{{Short description|Australian shipwreck in 1973}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2011}} {{Infobox ship |display_title=ital |section1={{Infobox ship/image |image=Cherry Venture Teewah Beach.jpg |image_caption=The shipwreck in the 1970s }}
|section2={{Infobox ship/career |hide_header = |name = ''Cherry Venture'' |owner = |operator = |registry = |route = Auckland to Brisbane |ordered = |builder = Lindholmens varv, Gothenburg |original_cost = |yard_number = |way_number = |laid_down = |launched = |completed = 1944 |christened = |acquired = |maiden_voyage = |in_service = |out_of_service = 1973 |identification = |fate = Shipwrecked |status = Demolished |notes = }}
|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics |hide_header = |header_caption = |class = |tonnage = 1600 |displacement = |length = |beam = |height = |draught = |draft = |depth = |decks = |deck_clearance = |ramps = |ice_class = |sail_plan = |power = |propulsion = |speed = |capacity = |crew = |notes = }} }} thumb|Underway as ''Scania'' in 1956 thumb|right|''Cherry Venture'' circa 1974 thumb|right|''Cherry Venture'' pictured in 2002
'''''Cherry Venture''''' was a 1600-ton cargo ship of Scandinavian origin. It ran aground on Teewah Beach in South East Queensland, Australia on 6 July 1973 and remained on the beach for 34 years until its removal in early 2007.
== History == The ship, originally named the ''Scania'', was built in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1945. She was later called the ''Slott'' and ''Timor Venture''. In 1973, she was owned by Sea Tankers Pty Ltd of Singapore and known as the ''Cherry Venture.''<ref name=":0" />
==Cause of the wreck== The wreck of the ''Cherry Venture'' occurred when the ship was travelling from Auckland to Brisbane, under the command of Captain Seluenu.<ref name=":0" /> It was caused by a combination of severe storms and a lack of cargo.<ref name="abc">{{Cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/backyard/shipwrecks/qld/cherryventure.htm |website=Shipwrecks |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |title=Cherry Venture |access-date=11 January 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070121213735/http://www.abc.net.au/backyard/shipwrecks/qld/cherryventure.htm |archive-date=21 January 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> Buoys in the area recorded wave heights of up to {{convert|40|ft|m|abbr=on}}.<ref name="abc" /> The ship battled against the waves for hours, facing directly into the wind and making no headway, before her captain issued a mayday call at 6:50am. 9 Squadron RAAF, based at Amberley air base, answered that call, dispatching Iroquois rescue helicopters, fitted with winches, to assist in the evacuation of the ship. However, the {{convert|70|km}} winds, high swell, and near impenetrable cloud cover, forced the helicopters and their crews to land at Maroochydore and await a change in the conditions.
As conditions for ''Cherry Venture'' remained catastrophic, the decision was made to evacuate, but lifeboats were ripped from their fastenings by the brutal waves, leaving crew members stranded. It was hours later, when the ship had already been washed on to the beach, that a local aviator was able to guide the Iroquois helicopters, via radio, through a dangerous, low-altitude flight path that has been considered one of the most well-executed flight missions undertaken by Australian defence forces during peace time. The flight path was previously unknown to RAAF forces and remained well below the cloud line, relying heavily on local topography to provide shelter from the gale-force winds.<ref>{{SLQ-CC-BY|url=https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/wreck-cherry-venture|title=The Wreck of the Cherry Venture|date=2 September 2022|first=India |last=Dixon|access-date=16 January 2023|authors=India Dixon}}</ref> Although the helicopters were able to airlift all the 24 crew of the ''Cherry Venture''<nowiki/> to safety, including two pet monkeys, the ship was too far ashore to be assisted.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cherry Venture in 1974" |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cherry_Venture.jpg |access-date=17 January 2023 |archive-date=17 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117003407/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cherry_Venture.jpg |url-status=live }}</ref>
The unladen ship sat high in the water, which, when combined with the high tides and strong swell, propelled it to a point far enough up the sand that it could not be successfully re-floated, despite attempts that involved dredging the beach.<ref name="abc" /><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/goldcoast/stories/s929915.htm |title=The Cherry Venture |access-date=11 January 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050427062811/http://www.abc.net.au/goldcoast/stories/s929915.htm |archive-date=27 April 2005 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Salvage attempts== Salvage rights to the wreck were purchased by Peter Vagellas, an Australian entrepreneur, who intended to re-float the vessel and convert it into a luxury liner and floating casino to serve the Great Barrier Reef. In 1977, he began unsuccessful attempts to refloat the ship.