SS Dicky wreck emerges amid TC Alfred’s impending arrival

Significant erosion from Tropical Cyclone Alfred has revealed a 129-year-old ship that ran ashore in another violent weather event.

The stranded SS Dicky, was washed ashore onto a beach which was later named Dicky Beach, after the ship had been caught in the tail of a cyclone, on February 4,1893.

Significant erosion from Tropical Cyclone Alfred can already be seen on Sunshine Coast beaches and a 129-year-old shipwreck has once again been uncovered, but this is not the first time the coast has weathered a cyclone.

While Tropical Cyclone Alfred is the first cyclone in 50 years expected to affect the Sunshine Coast, a number of destructive systems have brought significant beach erosion and flooding in the past.

In 2018 the Sunshine Coast Council’s Heritage Library Officers said the most recent cyclone to affect the Sunshine Coast was in 1974.

Gale force winds and rough seas pounding the foreshore at Bulcock Beach, Caloundra, March 1974

Spectators watching surging seas at Kings Beach ca 1954

During Cyclone Zoe, which passed over in March 12, 1974, Caloundra and Maroochydore were the most severely affected areas.

The 1974 weather event damaged coastal homes and stripped beaches of tons of sand.

Prior to Cyclone Zoe, two cyclones hit the Sunshine Coast just days apart in February 1972.

On New Year’s Day, 1963, a small cyclone struck without warning, again affecting residents in Caloundra and Maroochydore.

Cyclone Alfred has eroded the sands at Dicky Beach to reveal the SS Dicky. Out with her metal detector is Zoe Sorm. Picture Patrick Woods.

Another unnamed cyclone in 1954 brought enormous destruction to the coastline and strong winds, the worst recorded since the cyclone of 1893 that flooded Brisbane.

The cyclone in 1893 is what saw the S.S. Dicky become stranded on what would become Dicky Beach.

The stranded SS Dicky, was washed ashore onto a beach which was later named Dicky Beach, after the ship was caught in the tail of a cyclone, on February 4,1893.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to make landfall somewhere between Noosa and Beenleigh on Saturday.

Experts have already predicted some Sunshine Coast beaches could lose up to 40m of beach and significant vertical sand dune erosion.

On some beaches sand could be stripped away to leave behind beachrock.

Willow Smyth checks out the SS Dicky, which is emerging as the sand erodes at Dicky Beach in Caloundra. Picture Patrick Woods.

Currimundi resident Willow Smyth said she witnessed parts of the marooned vessel’s stern on her morning walk.

Like many others, Ms Smyth recalled the devastating weather event in 2013 which lead to sea foam blanketing parts of the Sunshine Coast and wondered if TC Alfred would do the same.

Families were also out and about, including young Zoe Sorm who was looking for treasure with a metal detector on the beached remnants of the SS Dicky.

Historical information provided by Sunshine Coast Council’s Heritage Library Officers in 2018 and Picture Sunshine Coast provided some of the images.