premier

The premier

Initially located by HMAS Melville in 2006 with further support and data analysis by Jeremy Green. The site was dived by WreckSploration on 12/04/2026, and lies in 100m of water off the southwest of Rottnest Island.

Premier is an important part of Western Australia’s maritime history as one of two cutter-suction dredges used in the development of Fremantle Harbour. Built in 1893 (69 tons), she worked alongside the larger Governor (486 tons, 1898) to loosen seabed material with a rotating cutter head and pump slurry for channel and berth construction.

Premier was brought from the Netherlands and also served in the construction of Princess Royal Harbour, Albany. Laid up and stripped of machinery by 1930, Premier was scuttled in 1938 in the Rottnest Ships’ Graveyard, reportedly carrying old motor car bodies.

As part of the Ships’ Graveyard, Premier’s remains provide useful evidence of late 19th – early 20th – century harbour engineering, the international sourcing of specialised vessels, and the lifecycle of industrial ships transitioning from service to historic maritime archaeological sites.

From Dr Ross Anderson (WA Museum):

Wreck is of a single screw suction hopper dredge, with suction dredge pipe hoists laid out on the port side. The boiler and engine have been removed, though the dredge hoists, suction manifold and hopper bin show the operating layout of the vessel.
Length of wreck is 52m.
Dredges recorded scuttled in Commonwealth Area No. 7, Rottnest ship scuttling ground are:
Premier (51.8m length, single screw suction dredge, port side dredge hoist layout).
Governor (length unknown, twin screw steam suction dredge).
Timaru (44.2m length, already identified).
Parmelia 1 (ladder bucket dredge, not suction dredge, length unknown).
Premier is recorded as having machinery removed, consistent with no machinery on Site 08.
Site 08 is identified as Premier.

Excerpt from: The West Australian, 09/03/1938

It was anticipated that the dredge Premier, which has been in the hands of shipbreakers at Fremantle since the end of last year, would be towed out to sea and sunk yesterday morning, but her end has been delayed, probably until next week. It had been intended to sink her in the Straggler Reef, between Rottnest Island and Carnac Island, but the Federal authorities have notified the agents of the owner that she will have to be sunk in the recognised ship graveyard outside Rottnest. A launch was to have towed her to the Straggler Reef, but a more powerful vessel will be required to tow her to the graveyard. This will probably be the steamer Emerald which is not available for the purpose this week. In view of the high price of steel and scrap iron, surprise has been expressed that the hull should be sunk. Inquiries have revealed that all the easily removable machinery, including much cast iron, brass and copper, has been removed by the shipbreakers, and it is practically only the shell of the vessel that remains. In view of her age, it was considered that, despite the high price obtainable for the metal, the amount of steel that would be gained by breaking up the hull would not return the amount of money spent on the work.

Excerpt from: The West Australian, 30/03/1938

Carrying a miscellaneous cargo, including broken up parts of motor vehicle bodies which, like herself, had reached the end of their useful life, the old dredge Premier was towed from North Wharf by the steamer Emerald early yesterday morning to the graveyard of ships, about eight miles south-east of Cape Vlamingh, Rottnest Island, and sunk. As the dredge passed out of the harbour mouth to oblivion, … The dredge had been in the hands of ship breakers for several months and all her easily removable machinery, including much brass, cast iron and copper had been removed, leaving almost only the shell of the vessel. Her end was delayed for some time. About three weeks ago it was intended to sink her in the Straggler Reef, between Rottnest Island and Carnac Island, but the Federal authorities insisted that she be sunk in the recognised ship graveyard. She was about 45 years old. She came to Australia under her own power as a new dredge in 1893 and was first employed in the construction of Fremantle Harbour. Later she was stationed at other West Australian ports, and in May, 1930, she was laid up at Fremantle.

Dived and modelled 12/04/2026

3D Model:

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