Community
4 October, 2024
Diver returns to see treasure
A FORMER diver, who found gold sovereign among the wreckage of the Loch Ard more than 20 years ago, returned to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village this week to see the treasure on display.
Julie Wilkins, who now lives in Melbourne, donated the gold coin and cross (believed to be dated around 1793) to Flagstaff Hill more than two decades ago and was thrilled to return to the village on Tuesday.
This week’s trip was the first Ms Wilkins has made since donating the items to the maritime village around 2005.
“I have always loved scuba diving, particularly going down and exploring shipwrecks, because they’re such an important part of our history,” Ms Wilkins said.
“I seem to be born to do it (diving). A group of us (friends) have been diving for many years, from Heron and Lizard islands all up and down the coast. I’ve also been diving in Tahiti, Egypt, the Maldives, the Red Sea and even spent time underwater with members of the French Navy.”
But Ms Wilkins’ exploration of the Loch Ard was one of her most memorable.
“I remember it was a long weekend and some friends and I decided to go diving. We put the boat in off the Peterborough ramp and found the markings of the Loch Ard so decided to set anchor.
“The water was extremely calm that day and the sea underneath was also very still which was quite unusual.
“I came across a coin, with a cross attached; at first I thought it may have been part of an old carriage clock although I’d never actually seen one.”
The dive also uncovered a box full of champagne bottles.
“I brought the bottles up to the boat but they were returned to the ocean floor before we headed home.”
Returning home to Melbourne, Ms Wilkins took a closer look at her ‘treasure’ and asked her local church vicor to bless the pieces before she put them away “for safe keeping.”
“But eventually everything must be returned to its rightful place so in about 2005 I came to Flagstaff Hill and handed the items in; I believed they needed to be kept safe and their story told sometime down the track.”
Fast forward 19 years and Ms Wilkins received a call from a volunteer at Flagstaff Hill saying the items had been found in storage and would be put on display for the community to enjoy.
“I had a call about three or four months ago from Julie (Flagstaff Hill) wanting to know some more information about the coin and cross and how I came about them.
“I was so excited and wanted to come here and see them on display – but first I wanted to make sure the trains were running and I wouldn’t face hours on a bus.”
Arriving in Warrnambool on Tuesday, Ms Wilkins was “absolutely delighted” to see the treasures she found displayed so well.
“This is absolutely marvellous,” she said.
“It’s my first visit since donating these to Flagstaff Hill and it’s just so lovely to see them on display for everyone to enjoy. They’re beautiful pieces and an important part in history.”
After receiving a warm welcome from volunteers, Ms Wilkins enjoyed spending the day exploring Flagstaff Hill.
* The Loch Ard was believed to have struck tragedy at sea, between Princetown and the Coast, on the morning of Saturday, June 1, 1878.
Of the 70 on board, all but two people (survivors Thomas Pearson and Eveline Carmichael) were lost when the Loch Ard – travelling between London and Melbourne – was struck by heavy swell and hit rocks.
