1 This is the wreck of the S.S. Maheno. The word Maheno means "island" in the Maori language and was built in Scotland in 1904.
2 It was the world's first ever triple screw steamer, weighing a massive 5323 tonnes.
3 The Maheno was then used as a hospital ship in World War 1, following which it was purchased by a Sydney shipping company who planned to use it between Sydney and New Zealand.
4 After several years of this trans Tasman journey the Maheno was sold to a Japanese shipping company, that at the time were running very low on funds.
5 The company made the decision to sell the huge brass propellers from under the still-working Maheno.
6 The reason behind this was to fund the towing of the Maheno by a ship named the Ottawa back to Osaka in Japan.
7 Once in Japan the Maheno was to be melted down and be sold as scrap metal.
8 It was on this journey that the Maheno was hit by an unseasonal cyclone off the coast of Fraser Island and due to having no props after snapping the tow line, it promptly ran ashore.
9 Some of the stories of the ship washing up on Fraser, tell the tale of the Japanese crew being too afraid to get off the vessel after hearing of the cannibalistic traits of the local Aborigines.
10 Attempts were made to refloat the Maheno unsuccessfully and eventually it was left abandoned on what is now known as 75-mile beach.
11 A politician from Maryborough held his wedding on the Maheno and photos have been found with all in sundry enjoying a slightly unusual wedding setting with the Model T Fords parked on 75-mile beach.
