After lying hidden on the seabed for 75 years SS Macumba, was located by CSIRO’s RV Investigator as it transited from Sydney to Broome.

Minister for Tourism and Culture, Lauren Moss praised the work of the Heritage Branch at the Department of Tourism and Culture and CSIRO who have led the joint investigation searching for the SS Macumba.

“The story of SS Macumba is another reminder that the northern coast of Australia was in the frontline in World War II, and ships, both naval and merchant, were in constant danger from enemy attack”, Ms Moss said.

The Department of Tourism and Culture’s Senior Heritage Officer and maritime archaeologist, David Steinberg has been the principal investigator for the search for SS Macumba for many years with the CSIRO finally locating this highly significant historic shipwreck, which is also the resting place of one of the three seamen killed in the attack.

“On August 6, 1943, whilst transporting a cargo of supplies from Sydney to Darwin the 2,540 ton merchant ship Macumba was attacked by two Japanese ‘Jake’ floatplanes,” Mr Steinberg said.

“Despite return fire from both SS Macumba and her escort, the corvette HMAS Cootamundra, the Japanese bombers made a direct hit on SS Macumba’s engine room and the vessel sank.”

Chief Engineer William Alfred Lane was lost during the attack and his body was not recovered.

His name is recorded at the Adelaide River War Cemetery alongside those with no known grave.

Second Engineer Harold Keller and Donkeyman George Dew both died of their injuries in the following days, and were buried at the Adelaide River War Cemetery. The Captain and 36 crewmen survived.

The Department of Tourism and Culture’s Heritage Branch had been searching for SS Macumba for many years with historic archives defining a large search area, which was far from the coast and distant from Darwin.

‘We knew SS Macumba was out there, working with different collaborators over the years we have eliminated locations, and refined our search area and are so pleased the search with CSIRO has uncovered the wreck,” Mr Steinberg added.

“SS Macumba is a highly significant historic shipwreck and archaeological site with the Australian Government planning to declare it a Historic Shipwreck which will protect the site under the Commonwealth’s Historic Shipwrecks Act.”

CSIRO Hydrographic Surveyor Stuart Edwards who is on board RV Investigator confirmed they had located the wreck of the SS Macumba early yesterday off the Northern Coast of Arnhem Land in the Arafura Sea. 

“She is lying upright in approximately 40m water depth in an area of heavily pockmarked seabed,” Mr Edwards said.

“The survey team and crew on-board RV Investigator are delighted to be able to finally solve the mystery as to her final resting place.”

To learn more about maritime heritage in the Northern Territory visit https://www.nt.gov.au/leisure/arts-culture-heritage/maritime-heritage

Three of the Macumba’s crew were killed in the attack, with one body never being recovered. Survivors from the attack were taken aboard an escort and the Macumba was left to sink.

While the location of the attack was known, no previous search had been able to discover the location of the wreck. Until now.

Investigator’s advanced multibeam sonar systems were used to locate and map the wreck which was found in 40 metres of water, and appears to be upright and relatively intact.

Marine National Facility Voyage Manager on Investigator Hugh Barker said all on board were pleased to locate the wreck and help solve this wartime mystery.

“The search was important to everyone on board this voyage and a lot of eyes were either glued to monitors or scanning the horizon for the signs of marine life that often point to features underwater,” Hugh said.

“We discovered the wreck in the middle of the night after about 10 hours of searching, which was lucky as we only had a couple more hours available for the search.

“It was also really lucky that we had an excellent team on the sonar who noticed some unusual features on the seafloor near the edge of our search area and asked for the ship to do an extra wide turn outside the search area. That’s when we found it!”

Once the wreck was mapped using the ships sonar systems, a specialised drop camera was then lowered into the water to photograph the site, capturing some incredible footage of the wreck and marine life around it.

“Macumba was about the same length as Investigator and it was likely that the wreck would have formed an artificial reef, providing habitat for a range of marine life,” Hugh said.

“Our drop camera even got a close-up photo of an inquisitive reef shark that seemed to be guarding the site. It was a special night for all on board and we are so pleased to find the final resting place of Macumba.”

Data collected by Investigator will now help inform a detailed wreck inspection report and future management as a protected historic shipwreck.

The search for SS Macumba was a collaborative effort between the CSIRO Marine National Facility and the Northern Territory Government.