The Seabird welcome sign pays homage to the Sea Bird wreck.
Camera IconThe Seabird welcome sign pays homage to the Sea Bird wreck. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Seabird Progress Association updates look to reflect maritime history of Sea Bird wreck

Staff WriterNorth Coast Times

SEABIRD has rebadged welcome signs in recognition of its maritime history.

The Seabird Progress Association (SPA) received a grant from the Shire of Gingin to rebadge the town in recognition of its maritime history and the schooner Sea Bird, which was wrecked on the coast in 1874, and was the town’s namesake.

The SPA committee researched the history of the Sea Bird with help from the WA Maritime Museum, discovering that it was built in 1865 by a Henry Yelverton as a double ended, flat bottomed, timber lighter, or a sailing barge.

The research led to contact with maritime artist Ross Shardlow, who advised that the Sea Bird was refitted as a schooner for the coastal trade in 1867 and was described at the time as “capitally trimmed, and promises to be a valuable acquisition to her owner”.

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Shardlow provided SPA with a sketch representing the Sea Bird and donated it with copyright to use it as a prospective logo.

The “Welcome to Seabird” sign at the entrance to the Seabird Road has been replaced with a sign featuring the Sea Bird logo.