SS Birchgrove Park. New South Wales Australia. Full Documentary

The Birchgrove Park actually featured in a John Wayne movie in 1955, the year before she foundered. "The Sea Chase", also starring Lana Turner starts off in Sydney Harbour and follows the escape of a German freighter in the opening days of WW2...The Birchgrove Park can be seen steaming near the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the opening credits.
Her story is one of the most tragic stories off the Sydney Coastline with ten men losing their lives

[@Jetchisel]

Thanks Max for a wonderful video that so skilfully intertwined the ship's history, her tragic loss and great images of the wreck today. Another tale of a ship's captain pushing his luck to the peril of all on board. Very sad.

[@shipwrecksoftheworld878]

Possibly pressure from the company to keep to a time table.

[@jltb5283]

Nicely done - thanks!

[@shipwrecksoftheworld878]

Glad you liked it!

[@Maverick_182]

Amazing stuff Max

[@shipwrecksoftheworld878]

Thanks for the feed back Man

[@marknelson5929]

Another excellent film of a piece of our maritime history. That piece of film of the Captain Cook Pilot vessel slugging through the seas, always makes me sad when I see pics of her in lieu of the fact she wasn't preserved. Back in my 20s I was a volunteer working on the steam tug Waratah down at Blackwattle Bay, in what is now the old Fish Markets. Great days they were with a brilliant band of guys restoring the old girl. I learnt many skills and when I see her on the harbour it makes me proud.

[@shipwrecksoftheworld878]

Yes what a great project that would have been

[@Jetchisel]

Yes, you have much to be proud of plus many enjoyable memories. The restoration of the Waratah was a great achievement that gave the Sydney Heritage Fleet the confidence to take on the authentic rebuilding of the Barque James Craig and SS John Oxley.

[@jimalexander8734]

Excellent work but very tragic

[@shipwrecksoftheworld878]

Thank you

[@69Applekrate]

Very nice video/doc! Nicely narrated, great imaging/video, educational, recommended. thank you from Arizona, USA

[@shipwrecksoftheworld878]

The wonders of the internet, all the way to the USA. Thanks for the feed back

[@jordanmccomb6519]

These are great mate! Any chance of some footage of the Valiant?

[@shipwrecksoftheworld878]

Sorry, dived it many years ago but it was well before my video days

[@davemoulton1255]

Thanks Max for posting these vids, Amazing work, I dived the Birchgrove many years ago but the viz was pretty ordinary thz again

[@shipwrecksoftheworld878]

Thanks David. It's a real hit and miss on this wreck as far as vis is concerned and all the others in Sydney.

[@jeffrigby189]

A really wonderful video. I was a boy at the time and the tragedy made a big impression on me. Even now the name "Birchgrove Park" has a sad and sinister ring to it.

[@shipwrecksoftheworld878]

Thank you for your input.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

This was a great video of a tragic sinking. The captain knew that it was a dangerous rust bucket. 😮

[@shipwrecksoftheworld878]

It appears they all did

[@davidbarnsley8486]

I feel so sad for the man’s poor wife and unborn then child who would never know it’s father 😢😢 This is an incredible video cheers max

[@shipwrecksoftheworld878]

Yes indeed.

[@hardknuckle8143]

I was born in Bulli, later lived in Newcastle and served in the RAN out of Sydney. In all that time I never learnt about the ships that lie at the bottom of the sea just off the coast of my stomping grounds. Indeed in the Navy I would have sailed over this wreck and many more that you have made videos about and routinely visited places like Nobbys, Catherine Hill Bay, Sandon Point etc. Great videos - very professional and exceptionally informative - great work please give me more.

[@shipwrecksoftheworld878]

Glad you liked the presentation. There are a number of other NSW wrecks on my channel and more will be added over time. Thanks max

[@Barjumpa1]

These Historical Videos are awesome. You should do more. Does anyone know if I can buy or download these somewhere?

[@iaincaveney7162]

Another great video, and i have the book on 60 milers , will have to reread, another lost ship was the Minmi but you cant dive her

[@shipwrecksoftheworld878]

But you can still see Minmi on the shore. Thanks for there feed back

[@ianwallace16]

If memory serves me correctly…Ken Fabian was a foreman on the Sydney waterfront.I remember his face.

[@shipwrecksoftheworld878]

Not sure about that. I did a number of phone interviews with him in 92/93 on the eve of the release of my book "The Vanished Fleet of the Sydney Coastline". I actually read out the chapter on the loss of the Birchy to him to make sure its contents were correct...His comments about singing songs out load and the attack of the sea birds...... very descriptive.