Please be advised: this website contains the names, images and voices of people who are now deceased.

Collections WA has a responsibility to preserve and make accessible the history and culture of Western Australia in all its various forms. The intention of Collections WA is to support research, and to reveal actions of the past that have impacted upon communities, families, and individuals.

In doing so, Collections WA acknowledges the need to respond sensitively and appropriately in cases when accessing this material may be confronting to Aboriginal visitors and clients.

Please also note: Some historical materials within this portal may include language or opinions that today are considered inappropriate or even offensive. Collections WA does not endorse this language and apologises for any distress caused.

Continue

Continue showing cultural advice

Stop showing cultural advice

Collections WA brings together collections from libraries, galleries, museums, archives, historical societies, cultural organisations, community groups and other collecting organisations across Western Australia.

Busselton Historical Society > Records

Full Bottle of Beer - salvaged from British Barque "Sepia"

« Prev Item Next Item »

c. 1898

Subcollections

Overview

Full green bottle of beer which contains its original contents and cork. The bottle was salvaged from the British Barque "Sepia" which was wrecked of Carnac Island on December 29th 1898.

Historical information

The Sepia was an iron hulled, three-masted barque built by Denton, Grey and Company of Hartlepool in1864 and was owned by Bethell, Gwyn and Company, London. She was a regular trader on the London to Fremantle run and on 14 September 1898 she left London with Captain Hugh Thomas, 12 crew and a mixed cargo of 1200 tons, bound for Fremantle. On 29th December the Sepia hit a submerged rock near Carnac Island and sank within 10 minutes without loss of life.

Details

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-124-2020.509

Item type

Bottles

Themes

Material

Glass

Width

10 cm

Height or length

30 cm

Keywords

Place made

London, England, United Kingdom

Year

Primary significance criteria

Social or spiritual significance

Links to additional resources

SEPIA (1898/12/29) 2.9 KM OFFSHORE BETWEEN CARNAC AND GARDEN ISLAND [museum.wa.gov.au]

Read the full story of the Sepia wreck as told on the Western Australian Museum Shipwreck database

Last modified

Thursday, 30 April, 2026

Completeness

100

Busselton Historical Society

Busselton Historical Society

Other items from Busselton Historical Society

Full bottle of beer salvaged from the wreck of the Sepia

Full bottle of beer salvaged from the wreck of the Sepia

Media reuse | View full size | Item feedback

Scan this QR code to open this page on your phone ->

Full size unavailable (you're already seeing this image in its highest resolution available on Collections WA)

Loading...