Model of the ship CATO

Modern scale replica of a ship associated with Matthew Flinders, that would shortly become one of the most famous early shipwrecks in eastern Australian waters.

CATO, a 430-ton vessel launched near Whitby in about 1800 and painted by Luny soon after her launching, made her way quickly to New South Wales. In August 1803, as part of a group of three ships, she headed northwards on the east coast of Australia and ran aground together with her sister ship HMS PORPOISE on the consequently named Wreck Reef on the Great Barrier Reef. Matthew Flinders, returning to England in search of a ship to replace INVESTIGATOR, was one of those aboard the small fleet, as was his artist William Westall. In a great feat of seamanship, Flinders navigated Porpoise‘s cutter more than 700 miles back to Port Jackson, and arranged for the relief and rescue of his wrecked shipmates from Wreck Reef.

Still unexplained today are the actions of the third ship, BRIDGEWATER. According to the survivors, she made no effort to rescue survivors, quickly putting about for Batavia after the wreck. Once in Batavia, she reported both PORPOISE and CATO lost with all hands.

The wreck site was identified by Ben Cropp in 1965.