On August 23 1969, the coastal freighter MV Noongah departed Newcastle bound for Townsville with a cargo of steel and 26 crew. The 71-metre ship had been a regular sight along the eastern seaboard for a decade as it hauled cargo between cities up and down the coast.
Two days later, the vessel disappeared in the night beneath ten-metre waves, lashed by a violent storm. Tragically, only five of the 26 crew would be rescued during one of the largest searches for survivors in post-war Australian maritime history. As for the MV Noongah, its resting place would remain a mystery.
