YDHS Friday talk November 2024

It was ninety years ago that the ‘Victoria’ built in Copenhagen in 1928 ran aground on Friday 5th October 1934 about two miles east of Tunkalilla Station with a cargo of phosphate. The story of the wreck is fascinating, but what adds to it is the story of Sister Amy Dorrington, a much-loved nursing sister in the Yankalilla district, who was killed at Tunkalilla on 21st December 1934 at 54 years of age.

President of the Society, Sue Speck, explained how the Society has accumulated material about the ‘Victoria’. The Yankalilla District Historical Museum holds items and the Historical Society has an album of photographs donated by Dorothy Lord. Captain Jacobsen was the ship’s master and there were thirty crew and two passengers. An interesting tidbit of information about Captain Jacobsen was that his parrot was donated to Adelaide Zoo because of quarantine and died there seven years later.

Captain JG Arnold, a Swedish captain and owner of the Dry Dock at Mannum brought in a salvage team of toolmakers, sheet metal workers, drivers and an electrician. The salvage was not an easy job in high seas and because of the weight of crankshafts and engines. The ship quickly broke up in high seas and today it is on a rare occasion that what remains is visible from the beach.

Sue West, a former district nurse, has been recording the life of Sister Dorrington over many years. One of the salvage team, Robin Gray, had been bitten by a snake and his friend went to bring Sister Dorrington to assist. Unfortunately the vehicle left the track on a ninety degree bend and fell into a gully. Both driver and passenger were killed. Sue has interviewed many people associated with the event including a salvage crew member, the great grand niece of Amy Dorrington, and people in the district who have memories about the tragedy.