The Geltwood was an iron hulled barque

Barque

A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts.- History of the term :The word barque appears to have come from the Greek word baris, a term for an Egyptian boat. This entered Latin as barca, which gave rise to the Italian barca, Spanish barco, and the French barge and...

 that was shipwrecked on or about 14 June 1876 during a storm on a remote stretch of the south east coast of South Australia

South Australia

South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...

. Nearing the completion of her maiden voyage from Liverpool

Liverpool

Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...

 bound for Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

 the ship struck a reef, capsized and broke up. The wreck 37°37′36"S 140°10′51"E occurred 1.6 km from shore near the northern end of Lake Bonney

Lake Bonney S.E (South Australia)

Lake Bonney S.E is a coastal lake in the south east of South Australia. It is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Australia. The lake is located south east of Adelaide and south west of Millicent. The Canunda National Park lies adjacent to the lake shore. For over 60 years, large volumes of...

 and 16 km south-east of Southend.

Of the 31 passengers and crew there were no survivors. It wasn't until 5 July that the fate of the ship became known to authorities.

Looters

The events surrounding Geltwood are made infamous by reports of looting by some locals. The wreck was not reported to the police for two weeks, and in that time a number of people stole equipment and belongings that were washed ashore. A trial was held in Millicent

Millicent

Millicent is a female given name that has been in use since the Middle Ages. The English form Millicent derives from the Old French Melisende, from the Germanic amal "work" and swinth "strength"...

 which resulted in the acquittal of two men on the grounds they didn't know looting a shipwreck was a crime.

Relics

One of the Geltwood anchors can be viewed in Southend

Southend, South Australia

Southend is a settlement in South Australia. At the 2006 census, Southend had a population of 560....

 at a lookout on Cape Buffon drive. It is a memorial to those who have perished at sea, including local amateur and professional fishermen who have lost their lives at sea.

Another anchor and memorabilia can be viewed at the Millicent

Millicent

Millicent is a female given name that has been in use since the Middle Ages. The English form Millicent derives from the Old French Melisende, from the Germanic amal "work" and swinth "strength"...

 Living History Museum. Some Geltwood artifacts are also displayed in the Beachport museum.