SS Dicky Timeline

The Friends of the Caloundra Lighthouses would like to acknowledge the Everyone's Environment Grant from the State Government, which funded the Heritage Impact Report and Conservation Management Plan, both administered by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council. The grant has also funded this SS Dicky Timeline.

The CMP and HIR funded through this grant, and Cosmos Archaeology Pty Ltd Final Report on the removal of the upper sections of the wreck in 2015 can be downloaded at the bottom of this page

If you have any photographs and stories we are keen to hear from you. 

The SS Dicky was washed ashore onto a beach which was later named Dicky Beach, after the ship had been caught in the tail of a cyclone, on 4th Feb 1893.  The Captrain had mistaken Point Wickham and Moffat Beach, as being Caloundra in the rough cyclonic swell and when he attempted to steer the ship north west, the winds drove the vessel onto the beach.  Photo and information courtesy Sunshine Coast Council

Backward Glance: The last voyage of the S.S. Dicky

1890s photos courtesy Dave Slawson, Illidge family - another photo in this series suggests pre 1900. It shows the Caloundra Lighthouse with Bulcock's watchtower, and Canberra Tce as a dirt track,  indicating a date before the turn of the century.  The lighthouse was built in 1896 and the a 1900 photo shows Canberra Tce as a more developed road - see the Lighthouses

 Chronological Images 1920s & earlier

From the same series courtesy Dave Slawson

Early photo of the Dicky courtesy Doreen Hall & Nancy Andrews.  This was a very faded photograph which I enhanced and reduced.  Doreen is descended from Carl & Dorothea Edlundh.  Carl was the first lighthouse keeper.

The Edlundh's retired to 37 Arthur St Caloundra  and more of their story is told there.

You can download the original original scan  here  if you want better detail.

SS Dicky in 1914  courtesy State Library of Queensland

1938 The Dicky courtesy Prudence Deckert nee Rapkins.

Father Eric Harold Rapkins was Caloundra Lighthouse keeper from Sept 1930 until Oct 1934.

His six children - Jacqueline, Prudence, John, Jim Coral & Peter all attended school in Caloundra.

see  Eric Rapkins Gallipoli Diary

1940 Dicky Beach, detail from Caloundra aerial photo courtesy DERM.  Shows the World War Two military camp and network of tracks, the Tooway Creek Bridge built 1937, Sir Leslie & Lady Wilson's house with servants quarters, & two houses built by Elks & Sudlow in 1939, both on Wilson Ave, and "Semloh" on Beerburrum St facing north to the circled wreck.

1950s Dicky Beach courtesy Lee-Anne Bryant Facebook page - Caloundra - The good old days- The 80's

1960 May photo courtesy Margaret Clarkson

SS Dicky in advanced state of decay  Updated 29 Jul 2015, 9-04am Sourced- State Library of Queensland

looks like when they removed the propellor, so must be 1963 or earlier 

1963 Dicky propellor ceremony, Queensland Womens' Historical Association. Photo courtesy Peter Magee

That's got to be Sir Francis Nicklin,  Premier of Queensland from 1957 to 1968

1963 The Dicky bell courtesy Peter Magee

c 1965 Coloured postcard depicting wreck of SS DICKEY on Dickey's beach Caloundra, Queensland, Australia.

Bernard Kuskopf Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) Collection

1970s Moffat Beach looking towards Dicky Beach, early 70's Lee-Anne Bryant Caloundra- The good old days- The 80's

Detail from above - a good image of the pre 1974 dunes

1970s Dicky Beach aerial photo courtesy Allan Onyett.  The faint outline of the SS Dicky can be seen on the beach

2004 March rough weather but not a cyclone, photos Roger Todd

2004 March

2004 March

2004 April photo Roger Todd

2004 April photo Roger Todd

2007 SS Dicky courtesy Hugh & Rita Donaldson, Moffat Headland in the background

2015 SS Dicky courtesy Hugh & Rita Donaldson

2015 April test cutting SS Dicky showing metal cross section courtesy Cosmos Archaeology

2015 Greg Gardner Photography for the Sunshine Coast Council

2015 Greg Gardner Photography for the Sunshine Coast Council

see more of Greg's photos here

2015 29th July  The day before it was removed  photo courtesy John Groves

2015 July 30th Lifting the stern out.  Photo Roger Todd

2015 July 30th The ribs.  Photo Roger Todd

2015 July 30th What's left    photo Roger Todd

2015 the propeller, photo Roger Todd   Other documentation & objects

2016 July The Dicky returns. courtesy Susumu Tsukimori (Genta)

Appended is the Cosmos Archaeology Pty Ltd Final Report on the removal of the upper sections of the wreck in 2015

SS Dicky removal Final Report with annexes July 2015.pdf
SS Dicky heritage_impact_assessment_Part1 May 2015.pdf

HIA Part 1

SS Dicky heritage_impact_assessment_Part2 May 2015.pdf

 HIA Part 2