Bass Strait Triangle Explained

The Bass Strait Triangle is the waters that separate the states of Victoria and Tasmania, including Bass Strait, in south-eastern Australia. The term Bass Strait Triangle (inspired by the Bermuda Triangle) appears to have been first used following the disappearance of Frederick Valentich in 1978 although the region had a bad reputation (never ascribed to supernatural forces, however) long before that.

Geography of Bass Strait

Bass Strait is a generally shallow (average depth of 50m (160feet)) stretch of water approximately 300km (200miles) wide and 200km (100miles) from north to south, encompassed by the entire northern coastline of Tasmania and Victoria's central to eastern coast. The prevailing winds and currents are westerly, the latter being divided by King Island, Tasmania at the western entrance to the strait, causing unpredictable sea conditions, especially when strong winds occur. For example, strong southerly winds can cause a strong northerly current reflecting from the Victorian coast. The combination of winds, currents, tidal flow and the shallow bottom often lead to tall waves, often of short length, with a confused short swell often conflicting in direction.

All shipping to the busy ports of Melbourne, Stanley, Burnie, Devonport, Bell Bay and Launceston and the Bass Strait islands such as King Island and Flinders Island must pass through Bass Strait, and it is also the route of choice for many ships passing from the Australian west to east coasts. Most air traffic between Tasmania and the Australian mainland flies at least in part over or adjacent to it.^[1]

Incidents

Bass Strait was discovered following the wreck of the ship Sydney Cove on the Furneaux Group in 1797 and one of the vessels engaged in the salvage operation, the sloop Eliza, went missing on her return voyage to Sydney.^[2] Hundreds of vessels from small yachts and fishing craft up to the size of bulk carriers have come to grief in Bass Strait since that time through hitting reefs, running aground on the coastline or on river bars while entering port, or foundering due to stress of weather, some dozens being lost without a trace.^[3]

Actual north-south (and vice versa) crossing of Bass Strait seldom occurred until after Melbourne was established in 1835. From 1838-1840, at least seven vessels were lost with all hands on their way to or from the new settlement, wreckage from only three being identified. Rumours that some of these vessels had fallen victim to wreckers appear baseless, the main cause probably being bad weather and poor charts.

• In 1858, the British warship disappeared, with well over one hundred lives lost, and no positively identifiable wreckage located.^[4]
• In 1901 the SS Federal disappeared carrying coal from New South Wales with 31 crew. Her wreck was not located until 2019^[5]
• In 1906 the SS Ferdinand Fischer, a German cargo ship, disappeared.
• The SS Amelia J, a schooner, disappeared on 10 September 1920. was commissioned to search for the ship, and while searching the Bass Strait, a second ship - the barquentine SS Southern Cross - disappeared. A military Airco DH.9A engaged in the search would also then disappear.^[6] Wreckage of the SS Southern Cross was found on King Island; the SS Amelia J was never discovered, and neither was the Airco DH.9A.^[7]
• The De Havilland Express Miss Hobart, went missing soon after entering service in 1934, only a small amount of wreckage being found on the Victorian coast.
• In 1935 Loina, a Holyman airliner, crashed into the sea near Flinders Island with three crew and two passengers lost. No bodies were found.^[8] The cause of both accidents was probably a combination of human error with the known poor design of the aircraft.^[9]
• During the Second World War, several aircraft — mostly RAAF Bristol Beaufort bombers — were lost during exercises in Bass Strait while on training flights out of air bases, mainly RAAF Base East Sale near Sale, Victoria. These accidents were probably caused by the inexperienced crew crashing into the sea while performing low-level bombing practice — similar accidents occurred over land.^[10]
• In 1972 a De Havilland Tiger Moth flown by Brenda Hean and Max Price disappeared on a flight from Tasmania to Canberra as part of protests against the flooding of Lake Pedder for a hydroelectricity scheme. It was believed to have crashed at sea somewhere between the East Coast and Flinders Island. Sabotage by pro-development interests was alleged.
• In 1978 a Cessna flown by Frederick Valentich disappeared after reporting a UFO.^[11]
• 1979 the yacht Charleston disappeared while sailing to Sydney to join the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race.^[12]

References

Notes

Sources

• Book: Brown, Malcolm. Malcolm Brown (Australian journalist)

. Malcolm Brown (Australian journalist). Australia's Worst Disasters. Lothian Books. Melbourne. 2002. 0-7344-0338-0.

