The Story of the Brunette
Built in Deptford, England in 1859, this 141-foot, 375-ton iron barque originally sailed under the grand name Pride of the West. She operated under this name until 1866, when she was sold to Couper & Co. and officially renamed the Brunette.
For decades, the Brunette was a proud sailing vessel, utilizing the wind to haul cargo across the oceans. However, as the era of sail gave way to steam power, her traditional sailing days eventually came to an end.
A Second Life as a Coal Hulk By 1892, the Brunette was sold to McIlwraith McEacharn & Co. Stripped of her former glory, she was repurposed as a floating coal hulk. In this gritty but essential role, she spent her final working years refueling the modern steamships that had rendered her obsolete.
The Discovery
On-water searches have discovered what we believe is the Brunette about 8nm south of Point Nepean in about 70m of sea water. Further dives are required in order to positively identify the ship.