MV NoongahPrint Page 
The plaque commemorates the twenty-one men who died when the MV Noongah sank off Smoky Cape, New South Wales in August 1969.
On August 25th 1969 MV Noongah left Newcastle with a cargo of steel for Townsville. She struck bad weather off Smokey Cape near Kempsey on the northern New South Wales coast. The vessel developed a list and sank with the loss of 21 members of the crew. At that time the wind was blowing at 70 knots with the seas at 30 feet.
Two survivors escaped by life raft, and three others were found clinging to a plank. The search for survivors was one of the greatest in Australia's history involving five destroyers, three minesweepers, seven aircraft, two helicopters and a number of other vessels.
Location
| Address: | Lighthouse Road, Captain Cook Lookout, Smoky Cape Picnic Area, Arakoon, 2431 |
|---|---|
| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -30.921329 Long: 153.085513 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Disaster |
| Sub-Theme: | Maritime |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 25-August-1969 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 25-August-1969 |
Dedication
Loss of M.V. Noongah
To the memory of the 21 seamen who perished on the 25th August 1969, when the Australian coastal vessel M. V. Noomgah floundered in a severe gale approx 12 nautical miles bearing north east of Smoky Cape Lighthouse.
In recognition of the combined efforts of the many people who in perilous weather conditions contributed to the search and rescue operation that was responsible for the recovery of 5 crewman found drifitng in the sea after surviving the sinking.
The serenity of Smoky Cape and the relentless, surrounding sea are a beautiful reminder to the memories of those lost on that day.
