Once more we bid a sad farewell to Robe! However, this whirlwind trip has managed to still be jam packed with adventure. Dr James Hunter (ANMM) gave a well-attended talk at Robe’s bowling club on the 166th anniversary of the loss of Koning Willem de Tweede (30 June 1857). The talk followed a moving service and wreath laying at the memorial to Koning Willem’s crew. James discussed the history of the ship and its wrecking event, and provided an outline of the work we have been doing and hope to do if we identify the wreck site!
The next morning, Heather Berry led a conservation workshop at Robe’s Customs House Maritime Museum, and demonstrated techniques on a harpoon and trident that were generously lent for the workshop by the National Trust of South Australia (Robe Branch).

We would like to thank the National Trust and Robe History Group for their tremendous efforts in organising and hosting these events.

The Koning Willem de Tweede Archaeological Project has been assisted by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Australia, and the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands.

#WindsorBoats - continuing the 3D timber model annotation phase

Pondering. Discussing. “Is it a nail? A tiny treenail? Just a hole?” 🤔🧐

Features on archaeological timber can at times be very faint or present more than one interpretation. In addition, spending more time with the timber often reveals details that were not immediately obvious at first glance.

#maritimearchaeology #archaeology #3Dimaging #3dmodel #sameshirt

Today marks the 166th anniversary of the loss of the Dutch ship Koning Willem de Tweede, during which 16 crewmen lost their lives. SWF’s Heather Berry and ANMM’s James Hunter have returned to Robe to mark the solemn occasion.

The Koning Willem de Tweede Shipwreck Project has been assisted by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Australia, and the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands.

Flipping back into #WindsorBoats

The 3D model processing done, now the archaeologists took up their posts at the annotation stations!

Each boat timber was closely examined 🧐 all its features digitally traced on the 3D digital version of it and an accompanying detailed description written.

Combined with the field recording notes made by the excavating archaeologists, these annotation files make up part of the permanent record that will accompany the boats from here on. This record will be invaluable in the future reconstruction and interpretation of the boats.

Our former colleague Paul Hundley along with our ANMM colleague Kieran Hosty, tackled and completely owned the annotation phase! 🤩💪

#maritimearchaeology #archaeology #boats #conservation #3Dimaging #3Dmodel #Rhino3D

Getting tucked into bed 😴

With the Barangaroo Boat timbers resting comfortably in tanks, and being treated for the next few months after the PEG was added, the team had to make sure the fluctuations in concentration were not too great and/or too rapid. So, it was time to cover the tanks by placing plastic covers over them in order to reduce evaporation of water.

After some designing and trialling what may work best, the simplest covering solution won. This sectioned weighted tarp system allows for quick and easy access to the tanks, while keeping the covers off the surface of the solution.

We say, “Nigh’ nigh’ Broo”, as we tuck the sides of the tarps in to create the best seal possible!

#BarangarooBoat #conservation #nightnight

On World Ocean Day let’s remember our watery planet and how hugely important keeping it clean is.

On a recent expedition at 4,000 metres down in the middle of the vast ocean, looking for a site of historical significance we find evidence of our current behaviour ……
This is not what we were looking for …….

Let’s protect 💫

#worldoceansday #save #bringiton #bestpractices
#maritimehistory #maritimearchaeology #noplastic #montevideomaru

Having structure is important!

Switching into the Barangaroo Boat project: Are you wondering what is actually happening to the Barangaroo Boat timbers? Why are they bathing in PEG wax? 🤔

Think of a piece of wood that has been soaking in water for ages and then dries out completely – it becomes all flaky and brittle, right? When the wood is wet and has degraded, water replaces some of the internal cell structures. Once the water evaporates out of them, the cells just collapse down on themselves. So, the main aim here is to replace the water in the cells with something that will provide structure when the water is removed ie. PEG wax. While the timbers are in treatment, the wax solution penetrates into the wood cells. Then once the timbers are dried, the wax solidifies, providing the structure they need which keeps the cells from collapsing down on themselves.

Neat, eh? There are some constraints to this though – similarly to many other museum objects, the timbers, once dried, must be stored or displayed in environmentally controlled conditions. In the case of the PEG wax treated timbers, it is the relative humidity that must be kept stable at 55%, and the temperature must be maintained between 17-20°C.

