The three children of one of the two men who died when Dutch cargo ship MV Gabriella capsized and sank in Port Kembla 30 years ago returned with their families on Friday.
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Richard and Winton Brooke-Smith and their sister Paula Hill brought six grand-children and two great grand-children of one of the victims with with them to Heritage Park.
That is where NSW Ports has rebuilt and relocated a monument to the two marine surveyors tragically killed in the accident.
Their father David Brooke-Smith, of Mount Ousley, was on board doing an inspection when a cable on a crane being used to unload a heavy piece of machinery for the steelworks snapped. 400 tonnes of water ballast, which had been put in place to counteract the weight of the machinery as it was unloaded, caused the Gabriella to capsize and sink within minutes. The two men were trapped inside.
The Brooke-Smith family were grateful for the opportunity to attend the commemorative service to mark the 30th anniversary since MV Gabriella flipped onto its side in Port Kembla Harbour. The actual anniversary is this Sunday.
The service included a welcome by NSW Ports environment manager Trevor Brown, a look back at the events of that fateful day by former Harbour Master Captain Brian Smith, information about the decision to rebuild and relocate the new memorial by NSW Ports chief executive Marika Calfas and prayers by Mission to Seafarers lay chaplain John Kewa.
The service touched on the lessons that were learned from the events of August 14, 1986 in order to prevent it ever happening again.
Attempts were made to invite the family of the other victim William (Bill) Martin but they were unable to be contacted.
Richard Brooke-Smith traveled from Perth for the occasion on Friday and thanked everyone involved in the commemorative service for remembering his father and Mr Martin.
He was working in Melbourne at the time while Mrs Hill was in New Zealand and Winton Brooke-Smith on the Southern Highlands when they all got the news and rushed home.
“We found out very quickly. We were told there had been an accident and we couldn’t believe it,” Mrs Hill said.
Richard said he heard about the accident in Port Kembla on the radio in Melbourne before his mother event knew that it involved her husband.
Winton also first heard the news about the capsize on the radio and called his mother. “My father used to always ring up if there had been an accident where ever he was to tell my mother that he was alright...but this time he never rang up,” he said.
Winton said Bill Martin, of Melbourne, was on holidays in Sydney and came down to look at the previous damage on the ship that had happened out at sea.
“My father was looking after the cargo. So he was doing a report for BHP at the time. So he was looking there at the cargo and Bill Martin was having a look at the damage on the ship,” he said.
“My father had just given his report to Gus Keeson and Gus had just walked off the gangplank to go and get the report photocopied.”
Mrs Hill said it was ironic the two men who were surveying the ship to ensure safety for everyone else were the ones who lost their lives.
The Brooke-Smith family think it is good that NSW Ports has rebuilt and relocated the memorial featuring an anchor from the ill-fated ship to the heritage park near a maritime museum and cafe where people can learn about that sad but important piece of Illawarra history.
Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
