Alex T. Brown Shipwreck

Alex T. Brown was the name given to this large commercial ship that was blown ashore and shipwrecked off the coast of Yanchep during a heavy storm in 1917. A hefty 788 tons, the ship was constructed by Globe Construction Co. in the state of Washington, around the final years of the North American wooden shipbuilding industry.

It was a four-masted, wooden schooner and interestingly is one of only two shipwrecks of this model of a ship that still remains on Australian shores. Depending on the tide levels, the vessel is somewhat exposed. During winter storms and swells, the wreckage is best identified although the high winds and daily tidal patterns are slowly eroding this impressive structure back into the sea. 

Interestingly, after Alex T. Brown was shipwrecked, the locals of Yanchep and the Wanneroo district decided to salvage materials from the wreck. It’s said that many of the timber beams were taken and used in the building of houses and commercial buildings in the area. The vessel is now seen as having great cultural and historical significance to the area, and recent developments have seen a Conservation Order implemented in 2018 to protect it.