Introduction
The SS Georgette as depicted in Sam, Grace and the Shipwreck (Fremantle Press 2011)
The SS Georgette
“There is something about this morning – a quiet in the hills, a shiver in the air- something that prickles the nose of a stockman’s horse…”
Shortly after midnight on 1 December 1876, the SS Georgette, bound for Adelaide from Fremantle, developed a leak. By early morning, the ill-fated steamship had run aground in Calgardup Bay where it was spotted by Aboriginal stockman, Sam “Yebble” Isaacs.
This online resource explores the story of the sinking of the SS Georgette. It features Sonia Martinez’s artwork and draft materials from Michelle Gillespie’s award-winning picture book Sam, Grace and the Shipwreck (Fremantle Press, 2011), along with heritage items from the State Library’s collection to piece together various versions of this Western Australian event.
It can be used to extend students who have visited the State Library's exhibition Recovered: Tales from the wreckage of the Georgette, on display from 1 April to 23 June 2023, and participated in the Digging Up The Past guided workshop. It can also be used as a stand-alone classroom resource. The content encourages students to engage critically with primary source materials, question versions of history and make connections using a variety of sources.
Recovered: Tales from the wreckage of the Georgette incorporates a selection of suggested classroom activities and recommended resources to further challenge and engage students. It was produced to align with the Western Australian HaSS and English Curricula.