Dr. Michael McCarthy was the Western Australian Museum's 'Inspector of Wrecks' from 1981 until recently, and has worked on a wide range of maritime sites. He has led research on the VOC ship Zuytdorp, the iron-hulled SS Xantho, the submerged WWII flying boats in the waters off Broome, and the Museum's HMAS Sydney / HSK Kormoran studies. As a 'public' (museum-based) maritime archaeologist, he has also led teams developing the WA Museum's exhibits, including the Steamships to Suffragettes, Defence, and Submarine exhibits.

Free, Public Lecture

HMAS Sydney (II) From 1941–2008:
An Overview From the Western Australian Museum's Perspective

by Dr. Michael McCarthy,
Curator, Maritime Archaeology, WA Museum

Hezel Lecture Theatre, Institute Building
(Corner of North Terrace and Kintore Ave., Adelaide)
Thursday 25 September, 3:30pm – 4:30pm

HMAS Sydney II in Sydney Harbour

The Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 delegated responsibility for all historic shipwrecks of the Western Australian Coast to the Western Australian Museum. Since then, staff from the Museum began monitoring developments with HMAS Sydney II and its adversary the raider HSK Kormoran. They assisted authors, scholars, and the public with their inquiries and in 1981, in association with the Royal Australian Navy commenced the first in water examination of a magnetic anomaly thought to possibly be the wreck.

The Museum has remained closely involved with all developments since then and in early 2008 participated in the examination of both wrecks. This lecture will trace the events from 1941 when the ships were lost, to 2008 when the historic wrecks were finally found and inspected.

Pertaringa Winery in McLaren Vale has agreed to provide a wine tasting for the AIMA/ASHA/AAMH Conference on Thursday 25 September 2008 at 4.30pm immediately after the public lecture by Dr Michael McCarthy. They will provide tasting of wines including:

• Scarecrow Sauvignon Blanc 2008
• Undercover Shiraz 2006
• Understudy Cabernet Petit Verdot 2006

The Pertaringa website is at: http://www.pertaringa.com.au/. The Pertaringa Wine Tasting is sponsored by UNIBOOKS.