Fishing trip ends with loss of 11 lives in Moreton Bay

Lives lost as disaster strikes

NOT FORGOTTEN: Memorial gates to the 11 victims of Nerita boat sinking at the entrance of the Ipswich Showgrounds. Picture: memorial

IN JUNE 1939, a boating disaster in Moreton Bay claimed the lives of all those on board.

On board were 11 men and a youth who had gone on a fishing trip in the 13.7m motor launch "Nerita” which was owned by Edwin A. Carey of Brisbane.

The party left the moorings at Breakfast Creek 2pm on Saturday, June 10, and expected to return on the following Monday at 6pm.

The Nerita (fitted with heavy engines, one mast and a sail) was last seen on June 10 midway between the Pile Light and Cowan Cowan when Reg Wise and Alex Gowan on board another vessel spoke to Mr Carey.

When the launch hadn't returned on June 12, Michael, a son of Mr Carey, arranged for friends to commence a search for the vessel while another son Ronald notified the police.

Planes were chartered, one from the Mathieson Flying School, and a Taylor Club monoplane owned by the Queensland Air University and chartered by Mrs Biltoft. Shipping was notified to keep a watch for the launch.

By June 15, it was reported that five planes, including two air force Avro Anson bombers, had failed to find any trace of the Nerita. Many suggestions were made regarding the vessel and on June 19 the QT reported that Nerita's dinghy had been found near Cape Moreton by members of the pilot steamer Matthew Flinders.

The discovery was made after the most extensive search ever conducted in the state's maritime history and indicated that the crew and passengers were victims of one of the sea's sudden tragedies.

A memorial service was held in the Wintergarden Theatre, East St, on Sunday, July 2.

Eventually memorial gates were erected by public subscription at the entrance to the Ipswich Showgrounds.

Those who lost their lives were - Edwin A. Carey Brisbane; G.D. Bradbury chief inspector of hospitals Brisbane; Gerald Maloney licensee Royal Hotel Nundah and formerly of the Caledonian Hotel Ipswich; Gerald Maloney and his son H. Biltoft licensee of the Palais Royal Hotel Ipswich; J. Redden an employee of Nicholas and Senior Grocers, Ipswich; W. Stacey plumber Salisbury Rd, Ipswich; Andrew Stirling, miner Ipswich; T. Stacey Brisbane; Roy Palmer dental mechanic Brisbane; J. Turnbull Brisbane and J. Laister boarding house keeper, Union St, Ipswich.

MONTH OF DISASTER

Reports show that February 1863 in Ipswich was a "month of big floods and a great fire”.

The flood of February 15 and 16 rose 13.1m above the ordinary level of the Bremer River. This was the highest flood in Ipswich since 1841 when the Bremer rose to 16.77m.

On February 21, 1863 the first big fire occurred in Brisbane St, Ipswich just near Nicholas St. The fire originated in Mr Thos M. Lang's boot store and a lad Joseph Rose employed by Mr Lang, nearly lost his life as he was asleep on the premises.

Several shops were destroyed as they were mainly of wooden construction.

SALVAGED PAPER

Almost 21/2 tons of salvaged waste paper was sent to Brisbane by Ipswich City Council on August 1, 1941.

City inspector Mr R.C. Rogers said this was the total for a week but considerably more could have been sent, if the people co-operated more.

Price paid for the waste paper was three pounds a tonne.

BAPTIST EISTEDDFOD

An eisteddfod organised by members of the Ipswich Baptist Church took place in the Sunday School Hall in September 1941.

Among the organisers were Ivett secretary, Mr F. Ingram Sunday School superintendent, Ms A. Scurrah Sunday School secretary, Ms D. Schulz, Ms C Scurrah, Ms L. Mollenhauser, Ms D. Colthup, Mrs P. Poulter and Mr C. Duffie.

Adjudicators were Ms F.J. Goleby vocal and Ms A. Walker elocutionary.

Winners of the various sections were Cedric and Jack Duffie, Albert Kamp, Margaret Scurrah, Lindsay Raabe, Dorothy Barrell, Denis Lyons, Nancy Stirling and the Bundamba Methodist Quartet.

Originally published as Fishing trip ends with loss of 11 lives in Moreton Bay