Eliza RamsdenMaxdepth: 14 22m
Experience: Level: 2
Owned by the Reverand Samuel Ramsden and named after his wife. Site layout:
E-W orientation, Bow to west towards Point Lonsdale, in 21m
Points of interest:
A 3 masted iron barque, 395 ton, 46.2m long x 8.23m wide
Built in Glasgow, Scotland
Launched in 1874
On July 24th, 1875, barely one year old, she left Melbourne, arrived at Queenscliff but could not contact a pilot
to guide them through the Rip.
She tried to tackle it alone but struck Corsair Rock.
By early next morning, she had drifted off the rock
Crew tried to beach her near Nepean Bay but were unsuccessful and she sunk in the South Channel.
All crew were safely evacuated
One of the crew members was Tom Pearce, later to become famous as one of only two survivors in the sinking
of the Loch Ard near Port Campbell in 1878.
The mast and deck have been blasted to reduce the shipping hazard but the hull and bow are intact.
the bow stands seven metres out of the sand. Try kneeling on the sand in front of it and looking up. It's quite
eerie.
iron stanchions (deck supports) run along centre
Inside the hull are many bluestone blocks, which the ship used for ballast
old donkey boiler near bow
many colourful fish -blue devils, wrasse & cuttlefish and invertebrate life
Ramsden Reef extends North from the stern for about 60m
At each end it breaks into rubble and sand, levelling at 20m in the east and 30m at the western end
On the reef can be found Large Leatherjackets, Sweep, Trumpeter, Trevally and Blue Devil fish
Gorgonian corals and crayfisn can also be found under the ledges
The Reef slopes at about a 60degree angle down to a sandy bottom and undercut caves are present in parts
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