<ref name=age>{{cite web |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Cherry-Venture-to-be-removed-next-month/2007/01/16/1168709731283.html |title=Cherry Venture to be removed next month |accessdate=2008-01-30 |date=16 January 2007 |work=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Digital |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070118013639/http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Cherry-Venture-to-be-removed-next-month/2007/01/16/1168709731283.html |archive-date=18 January 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> Eight major salvage efforts over the years failed, after which a fire gutted the interior of the ship and Vagellas abandoned his endeavour, after spending over a quarter of a million dollars.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Rewind: The Cherry Venture - Seven Local News Rockhampton (2013) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3odV6wLMmY |website=YouTube |publisher=Seven Local News |access-date=2022-12-13 |archive-date=13 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221213085339/https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=a3odV6wLMmY |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Public interest== The wreck was a popular attraction for tourists en route between Noosa and K'gari (Fraser Island), and was photographed often.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://flickr.com/photos/tags/cherryventure/ |title=Flickr Tag for Cherry Venture |access-date=24 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160703091128/https://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/cherryventure/ |archive-date=3 July 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite safety warnings regarding the danger of the rusting structure, visitors would often climb the wreck and explore the ship.<ref name="age" /> It was popular with graffiti artists and became completely covered with scrawled messages and artwork.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shipwreck the Cherry Venture |url=https://www.alamy.com/shipwreck-the-cherry-venture-image788246.html |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=www.alamy.com |language=en |archive-date=13 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221213084615/https://www.alamy.com/shipwreck-the-cherry-venture-image788246.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Removal== thumb|The propeller of the ship on display at Rainbow Beach, 2016
In December 1985, the ship's stainless steel propeller was removed by Bill, Tony and Bruce Dunne of Caloundra, using a thermal lance. It was later restored by the Rainbow Beach Business and Tourism Association and mounted as a monument in the township.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=The propeller of the "Cherry Venture"|url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Information_board_about_the_Cherry_Venture,_Rainbow_Beach_2016.jpg|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829010712/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Information_board_about_the_Cherry_Venture,_Rainbow_Beach_2016.jpg|archive-date=29 August 2016|access-date=20 July 2016|publisher=Gympie Regional Council}}</ref>
In late 2006, it was announced that the wreck would be broken up due to the increasing danger posed by its deterioration, including exposed asbestos in the engine room.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lion |first1=Patrick |title=Last summer for rusty wreck |url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,20839304-952,00.html |access-date=2025-03-07 |work=Courier Mail |date=2006-11-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811051308/http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/last-summer-for-rusty-wreck/story-e6freoof-1111112601738 |archive-date=2011-08-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Cherry Venture wreck to be removed from Teewah Beach |url=http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/projects/media/?release=1033 |website=Environmental Protection Agency |publisher=Queensland Government |access-date=2025-03-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930050303/http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/projects/media/?release=1033 |archive-date=2007-09-30 |date=2006-11-28}}</ref>
The removal process, which necessitated cordoning off a section of public highway which runs along the beach next to the wreck, began on 13 February 2007.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2018-07-23 |title=A little bit of history repeating - Cherry Venture exposed |url=https://www.rbcn.com.au/a-little-bit-of-history-repeating-cherry-venture-exposed/ |access-date=2026-04-26 |website=Rainbow Beach Community News |language=en}}</ref>
==The hull revealed== After the demolition of the wreck in 2007, the state government ordered the site to be covered by sand for the safety of visitors. In 2013, Cyclone Oswald and other local storms caused severe erosion which removed the layer of sand above the remains of the hull.<ref name=":1" /> That sparked further tourism because the wreck was, and still is, a special example of Australia's shipping history.
The hull was revealed again in 2018.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cherry Venture |url=https://heritage.noosa.qld.gov.au/nodes/view/2778 |access-date=2026-04-26 |website=Heritage Noosa}}</ref>
==See also== {{portal|Queensland}} *Lists of shipwrecks
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=-25.961638,+153.174080&ie=UTF8&ll=-25.961812,153.174139&spn=0.004143,0.006604&t=k&z=18 The Cherry Venture on Google Maps] * [https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/wreck-cherry-venture The Wreck of the Cherry Venture], State Library of Queensland blog.
{{1973 shipwrecks}}
{{coord|25|57|42.00|S|153|10|26.14|E|display=title|region:AU_type:city_source:GNS-enwiki}}
Category:Shipwrecks of Queensland Category:Cargo ships of Sweden Category:Maritime incidents in 1973 Category:South East Queensland