Adelaide Steamship Company, and was the most luxuriantly fitted vessel on the coast. In the teeth of the blow she left Port Hedlaud at mid-day with 137 passengers on board and was never heard of again, nor was any wreckage ever discovered except a red morocco covered cushion from the smoke room. She must have been swamped and swallowed up in a raging sea with such violence and suddenness that everything wet down with her, leaving no trace, except the red cushion, of her tragic end. And she has rested there ever since, until a combination of circumstances caused the Bambra to disclose the scene of the tragedy.
There seems to be no doubt that this is the wreck of the long lost Koombana. There have, of course, been many vessels lost off the north- west coast but the wrecks of all large vessels, except the Koombana, have been located.
It is understood that H.M.A.S. Geranium is to leave to-day to investigate and locate the obstruction.
