'Arthur', 1883

Crossing bars at the entrance to inlets or rivers was always a risky undertaking for small sailing ships. On 15th January 1883, the 61-ton ketch Arthur with two tons of cargo on board tried to enter the Wagonga Inlet. Its captain later testified at a Maritime Board enquiry that ‘the craft stood off and on till it was thought desirable to take the bar… There was a fresh breeze blowing as they were making for the bar, but this died away, and the vessel lost her steerage way, went aground around 7pm, and became a total wreck. After the vessel grounded, ropes were run across to the rocks, but were carried away. No lives were lost.’ The Arthur had been built in 1879 on the Manning River.