Part Four: Aftermath

Stingray In The Wave (Christobel Kelly)

After the wreck, the remains of the ship were sold by auction at Port Adelaide. Many other fittings of the ship were either salvaged or recovered years later by divers.

The wreck occurred long before state or commonwealth heritage laws protected shipwrecked items from beachside looting. The figurehead that adorned the front of the ship was salvaged by Mr Walter Kimber, owner of the Seaview Hotel in Port Willunga where the survivors were housed following the disaster. It was displayed outside his home for many years until his wife donated it to the Port Adelaide Nautical Museum after his death.

The Storms Roll In While All The Ships Lie Abed Below (Christobel Kelly)

First curator of the Nautical Museum, Vernon Smith scoured the state on the hunt for more of these treasured historical relics. The artefacts he found as well as many other historical maritime gems from the collection are now a core part of the History Trust’s South Australia’s Maritime Museum.

The Star of Greece is remembered in many ways today. Apart from items salvaged from the wreck itself, there are artworks commemorating the event, commemorative plaques and signs and even a restaurant named for the ship. The close proximity of the site to Adelaide make it one of the best known wrecks in South Australia.