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"S.S. Casino"Print Page 
A monument commemorates those who lost their lives in the sinking of the S.S. Casino off Apollo Bay in 1932. A plaque was added to the memorial in 1982 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the registration of the vessel and the 50th anniversary of the sinking.
The monument is a pillar of eight courses of bluestone blocks, 2.5 metres high with the propeller of the ship affixed to the west face, and the wreck bell which originally hung in the yard of the Customs House at Port Fairy mounted on the top of the cairn.
Flagship of the Belfast and Koroit Steam Navigation Company based in Port Fairy. The tragic loss of the SS Casino was felt particularly by people of Victoria`s western district. For fifty years, the iron steamship took cargo and passengers between Melbourne and Portland, stopping at Apollo Bay, Warrnambool and Port Fairy. The SS Casino was an important feature of local maritime life.
The SS Casino made 2,500 voyages in the treacherous waters of Bass Strait and was considered one of the “immortals” of Port Phillip. The steamer had several brushes with disaster; it collided with another boat off Point Gellibrand, ran aground on a reef near Grey River, and was beached at Warrnambool while entering Lady Bay in a power blackout. Following each incident, the steamer was repaired and returned to its west coast run. On the 10th July, 1932 the SS Casino sank while trying to secure a mooring at Apollo Bay pier.
This time, the steamer could not be saved and the Captain and nine other crew lost their lives.
Memorial Unveiling 1934Location
| Address: | Gipps & Campbell Streets, King George Square, Port Fairy, 3284 |
|---|---|
| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -38.387895 Long: 142.240298 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Disaster |
| Sub-Theme: | Maritime |
| Actual Event STart Date: | 10-July-1932 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 10-July-1932 |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Sunday 8th July, 1934 |
|---|
Plaque:
This Memorial Was Unveiled
July 8 1934
— By —
Mrs. C.A. Melhuish
Daughter Of
Captain Thomas Boyd
First Master Of The S.S. Casino.
Plaque:
Borough Of Port Fairy.
This Commemorative Plaque Is
To Mark The 100th Anniversary
Of The Registration Of The S.S.
Casino As Part Of The Belfast And
Koroit Steam Navigation Company
And The 50th Anniversary Of The
Sinking Of The S.S. Casino At Apollo
Bay On 10th July, 1932.
Unveiled By
His Worship The Mayor
Cr. R.W. Clark
11th July , 1982.
Plaque:
A Lasting Tribute To
Members Of The Crew
Of S.S. CASINO
Who Lost Their Lives When
The Vessel Which Rendered
50 Years Yeoman Service
To Port Fairy Was Wrecked
At Apollo Bay, On 10th July, 1932
[Names of seamen]