#BarangarooBoat #conservation #woodcells

Processing digital 3D models of the Windsor Boats can get… psychedelic 🤩😵

The different colours represent different scans – viewed together, they make some funky artwork!

Images: Copyright Transport for NSW

#WindsorBoats #3Dmodel #Artec3D #psychedelic #groovy

Processing the raw scans of the Windsor Boats timbers to turn them into a clean 3D digital model takes…well, some doing. For a novice the going can be a little slow, for an experienced hand it can be a little faster. Some pieces can take 15 minutes and some can take just under an hour.

Another crisp autumn day in Sydney, has us thinking about these days we spent digitally recording the Windsor Boat timbers in 2021.

#WindsorBoats #maritimearchaeology #3dscanning #3Dimaging #Rhino3D

How to prepare a Windsor boat plank for scanning

The cooler weather in Sydney has us thinking back to the summer of 2021 when we perfected some taught skills in plank scanning prep 😅

Step 1 – suspend the plank

Step 2 – gently pat it dry, speaking words of comfort and encouragement

Step 3 – have a chat while it settles down

Image 1: Irini Malliaros/Silentworld Foundation, Copyright TfNSW
Image 2 and 3: Kieran Hosty/ANMM

#WindsorBoats #3Dscanning #maritimearchaeology #calm

The team aboard the Fugro vessel Equator held a commemorative service for those who perished aboard Montevideo Maru – prisoners of war and crew members alike. A wreath was laid, and mini Senbazuru (50 paper cranes) - a symbol of peace in Japanese culture

They have no grave but the cruel sea,
No flowers lay at their head,
A rusting hulk is their tombstone,
Afast on the ocean bed.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.


The sinking of Montevideo Maru was one of Australia’s largest maritime casualties. She sank on the 1st July 1942 after being torpedoed by the USS Sturgeon, who were unaware that civilians and prisoners of war were onboard, having been captured by the Japanese after the fall of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea. Approximately 1060 prisoners were lost, as well as 20 Japanese crew.

Silentworld Foundation, Fugro, and the Department of Defence representatives aboard Equator, having identified Montevideo Maru, commemorated all lives lost at the site.


#montevideomaru #maritimearchaeology #lestweforget #fugro #WorldWarII #WWII #shipwreck #peace

#WindsorBoats: Scanning yoga.

🤔 What are your concentration levels?

For the Barangaroo Boat, concentration is very important. In between PEG wax additions, the team monitors the treatment solution concentration levels and the depth of the water in each tank weekly to ensure that they remain stable.

The concentration reading is made with a simple instrument called a brix meter which is used in brewing. If the wax concentration levels are elevated and the depth reading is lower than what it is supposed to be, the tanks are topped up with fresh tap water to bring down the wax concentration to the appropriate level.

📷: Irini Malliaros/SWF © Sydney Metro

#BarangarooBoat #conservation #imconcentrating

Detailed recording of the #WindsorBoats timbers was the next step in their story.

We needed to do this as close to the time of their arrival at the facility as possible in order to capture their form before they went into chemical treatment.

We whipped out a structured light scanner and ran some laps around the timbers.

We cannot think of a better way to spend the holidays than working with culturally significant heritage items – our happy place!

A shoutout to our colleague Kieran Hosty from the Australian National Maritime Museum (@sea.museum) for his incredible support with this work!

📸: @rae.malliaros /Silentworld Foundation and @kieranhosty /ANMM; © Transport for NSW.

#Conservation #Archaeology #DayInTheOffice #SilentworldConservationProjects #HoHoHo

👏 Wax time for the #BarangarooBoat!

After the EDTA baths, the timbers went through to remove as much of the concreted iron and iron corrosion products, they are now ready for the actual treatment phase!

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) wax is gradually added to the tanks over a number of months, increasing the wax concentration in increments of 5% with an end goal of 35%.

The timbers are then allowed to soak in this solution for a minimum of 6 months.

Archaeological wood spa treatment!

📸: Silentworld Team (@rae.malliaros
& Heather Berry) / © Sydney Metro.

#Conservation #PEGwax #AtTheSpa

#WindsorBoats Post: All settled and comfy in their new home tank just in time for the 2020/2021 Christmas holidays! ⛵🎄⛵🎄⛵🎄

Credit: Irini Malliaros/Silentworld Foundation; © Transport for NSW.

#Conservation #Archaeology #DayInTheOffice #SilentworldConservationProjects #HoHoHo