ALERT
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Statement of Significance
SS Alert is historically significant as one of the worst maritime wrecks in Victorian history, with the deaths of 15 of the 16 people on board the vessel. It is archaeologically significant as no official salvage has taken place and the ship still contains the crew and passengers? personal effects, enabling an understanding of life at sea on a coastal trading vessel. It also carried a small but varied cargo which may provide information about general coastal trading at the end of the 1800s. Further study of the hull may reveal technical details of iron shipbuilding as shipbuilders were known to deviate off ships? plans at this time. Developments in diving and scientific equipment mean Alert is scientifically significant as a subject for national and international shipwreck corrosion studies. SS Alert is a rare example of an iron coastal trading vessel that has not been officially salvaged, scuttled or looted and representative of the iron vessels engaged in coastal trade around the southern coast of Australia in the late1800s.
Significance assessed against criteria defined in Guidelines for the Management of Australia's Shipwrecks (1994).
Criterion 1 Historic
SS Alert has historic significance as one of the worst maritime disasters in Victoria?s history, when 15 of the sixteen men aboard were drowned in the wreck.
Criterion 2 Technical
SS Alert may demonstrate technical significance in iron shipbuilding as iron shipbuilders are known to have deviated off ships plans.
Criterion 3 Social
SS Alert has local social significance with some of the bodies buried in Sorrento Cemetery. The wrecking of the Alert is also a major maritime disaster in Victoria.
Criterion 4 Archaeological
The wreck of the SS Alert is archaeologically significant as no official salvage of the vessel was undertaken after it sank. The removal of the propellers does indicate some illegal salvage may have taken place since the ship was wrecked, although they may have come away due to the strength of the storm and the wrecking. The archaeological remains have the potential to tell the story of shipboard life on a passenger/cargo steamer at the turn of the century.
Criterion 5 Scientific
SS Alert is not currently the subject of any scientific studies. However, as a part of the iron ship resource in Victoria, the wreck could contribute information to the ongoing national and international corrosion measurement studies.
Criterion 6 Interpretive
A monument has been erected at Sorrento cemetery to remember the sailors who are buried there and those that were never recovered. Advances in 3D technology will potentially allow 3D renderings of the hull remains and individual artefacts.
Criterion 7 Rare
SS Alert is a rare example in Victoria of a maritime disaster on such a scale. The wreck is also a rare example of an iron shipwreck that has not been officially salvaged or stripped bare by looters.
Criterion 8 Representative
SS Alert is representative of the fleet of smaller iron ships that transported mainly cargo around the coastline of Australia towards the end of the 19th century. The wreck is also representative of the disaster that befell many such ships in treacherous seas and heavy winds.
*There is a 1000m diameter Protected Zone around Alert centred on position -38.4869444 144.7505556 WGS84. No entry is permitted unless a Permit has been authorised by Heritage Victoria. *