Documentary about the 1876 Geltwood shipwreck released in Australia
A documentary about the Geltwood shipwreck off the south-eastern coast of South Australia has been released in Millicent, Australia. The vessel was wrecked in June 1876 during its maiden voyage from England when it encountered a storm that contemporaries described as a hurricane. All 31 passengers and crew members are believed to have drowned.
As reported by ABC News Australia, the wreckage was only found in the 1980s. Filmmaker Lyndal Redman has a family connection to the story: her father, Kim Redman, dived to the sunken vessel and provided his boat for the recovery of artefacts. Redman said she found footage filmed by her father in the 1980s and decided to preserve the story of the Geltwood in a film.
Artefacts and controversy
Historical background for the documentary project was provided by Millicent resident Lisa Brace. According to her, after the 1876 wreck, parts of the vessel that washed ashore were stolen and sold at auctions. As a result, timber from the Geltwood ended up on the properties of local residents.
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Divers recovered items from the sunken ship, and many of these artefacts are still displayed in museums in Millicent and Beachport on the Limestone Coast. Brace noted that Adelaide media once accused local divers of looting the vessel, although, according to her, they sought to preserve the finds. Local newspapers later apologised to them.
New finds and community support
After the film was released, Redman received a letter from a woman in Poland who said she had found a family Bible connected to one of the people aboard the Geltwood.
The film's first screening in Millicent drew more than 280 viewers, so organisers had to add chairs. Brian Foster, who dived to the wreck with his father-in-law Mick Halpin, who discovered the sunken vessel, described the documentary as a way to preserve this story for future generations.
