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S.S Kwinana

The name "Kwinana" is taken from the wreck of the S.S. Kwinana which today lies on the shore at Kwinana Beach in Cockburn Sound.

The name came from the Aboriginal word for "Pretty Maiden" and the ship was damaged by fire near Carnarvon in December 1920 and was brought to Fremantle. In May 1922 while at Careening Bay, Garden Island, she was blown ashore during a storm to the place where it rests today. The area in the vicinity of the wreck soon became known as Kwinana and in 1937, the Kwinana townsite was gazetted to cover the area now known as Kwinana Beach.

Upon sale to The West Australian State Shipping Service the SS Darius took a load of coal from Newcastle to WA and was renamed SS Kwinana on 15 July 1912. The re-christening ceremony was attended by 250 invited and 1100 uninvited guests.

This shipping service commenced in 1912 with the small coaster Una, was quickly added to with SS Eucla for cargo duties, SS Western Australia dedicated to passenger traffic and the SS Kwinana which operated in both passenger and cargo roles.

The line operated services from Perth to Albany and Eucla in the south and to Wyndham and Darwin in the north. The initial objective was to supply fresh meat to Perth from the north, as well as developing regular transport communication between West Australian coastal ports. The SS Kwinan became one of the most successful cattle ships ever operated on the north-west run.

The SS Kwinana remained in service until she was severely damaged by fire on Christmas Day in 1920 off Carnarvon, while en route from Fremantle to Wyndham under the command of Captain Wyles. She was returned to Fremantle on 28 March 1921 under escort of SS Kurnalpi. Although it was hoped to send her to the eastern states for a refit she was declared a total loss after colliding next day with SS Port Stephens. On 9 December 1921 she was towed to Garden Island, Cockburn Sound, and her fittings removed. During a gale on 30 May 1922 she broke anchor and was blown ashore near Rockingham to become a total wreck. Her remains were blown up in 1941, but the wreckage still remained visible on the beach for many years afterwards.

The name of the SS Kwinana has been perpetuated in the naming of the beach where she lay as a wreck and more significantly in the name of the major Kwinana Oil Refinery at Fremantle, WA.

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