The Schomberg: A Titanic of Its Time Lost off Peterborough

Off the dramatic coast near Peterborough, Victoria, lies the ghost of a grand dream—the Schomberg, once hailed as the finest sailing ship ever built. Her story is a cautionary tale of ambition, human error, and the unforgiving nature of the Shipwreck Coast.

Launched in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1855, the Schomberg was the pride of the Black Ball Line. Built to dominate the emigrant trade between Britain and Australia, she was a three-masted clipper constructed of iron and oak, 260 feet long and capable of speeds over 17 knots. Dubbed “the most perfect clipper ship ever built,” she was outfitted luxuriously for her time, carrying over 400 passengers and cargo bound for Melbourne.

Commanded by the famed Captain James “Bully” Forbes, the Schomberg set sail from Liverpool on her maiden voyage on 6 October 1855. Despite high expectations, she never made it to Melbourne.

On the evening of 27 December 1855, after 80 days at sea, the ship was just off the coast of Victoria, in sight of land. Mysteriously, and under fair conditions, she struck a sandbar off Curdies Inlet, just east of present-day Peterborough. All passengers and crew survived, but the Schomberg was lost.

The cause of the grounding sparked controversy. Captain Forbes was accused of negligence and possibly even socialising with passengers instead of overseeing navigation. Though later cleared of misconduct, his reputation never recovered.

The wreck of the Schomberg became a local spectacle. Salvagers and curious onlookers flocked to the site. Over time, the remains of the vessel were claimed by the Southern Ocean, though parts have occasionally re-emerged during low tides and shifting sands.

Today, the story of the Schomberg remains etched in the heritage of the Shipwreck Coast. The tragedy highlights both the perils of 19th-century sea travel and the harsh, unpredictable nature of Victoria’s coastline. A historic marker near Peterborough pays tribute to the ill-fated clipper, while local maritime museums preserve her memory.

For visitors walking the beaches or gazing from the cliffs near Peterborough, it’s humbling to imagine the grandeur of the Schomberg—a floating palace that now rests in silence beneath the waves.