EROSION along the battered Hinchinbrook Island shoreline has revealed a shipwreck holding more than 130 years’ worth of history.

A combination of strong winds, high tides and dangerous storm surges associated with Cyclone Yasi has unearthed an iconic artefact on the largest bay on the island.

The wreck is believed to be the 35m brigantine Belle, which struck ground in Ramsay Bay on January 12, 1880.

Records show the Belle was built in 1865 and was beached during strong winds while loading cedar timber at the secluded location.

The wreck is believed to be one of eight ships that went to ground around the island between 1876 and 1903 and one of three sailing vessels still resting in the bay area. Records show both the Charlotte Andrews and the Harriet Armytage went to ground in Ramsay Bay in 1879, followed by the Belle a year later.

You can read the rest of the article here: Yasi reveals 130-year-old shipwreck | Townsville Bulletin News

I hope that archaeologists are able to preserve this find or at least record it so that the history, the knowledge of it, isn’t lost.

http://boundforsouthaustralia.net.au/

In 1836 nine ships set sail from England to establish the Province of South Australia.

175 years later, in 2011, you can relive those amazing journeys across thousands of miles of ocean as the passengers and crew make the journey of a lifetime.

Bound for South Australia is a digital re-enactment of those nine voyages made between February and December 1836. It uses the recorded journals and letters of the people on the vessels to trace their journeys and to recreate their experiences.

In weekly episodes you will meet the people, share the dangers of their voyages across treacherous seas and feel the hopes, fears and excitement they experienced on their way to the new province of South Australia.

The first ships set sail from this website on 22 February 2011.

I’ve signed up to receive email updates so that I can follow the ships’ progress. Should be good!!!

Louisa Lawson founded The Dawn: A Journal for Australian Women in 1888 and ran it for 17 years.  She was a pivotal figure in winning women the right to vote in Australia, and her publication played a key role in the struggle for women's suffrage.

Digitise The Dawn are raising funds so that the National Library can digitise The Dawn newspaper and add it to Trove.

The Dawn contained reports on women's wrongs, helping to fight their battles and sue for their suffrage.  It offered household advice, fashion, poetry, a short story and extensive reporting of women's activities both locally and overseas.

As well as providing information about the times it was published in The Dawn could provide vital information to genealogists and local history researchers about the women who worked for Louisa Lawson and those who featured in the newspaper's articles.

I’ve found somewhere to send my crocheted granny squares to.  Sarah London has started the Crochet A Rainbow project which I’ve just signed up for!!!

As many of you worldwide already know, Australia has recently been experiencing floods of huge proportions. The devastation is beyond words, lives have been lost, thousands of homes have been inundated with water, many families have lost all of their belongings.

I’d like to inject some sunshine and colour into the lives of those affected by the floods as they begin to re-build and start over.

I’m asking for donations of granny squares which I will then make up into blankets to be distributed to those affected throughout Queensland and Victoria, providing comfort and colour and as a reminder that there is always a rainbow after a storm.

I’ll ask about where I can send my hats that I’ve made also.