HMAS Protector, crumbling offshore of Heron Island, played an important part in Australia's naval history and is now a marine paradise providing security for fish, turtles, rays, and sharks.
Now a haven for marine life and a tourist attraction, HMAS Protector I had a rich history as one of Australia's first navy ships before it collided with a tug and was abandoned off the coast of Gladstone in central Queensland.He manages the university's research station on Heron Island which studies the impact of climate change on the reef.)
The Queensland Government says visitors should avoid swimming near the wreck as it can be a safety hazard.In the 50 years since Dr Kininmonth first visited Heron as a child the shipwreck has morphed from a solid wreck to a rusted-out shell of its former glory.As a boy he would run across the teak deck, which Dr Kininmonth said has only collapsed in recent years.
However, the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation urged tourists to avoid swimming around the shipwreck as it is not safe. "They were called flat iron gunboats because when you looked at them from the side they resembled the type of flat iron that you poured hot coals into to iron your clothes in the 19th century," Captain Cooper said.
In 1911, following the creation of the Royal Australian Navy, she then became known as the HMAS Protector.
Hmas Protector Royal Australian Navy Snorkelling Heron Island Hmcs Protector Sea Power Centre Christian Poulsen
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