55-year-old mystery solved: wreck of MV Noongah found
CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has confirmed the resting place of the MV Noongah, a 71-metre coastal freighter lost at sea in 1969 in one of the country’s worst post-war maritime disasters. This discovery was made possible through a collaborative project between CSIRO, Heritage NSW and The Sydney Project. Public contributions also played a significant role, with several individuals reporting the suspected location of the wreck off the NSW coast.
The MV Noongah was en route from Newcastle (New South Wales) to Townsville (Queensland) carrying steel when it encountered a storm and sank in heavy seas on 25 August 1969. The disaster prompted one of the largest searches for survivors in Australian maritime history, involving navy and merchant vessels, aircraft, helicopters and shore-based searches along the coastline. Tragically, 21 of the 26 crew members on board lost their lives in the incident. Only one body was ever recovered, and the wreck of the MV Noongah had remained undiscovered until now.
In June 2024, the CSIRO research vessel Investigator conducted a survey of the unidentified shipwreck, gathering high-resolution bathymetry (seafloor mapping data) and video footage of the wreck.
Excellent bathymetry
CSIRO voyage manager Margot Hind said the investigation showed the wreck is sitting upright on the seafloor and is largely intact. “We were lucky to have favourable sea conditions for the survey and our CSIRO technical teams were able to gather excellent bathymetry and drop camera vision of the wreck,” she said. “The bathymetry data shows the wreck is sitting at a depth of 170 metres and is approximately 71 metres long, with the vessel dimensions, profile and configuration matching MV Noongah.”
The data and visuals collected by RV Investigator were shared with project partners to verify the identity of the wreck and aid in planning a dive by The Sydney Project to obtain further imagery from the site. CSIRO’s Matt Kimber, who updated key stakeholders on the outcomes of the RV Investigator survey, noted that these conversations highlighted the profound significance of maritime heritage discoveries.
“This tragedy is still very much in the memory of many in the community and we offer our condolences to families and descendants of the crew who were lost,” Kimber said. “Our thoughts are also with the surviving crew members from MV Noongah, and we hope that knowing the resting place of the vessel brings some closure for all.”
Advancements in technology
Samir Alhafith of The Sydney Project stated that the discovery of the MV Noongah has been a pursuit spanning 20 years. It is only recently that advancements in technology and diving expertise have made it feasible to identify wrecks at such great depths. “Not only is the discovery of these significant wrecks important for the surviving sailors and families of those that perished during the tragedy but also it allows us to investigate the mystery behind the sinking,” he stated. “We would like to express our gratitude to the finders of the wreck, Paul and James Wright, and to Heritage NSW and CSIRO for their assistance to identify the wreck as the Noongah. These collaborations are more important than ever when dealing with challenging deep sites.”
Tim Smith OAM, director assessments from Heritage NSW, said the dangers of coastal shipping have led to many tragic losses of life. “We hope this discovery of the ship’s final resting place offers the survivors and families of the crew some closure,” he said.
Matt Kimber concluded: “We’re so pleased to continue our strong collaboration with the maritime heritage community to assist in making these important discoveries.”
