Wreck of the Dunbar

The other day I took a walk in Camperdown Cemetery in which the many of the remains of the victims of the Dunbar were buried. It is an interesting story and most visitors to the "Gap" are familiar with it as the salvaged Dunbar anchor is a reminder of the tragedy

The Dunbar

On August 20th,1857, Sydney experienced one of the stormiest nights recorded. In the height of that howling storm the " Dunbar," Captain Green from London, with a large number of passengers, was driven on to the South Head and with the exception of a seaman, James Johnston, all crew and passengers were lost. Johnston the sole survivor was washed on to a ledge of rock at the base of Jacob's ladder at the Gap. His rescue from his perilous position two days later by a brave young Icelander, Antony Wollier, is a thrilling story.

The Rescue: Antony Wollier, having been at Jacob's Ladder saw a man lying on a shelf of one of the rocks. He warned the rescuers above. A spar, a thick strong pole was run out over the cliff where Johnston was stranded. Double blocks, tackle and falls were rigged by many of the rescuers who most likely had nautical rigging experience. Wollier volunteered and risked his life to be lowered down where Johnston lay. Wollier found him and gear was sent down Johnston fixed himself securely and was safely hauled up in an exhausted state.

A coincidence in connection with Johnston, the sole survivor of the " Dunbar," is that the, nine years after his providential escape, when Light House Keeper at Newcastle, rescued the sole survivor of the " Cawarra," lost at Nobby's in 1866. Sydney has had many wrecks at the Heads, and our coasts unfortunately bear a long toll of shipping disasters, but no wreck in our history is so widely remembered as that of the "Dunbar

The Funeral: These remains were collected and accorded a public funeral on Monday, August 24th to St. Stephen's Cemetery, Camperdown. Business places along the route were closed and profund sorrow was manifested by the people. When the long funeral procession reached the churchyard darkness had set in, and the service had to be conducted by the light of improvised torches. The Government erected a monument over the remains of the " Dunbar " victims and those lost a few months later, 24th October, 1857, in the wreck of the "Catherine Adamson," at North Head. This monument is one of the features of the old churchyard and attracts many visitors to St. Stephen's.

Sources:

1887 'WRECK OF THE DUNBAR.—THE RESCUER.', The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), 25 August, p. 3, viewed 4 May, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13662087

 1923 'The Great Wreck.', Queanbeyan Age and Queanbeyan Observer (NSW : 1915 - 1927), 28 August, p. 2, viewed 4 May, 2012, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article31680866