The steam collier SS Ayrfield was 61 years old. Formally called the Corrimal, the 1,140-tonne ship, ran coal between Newcastle and Sydney before serving as a transport ship for Australia during World War II. After the war, she operated again … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Australia
Around 270 pilot whales have become stranded on a sandbar on the remote western coast of Tasmania. Rescuers in Australia say that at least a third of the whales have died and that more are dying. The BBC reports that … Continue reading
On March 19, 2020, the Princess Cruise Line ship Ruby Princess arrived in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and disembarked 2,700 passengers. These passengers included those who had been isolated in their cabins with fever. Roughly 2,000 of the passengers … Continue reading
Raine Island, Australia, on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef, is one of the world’s largest nesting sites for green sea turtles. Researchers have found that drone cameras are the best way to count the young sea turtles. Using … Continue reading
It would appear to be a sign of times. Surgical masks have been washing ashore on the beaches of New South Wales, Australia. Not pandemic aid from King Neptune, but the result of containers of medical supplies among the at … Continue reading
Now, for something completely different. The bright pink manta ray was first seen swimming in 2015, in the waters off Australia’s Lady Elliot Island, on the Great Barrier Reef. It has been seen only seven times since, making its most … Continue reading
In addition to more than 24 people who have died in the terrible Australian bushfires, an incredible number of animals have also perished. Estimates of wildlife deaths range from millions to a billion animals. More than 25.5 million acres of … Continue reading
The Australian Navy landing ship HMAS Choules, supported by the training ship, MV Sycamore, evacuated 1,000 tourists and residents stranded by bushfires in Mallacoota, Australia. ABC News Australia reports that about 4,000 people, including some 3,000 tourists, have been stranded … Continue reading
The temperatures in Australia have been hotter than ever recorded in history. Wildfires are raging, filling the air of several cities, including Sydney, with acrid smoke. Drought is choking a significant portion of the country. As bad as things are … Continue reading
The Great Barrier Reef, off Australia’s east coast, is 1,400 miles long, covers 133,000 square miles and can be seen from outer space. It may be dying before our eyes. “We thought the Barrier Reef was too big to fail,” … Continue reading
Almost a month ago, the bulk carrier Solomon Trader was driven onto a reef on Rennell Island in the Solomon Islands by Cyclone Oma. Since then the 74,000 DWT ship has been leaking oil which threatens to destroy a world … Continue reading
Yesterday we posted about the replica of Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavour which will be circumnavigating Australia to commemorate the 250th-anniversary of Cook’s arrival. Some critics have noted that Captain Cook did not actually sail around Australia. Coincidentally and almost simultaneously, archaeologists in London … Continue reading
To celebrate the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook’s voyage to Australia, HMS Endeavour, a replica of Cook’s ship, will circumnavigate the continent. Prime minister Scott Morrison has announced the Australian government will be providing 6.7 million Australian dollars (£3.72 million) … Continue reading
Last week, the YM Efficiency, a 4250 TEU container ship bound from Taiwan to Sydney, Australia lost 83 containers in heavy seas while 30km off the coast of Port Stephens. In addition to the containers lost overboard, 30 other containers were … Continue reading
There is a new newest oldest message in a bottle. In 2014, we posted about a German fisherman who found a 101-year-old message in a bottle, making it the oldest message ever found in a bottle at that time. Then … Continue reading
Joseph Conrad once wrote about a conversation with an old sailor who had just signed off a ship. The sailor said something to the effect that “the ship was alright. The problem was the people on it.” The comment seems to … Continue reading
Amazon is currently testing using drones to deliver packages. Recently in Australia, lifeguards used a drone to deliver something far more vital than a package from an online retailer. They successfully used a Little Ripper drone to drop a flotation rescue … Continue reading
After being lost for 103 years, the wreck of Australia’s first submarine, HMAS AE1, has finally been located in almost 1,000 feet of water east of Rabaul, not far from Duke of York Islands in Papua New Guinea. The submarine, built in the Vickers … Continue reading
Australian waters can be dangerous. Over the years we have posted about attacks by crocodiles, sharks and deadly jellyfish. This hazard, however, is new, at least to us. Recently, Australian media was flooded with photos of the bloodied legs … Continue reading
Some complain that responding to climate change will damage the economy and cost jobs. Others counter that not responding effectively to climate change will do even greater economic damage. Recently an analysis of the social and economic value of the … Continue reading