#MagneticIsland is surrounded by 20 known shipwrecks, which have been integrated into a shipwreck trail. "Under full sail the City of Adelaide was said to be as beautiful as a bird in flight in her heyday.The 80-metre vessel was constructed in 1864 in Glasgow and spent many years as a passenger ship before she was converted to a coal storage vessel in 1902.In 1912 the coal caught fire and the City of Adelaide burned for two days.Three years after the fire, a Magnetic Island businessman named George Butler purchased the ship with a plan to refit her as accommodation for tourists, or as a breakwater in Picnic Bay.It was en route to her new home that she ran aground in Cockle Bay.Ms Davies said as time went on, locals used the ship as a changing room when coming to swim around the wreck or collect the oysters that grew on her sides. The SS Moltke and the Magnetic Island Shipwreck Trail Magnetic Island – Paradise in a Small Package Magnetic Island, located just outside of the port in Townsville, Queensland has recently become a modern mecca for backpackers and real estate developers. "North Queensland is actually already a centre for shipwreck diving if we look at the Yongala … so I don't think it would take much to get people interested," Mr Illidge said. Diving is exceptional here on Magnetic, with opportunities available for both beginners and experts to explore an underwater world of canyons, swim throughs, caves, gullies, and incredible wall dives. "Due to its proximity to Townsville, Mr Illidge thinks it is not surprising that so many vessels have found their fate in the shallow waters around Magnetic Island. Signs around the island's bays tell the stories of the many vessels and give an insight into the region's fascinating maritime history. Most divers will have heard of the wreck of the Yongala off the coast of north Queensland — it is one of the world’s top dive sites.But few know that dotted around Magnetic Island, just 70km north, there are another 20 shipwrecks that have great tourism potential that has remained largely untapped.One of those is the City of Adelaide which ran aground at Cockle Bay in 1916 while being transported after sale.Just 300m offshore, it’s possible to wade out to the wreck during a low tide — however few visit it.“There was no loss of life and therefore it has no newsworthy factor, unlike the Yongala,” said Magnetic Museum’s Zanita Davies.“It is becoming less and less visible from the land as the mangroves encroach around the Cockle Bay area, so it is probably not even on a lot of people’s radar, unfortunately.”Under full sail the City of Adelaide was said to be as beautiful as a bird in flight in her heyday.The 80-metre vessel was constructed in 1864 in Glasgow and spent many years as a passenger ship before she was converted to a coal storage vessel in 1902.In 1912 the coal caught fire and the City of Adelaide burned for two days.Three years after the fire, a Magnetic Island businessman named George Butler purchased the ship with a plan to refit her as accommodation for tourists, or as a breakwater in Picnic Bay.It was en route to her new home that she ran aground in Cockle Bay.Ms Davies said as time went on, locals used the ship as a changing room when coming to swim around the wreck or collect the oysters that grew on her sides.“In the 1920s people would just visit it, it had no other purpose, so … it became a place for recreation,” Ms Davies said.In 1942 four servicemen died when their fighter plane crashed into the rear mast of the City of Adelaide while on a training exercise.The hull of the ship then sustained further significant damage in Cyclone Althea in 1971.Magnetic Island’s 20 shipwrecks feature in a diving trail which was developed by the Maritime Museum of Townsville for divers and snorkelers.Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority maritime archaeologist Peter Illidge said many of the island’s wrecks, including the Moltke, are great dive sites, and he believes more could be made of the region’s wrecks.“North Queensland is actually already a centre for shipwreck diving if we look at the Yongala … so I don’t think it would take much to get people interested,” Mr Illidge said.“Advertising, a few more trips out, and signage around Magnetic Island saying that this is out there, we do have signage out there but we could probably do a bit more.”With several of Magnetic Island’s wrecks so close to shore, Mr Illidge said even non-divers can explore the sites.“The City of Adelaide is a great wreck for viewing a lot of parts of the ship that you wouldn’t normally see,” he said.

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