Home » Themes » People » Exploration
Captain James CookPrint Page 
The Singing Ship commemorates Captain Cook and his exploration of the bay in May, 1770. The monument represents the billowing sail, mast and rigging of his ship Endeavour. Concealed organ pipes use the sea breezes to create eerie music.
The Singing Ship project was adopted by the Rockhampton and District Historical Society to mark the Captain Cook bi-centenary in 1970. The target of $5000 was raised mainly through small donations although the surrounding shires, the Lions Club, the Emu Park Progress Association and the Rockhampton Rodeo Picnic Club gave more substantial donations. Steve Kele, a Rockhampton steel and concrete contractor was responsible for the job, the erection of a forty foot high steel and concrete structure reminiscent of a ship's sails but constructed in order to 'sing' in response to the prevailing winds. Steve Kele donated $1000 worth of labour to the project. Two plaques, unveiled on May 30 1970, are in honour of Captain Cook and the artist, engineer, acoustician and builder.
Location
| Address: | Tennant Memorial Drive, Kele Park, The Singing Ship, Emu Park, 4710 |
|---|---|
| State: | QLD |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -23.256238 Long: 150.829138 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Exploration |
| Designer: | Peggy Westmoreland |
| Monument Manufacturer: | Steve Kele |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Saturday 30th May, 1970 |
|---|
Time Capsule
Placed May 1975
To be opened May 2070
The Singing Ship
To honour Captain James Cook
1728 - 1779
Explorer Navigator Cartographer
Who discovered and named Keppel Bay
26 - 28th. May 1770.
Erected May 1970
Unveiled by the Hon Minister for Shipping Mr Ian Sinclair
Designed by Mrs J S (Peggy) Westmoreland
Constructed by S W Kele
Engineered by W Thomas
Acoustics by G Cain
