AH-WR-0271

SS Australasia

Bulk Freighter · United States · Lost 1896 · Door County & Lake Michigan

The largest wooden freighter of her day, burned to a total loss off Cana Island while carrying coal in 1896.

Become Captain of Record See Shipwreck on Map

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Documented Likeness. Drawn from surviving builder's plans or clear photographs of this vessel. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

Australasia was the largest wooden vessel on the Great Lakes at her 1884 launch, competing successfully against newer steel freighters through efficient consort towing. In October 1896, loaded with coal, she caught fire off Cana Island and burned to a total loss near Sevastopol, Wisconsin. Her remains were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.

Vessel

Built: 1884
Registry: US Registry #106302
Builder: James Davidson
Yard: West Bay City, Michigan
Material: Wood
Length: 285 ft
Beam: 39 ft
Tonnage: 1829
Propulsion: Steam, fore-and-aft compound engine
Owners: Corrigan Transit Company

Loss

Date: October 18, 1896
Cause: Fire
Location: Lake Michigan near Cana Island, Door County, Wisconsin
Water: Lake Michigan
Voyage: Cleveland, Ohio → Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Cargo: 2,200 tons of soft coal
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: 0
Master: Not established

The Wreck Today

Depth: Not established
Condition: Broken hull remains visible in shallow water
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (2013)

Position

Coordinates: 44.920° N 87.186° W
Accuracy: Surveyed position
Nearest: Sevastopol, Door County, Wisconsin
Region: Door County & Lake Michigan

Evidence

Overall confidence: Documented (88/100)

Wisconsin Historical Society (WI Shipwrecks)
Build details, service history, loss narrative.
National Register of Historic Places nomination
Listing status and site significance.