06/04/2005 - Victoria's
shipwreck heritage will be brought to life
with funding of $62,746 from the Australian
Government's Historic Shipwreck's Programme,
the Minister for the Environment and Heritage,
Senator Ian Campbell, announced today.
Funding will assist Heritage Victoria conserve
and interpret some of the state's shipwrecks
and also develop a reference collection of
shipwreck artefacts.
"Victoria has a wealth of submerged
history, with every shipwreck a watery timecapsule
with a story waiting to be told," Senator
Campbell said.
"This funding will help make this part
of our maritime heritage more accessible through
interpretation projects, including a reference
collection of historic shipwrecks bottles.
"Bottles from historic shipwrecks, particularly
those that were once part of cargoes destined
for Melbourne, reveal a great deal about everyday
life in the state's early history. In addition
these glass and stoneware bottles are an important
comparison tool as they help archaeologists
date similar remains from land-based sites.
"Funding will also assist ongoing shipwrecks
conservation and interpretation projects,
including conserving and managing the historic
J-Class Submarine Wrecks that lie off the
coast of Port Phillip.
"The J-Class subs were built for the
Royal Navy and saw action during World War
One. They were given to the Royal Australian
Navy as a gift to Australia in 1919 but were
scuttled by the navy following Defence budget
cutbacks in the mid 1920s.
"Site surveys and corrosion testing
will now be conducted on the submarines to
reveal more about their history," Senator
Campbell said.
A total of $391,000 will support 40 shipwreck
related projects around Australia through
Australia's Historic Shipwrecks Programme.
Under this programme, the Australian Government
funds its state and territory partners to
help protect, preserve, research and provide
information on some of the nation's 6500 shipwrecks
and related materials.
