St Michael

This Ship rigged vessel was engaged on the Sydney run from Maitland in the early 1820s, carrying livestock and goods.  Originally registered in Bordeaux, this 170 ton vessel, was armed with 8 guns and a crew of 30when it was purchased by Capt John Beveridge, the vessel was used in the South Sea Island trade.  In 1826, the vessel was used to transport prisoners to Newcastle (Stephen Berry Research Collection).

The vessel was converted to a storeship from in 1826 when it was purchased by John Cobb.  The vessel was used as the supply depot for convicts cutting cedar, their soldier guards and bush constables.  The vessel was increasingly used as the settlement developed, and a road was cut from Maitland to the Storeship by convicts (Stephen Berry Research Collection).  The St Michael sank was moored off Morpeth  when she sank  a few days before 23 November 1841 (Sydney Gazette 23November 1841).  The ship was moored  off Taggarts Point, on the opposite bank of the river.  The vessel was sold by John Wiseman to a speculator who planned to raise the vessel (Maitland Mercury 2 March1844) and use it in the coal trade, but the vessel was still in situ inn 1844 (Stephen Berry Research Collection). The vessel was reported in 1857  to lie alongside where the coal shoots were.  Although attempts were made to break up the hull, only partial attempts were made, and she remained in situ until at least 1853, when a vessel loaded with coal sunk alongside (around 1853-4) - (Maitland Mercury 9July 1857:4).  

The vessel lay on the riverbed sandbank after it turned turtle and  It was reportedly later towed to the other side of the river where it covered in sand.  Local researchers (Stephen Berry pers comms 2014)  have identified that the vessel supposedly lies at a location known as McTaggarts Reef (sandbar).