What Was Just Found Off South Australia's Coast Shouldn't Exist
What Was Just Found Off South Australia's Coast Shouldn't Exist
In March of 2025, a diver swimming through near-zero visibility off South Australia's coast almost put his face directly into a rusted iron winch, sitting exactly where a ship had vanished nearly 170 years earlier. After four years of searching and two failed attempts, the wreck of the Koning Willem de Tweede had finally been found.
We're pretty much tracing the story of this Dutch merchant ship, the 400 Chinese migrants it dropped at Robe just days before a storm tore it apart, the £10 poll tax that forced thousands to walk 400km overland instead of sailing straight to Victoria, and the Aboriginal rescue that saved its captain's life. 168 years on, the wreck has finally been located, and researchers believe it may still be holding everything the crew never had time to save.
#australia #shipwreck #history
Video Summary
AI GeneratedMaritime archaeologist James Hunter has discovered the wreck of the *Koning Willem de Tweede* in South Australia. The 1857 Dutch vessel is historically vital as the first confirmed ship to transport Chinese gold rush migrants via the \"Robe Walk\" to evade Victorian poll taxes. Found after a four-year search, the site offers a rare, undisturbed glimpse into 19th-century migration and maritime tragedy.