In the Spotlight: Secrets of SS Yongala

A year before RMS Titanic sunk, disaster struck closer to home with the disappearance of the SS Yongala off the coast of Queensland resulting in over 120 lives lost. It’s final resting place off the coast of the Burdekin would remain undiscovered for over 50 years. 

Join Maritime Archaeologist Toni Massey as she dives into the story of Yongala, and how shipwrecks can teach us not just about the past but also reveal truths about our marine environments in the present day – from the fish, rays, turtles and coral that call the wreck home to discovering how shipwrecks can help experts understand climate change and the effects of  sea temperature rise, storms & cyclones, ocean acidification and pollution. 

Toni Massey
A/Senior Curator of Maritime Archaeology at Queensland Museum Tropics
Toni is a Maritime archaeologist with over 20 years’ experience in the protection of underwater cultural heritage and museum collections throughout Australia. Toni’s current projects involve uncovering the hidden secrets of the Queensland Museum’s historic shipwreck collections via 3D scanning, artefact analysis and scientific research with a focus on climate change, marine conservation and citizen science.

The talk will go for approximately 45 minutes and there will be time for questions after.