‘Koraaga’, 1931

The ‘Koraaga’ was a 221-ton vessel that had been built in England in 1915.

She had an interesting World War I history: in company with the ‘Gunandaal’, and with a crew from the '"mine-sweeping section" formed shortly before in Sydney, she set out on October 8, 1917, to sweep a reported mine field from Twofold Bay to a point south of Gabo Island. The sweep had been decided upon following the blowing up of the steamer ‘Cumberland’ off Gabo Island in July of that year, and a rise in apprehension that the raider ‘Wolf’ had laid mines along the NSW South Coast. 15 mines were found.

From 1915 to 1923 the NSW Government pioneered steam trawling, aiming to provide the public with an affordable supply of fish. It was an economic failure. However, from 1923, a private steam trawling industry developed, based on a substantial flathead fishery at Botany Ground, just south of Sydney. A number of the Government trawlers were purchased by the private operators. The tiger flatheads at Botany Ground, however, soon became fished out, so the steam trawlers started working further afield – often along the South Coast to Gabo Island and beyond. Inevitably, a number ended up as wrecks.

The ‘Koraaga’ was one of these.

On 9th September 1931, after fishing all day off Jervis Bay, she struck a reef off Bass Point, Shellharbour, in clear weather and late at night, and was badly holed. As she appeared likely to founder quickly, she was abandoned and the crew of 11 rowed to Kiama, five miles away.

Returning to the scene early the next morning, the crew was astonished to find that the incoming tide had refloated the vessel which was rapidly drifting out to sea. They were able to board the vessel and found that the engine room was flooded and the vessel was being kept afloat by watertight compartments. Word was sent to the owners in Sydney who despatched the ‘Charlie Cam’ to the scene. However, after drifting all day and slowly filling with water, the vessel finally sank five miles east of Black Head, Gerringong before the ‘Charlie Cam’ reached the scene.