• Book: Broxam. Graeme. Nash. Michael. Tasmanian Shipwrecks, Volume 1 - 1797-1899. Navarine Publishing. Canberra. 2013. 978-0975133187.
• Book: Broxam. Graeme. Nash. Michael. Tasmanian Shipwrecks, Volume 2 - 1900-2012. Navarine Publishing. Canberra. 2013. 978-0992366001.
• Book: Killey. Kevin. Lester. Gary. The Devil's Meridian. Lester-Townsend. Sydney. 1980. 0-949853-01-1.
• Book: Job, Macarthur. Macarthur Job

. Macarthur Job. Air Crash. 1. Aerospace Publications. Canberra. 1991. 1-875671-11-0.

• Book: Loney, Jack. Jack Loney

. Jack Loney. Mysteries of the Bass Strait Triangle. Neptune Press. 1st. 1980. 0-9091315-3-8.

• Book: Millwood, Scott. Whatever happened to Brenda Hean?. Allen and Unwin. Crows Nest, NSW. 2008. 978-1-74175-611-1.
• Book: Whitmore, Debbie. An Extreme Event:The compelling, true story of the tragic 1998 Sydney-Hobart Race. Random House Australia. Sydney. 1999. 0-0918-4057-0.

External links

• Australia Broadcasting Corporation: transcript of TV program on the disappearance of Brenda Hean and Max Price. http://www.abc.net.au/tv/rewind/txt/s1173814.htm

Notes and References

1. Book: Australian Pilot Volume II: : South, South- East and East Coasts of Australia from Green Cape to Port Jackson Including Bass Strait and Tasmania. Hydrographic Department. Somerset. 1982.
2. Book: Broxam. Graeme. Nash. Michael. Tasmanian Shipwrecks, Volume 1 - 1797-1899. Navarine Publishing. Canberra. 2013. 978-0975133187.
3. Book: Broxam. Graeme. Nash. Michael. Tasmanian Shipwrecks, Volume 1 - 1797-1899. Navarine Publishing. Canberra. 2013. 978-0975133187.
4. Book: Broxam. Graeme. Nash. Michael. Tasmanian Shipwrecks, Volume 1 - 1797-1899. Navarine Publishing. Canberra. 2013. 978-0975133187.
5. News: Bass Strait shipwreck studied in bid to solve century-old mystery . www.abc.net.au . 27 June 2019 . en-AU.
6. Book: Broxam. Graeme. Nash. Michael. Tasmanian Shipwrecks, Volume 2 - 1900-2012. Navarine Publishing. Canberra. 2013. 978-0992366001.
7. Web site: Royal Australian Navy. Royal Australian Navy. HMAS Swordsman . www.navy.gov.au . 28 July 2020 . en.
8. News: GRIM EVIDENCE OF THE LOINA DISASTER . Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954) . 4 October 1935 . 7.
9. Book: Job, Macarthur. Macarthur Job

   . Macarthur Job. Air Crash. 1. Aerospace Publications. Canberra. 1991. 1-875671-11-0.

10. Book: Wilson, Stewart. Beaufort, Beaufighter and Mosquito in Australian service. Recounting the exciting exploits and achievements of Australia's three light bombers of World War II. Aerospace Publications. Canberra. 1990. 0-958797-84-6.
11. News: Search for pilot who saw UFO, then disappeared discontinued. 2021-04-26. Lodi News-Sentinel. United Press International. 1978-10-26.
12. News: Lost yacht mystery continues 30 years on . www.abc.net.au . 21 December 2009 . en-AU.