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The Volition - Longliner Wreck at Bermagui

  • Megan Kennedy
  • Mar 4
  • 1 min read

Around 5am on Thursday morning, the 19-metre-long Volition washed onto the rocks near the Bermagui Headland. Holidaying, we climbed the headland to see. Binoculared locals had gathered too, speculating on the cause of the incident - talk of fisherman asleep at the helm and mechanical faults. The heritage wooden ship had just been restored, according to one.  


On Thursday afternoon the fishing longliner looked mostly intact, leaning heavily on the port side. Dad and I climbed down for a closer look. There was red netting on the stone, and we were told the ship’s occupants simply rock-hopped to safety in the dark. But that night, the swell picked her up and relentlessly beat her against the rocks and seafloor till little was left complete. The next morning, beaches were closed, and by Saturday a crane was positioned to extract the parts from the rocky terrain. Ropes, doors, bright lifesaving devices, redwood decking, all retrieved and heaped on the shore above. Some of the largest pieces would be retrieved last, reaching around the headland. Some pieces were lost out to sea.


A group on people on the Bermagui headland looking out to see the shipwreck of the longliner volition in black and white with an ominous glow

A boat is stranded on rocks by the sea. Two blurred figures, one in the foreground, observe. Tree branches frame the scene, black and white mood.

A fishing boat stranded on rocky shore with crashing waves, under a cloudy sky. Black and white, moody atmosphere. No visible text.

A shipwreck leans on rocks by the sea; several people observe and take photos from the rocky shore. Gloomy, overcast weather.

Serene black and white seascape with gentle waves, distant mountains in the hazy horizon, and rocky shore in the foreground.

A part of a shipwrecked boat on rocky shore. Ocean waves visible, overcast atmosphere. Monochrome image.

A part of a shipwrecked boat on rocky shore. Ocean waves visible, overcast atmosphere. Monochrome image.

Broken wooden boards on grass with a person's leg in striped shorts and shadow. The scene is in black and white, suggesting decay. These are the retrieved parts of the Volition, a ship that was stranded in Bermagui in Feburary 2025

Broken wooden boards on grass. The scene is in black and white, suggesting decay. These are the retrieved parts of the Volition, a ship that was stranded in Bermagui in Feburary 2025

Wreckage debris scattered on grass, with pieces of metal and wood. A shadow is visible, suggesting a somber mood. Black and white scene. Parts of the stranded Volition ship longliner in Bermagui.

Weathered wooden planks lie on grassy ground, showing decay and erosion. The black and white image evokes a rustic, aged feel.

Truck parked on a grassy field next to scattered debris. Trees and a car are visible in the background under a clear sky. Black and white. Remnants of the Volition in Bermagui, Australia

 
 
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