[Barker, Malcolm, Wreckage of S.S. Koombana found by searchers (unpublished), unpublished summary, c. 1984, copy provided to the author by Malcolm Barker]

WRECKAGE OF S.S. KOOMBANA Found By Searchers

1. A panelled door believed to be from the Chief Steward's, or possibly the Printer's room

situated at the Spar Deck on the Port side of the vessel facing forward

in the protected vestibule under the Hurricane Deck.

Found by the S.S. Gorgon at 10:15am, 2nd April 1912

Latitude 19 deg 10 min S Longitude 119 deg 06 min E.

2. Small pieces of wreckage - one a painting stage, others apparently small pieces of board

Seen by S.S.Gorgon (but not picked up) half an hour after picking up the door on 2nd April 1912

while steering 6 deg true West.

3. Red leather settee cushion from the Smoke Room (and perhaps part of a cabin drawer).

Found by S.S. MINDER00 at 9:30am on 2nd April 1912.

Latitude 19 deg 36 min S Longitude 117 deg 51 min E.

4. Bottom boards of a boat and a small teakwood panel.

Found by S.S. MINDER00 at at 4:30pm on 2nd April 1912.

Latitude 19° 32' S Longitude 118 deg 39' E.

5. Thousands of straw bottle envelopes from a consignment of empty bottles referred to as deck cargo.

No exact location given but both the GORGON and the MINDER00 were said to have passed through the floating straw.

S.S. BULLARRA reported on 3rd April 1912 that between 20 miles North of Bedout and 60 miles ENE of Bedout she had picked up:

6. The bow of a boat with the Adelaide Steamship Compamy badge on it.

7. The bottom boards of a boat

8. Life boat tanks

9. Life Belts

10. A ceiling panel from either the Smoking Room or the Saloon. A press report said Bullarra had seen oily and greasy water which might have come from the engine room.

11. A life-boat mast with ropes etc. intact attached, planks etc were picked up by S.S. UNA in a stationary position 33 miles NNW of Bedout, The material seemed to be floating up from the bottom of the sea.

12. Two life-boat air-tight tanks were picked up near Big Turtle Island by the lugger GLORIA VIOLET on 25th March 1912.

13. Two air-tight copper tanks were found by two luggers belonging to Mr A.G. Russell in the vicinity of Bedout arriving back at Broome on the 9th April 1912.