Payments & certificates presented to discoverers of shipwrecks

22/2/96

The State Government today formally recognised the discoverers of the Batavia, Zuytdorp and Zeewijk shipwrecks.

In Geraldton, Arts Minister Peter Foss presented a total of $65,000 in reward payments and certificates to the discoverers of the three shipwrecks, or representatives of their famiies.

The State Government presented reward payments totalling $75,000 to three of the four principal discoverers of the Batavia shipwreck in 1993.

Mr Foss said a 1992 Upper House Select Committee report into the Batavia relics led to a Legislative Assembly Select Committee on Ancient Shipwrecks in 1993.

The committee, chaired by MLA Philip Pendal, concluded that the role played by the discoverers had not been justly rewarded.

"The reward payments and presentation of formal certificates to the discoverers or their families aims to redress some imbalances of history," the Minister said.

"We cannot stop the Batavia running aground on Morning Reef at the Abrolhos Islands, or the Zuytdorp from crashing into the lonely cliff face north of Kalbarri, but we can look to even-up the score for the discoverers of these wrecks."

Mr Foss said the task of shifting fact from fantasy was a long process and he paid tribute to the efforts of the Pendal inquiry.

"The State Government has benefited enormously from the efforts of the shipwreck discoverers, with tourism and the local economy emerging as significant winners," he said.

"It gives the State Government great pleasure to recognise their efforts and we hope this spurs others on to greater efforts in locating other wrecks known to be in our waters."

Mr Foss presented reward payments of $25,000 to Dr Phillip Playford for discovering the Zuytdorp and to Tom Brady for his role in locating the Zeewijk shipwreck.

Graham Cramer and Bruce Melrose received $5,000 for their role in the discovery of the Batavia and Neil McLaghlan received $5,000 for his role in locating the Zeewijk.

Those recognised for the discovery of the Batavia shipwreck were Max Cramer, Dave Johnson, Hugh Edwards and the late Henrietta Drake-Brockman as primary discoverers and Graham Cramer, Bruce Melrose and the late Greg Allen as secondary discoverers.

Primary discoverers of the Zuytdorp were Dr Playford and the late Tom Pepper, while the late Ada Drage, Mr Brady and Max and Graham Cramer were recognised as secondary discoverers.

The Zeewijk was discovered by Mr Edwards, Mr Brady and Harry Bingham, while Max Cramer, Mr McLaghlan and Dr Colin Jack-Hinton were recognised as secondary discoverers.

Media contact: Peter Harris (09) 321 2222