Maritime Archaeological Association of Western Australia - MAAWA

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Maritime Archaeological Association of Western Australia - MAAWA

MAAWA
Established in 1974

Our members represent the volunteer division of the Maritime Archaeology Department of the Western Australian Museum.

MAAWA
Dig | Dive | Discover

Maritime Archaeology Est 1974

•Passionate Preservation
•Dive Shipwrecks
•Research & Education
•Manage Underwater Heritage Sites

Guests Welcome

Shipwrecks Galleries, Fremantle, WA
www.maawa.net MAAWA members consist of a mix of divers, archaeologists, historians, and members of the general public who are all passionate about Western Australia's terrestrial and under

water maritime archaeology and heritage. We are primarily an archaeology association, not a diving club. While many of our members do dive, there are plenty of opportunities for research and fieldwork for people who do not dive. We carry out research into newly discovered and existing shipwrecks and we are authorized to carry out wreck inspections for the Museum. MAAWA was involved in placing the plaques at some of the wrecks at Rottnest Island. More recently MAAWA members have created an app called 'ShipwrecksWA' which has GPS locations, histories, and images of wrecks around the Western Australian coastline, Rottnest, and the Swan River. You can download the app from http://www.shipwreckswa.com

28/05/2026

SHIPS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Head up to the Maritime Museum this weekend...

Set sail on a visual journey through maritime history in this photographic exhibition celebrating ships and boats from across the globe.

Inspired by a lifelong fascination with all things nautical, including his father’s service in the Merchant Navy during World War II, David Nicolson brings together striking images gathered through years of travel and photography.

This exhibition traces the stories, craftsmanship, and adventure of vessels across the ages — from the Pharaoh’s Solar Barge of 2500 BCE to the aircraft carriers and battleships of World War II, and from elegant Dutch sailing ships to the great ocean liners.

WA Maritime Museum, Victoria Quay Road, Fremantle, Western Australia.
https://visit.museum.wa.gov.au/maritime/ships-around-world

28/05/2026

Maawa thrives on the work undertaken by our volunteers, including those on our board.

We're moving forward at lightening speed with some great initiatives and projects, wonderful speakers and social nights, of course shipwreck and maritime digs, research and DIVING.

To all our volunteers, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Some of the team are pictured here, Trevor and Mac, enjoying fellowship at Rottnest Authority Building recently and at the same time being inducted into the system in order to make this building our monthly home!

26/05/2026

Maritime Archeology is more than just shipwrecks, what about whole town sites!

Lake Jindabyne was created in 1967 by flooding the original town of Old Jindabyne to build the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme.

This massive project was essential to create a large water storage reservoir for diverting water through mountain tunnels to generate electricity and provide water for irrigation in Australia's inland regions.

Its FREEZING in the water, even in summer.

So, enjoy watching it from the warmth of where you are.

Diving the old Jindabyne Township, Lake Jindabyne, Snowy Mountains, NSW.

Dive Sites include:
Kalkite Homestead
Sunnybrae Homestead
Cinderblock
Mechanics Institute
The old flat bridge
The old Trestle bridge

Click here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yttXplcAcQ

22/05/2026

MV PERTH is being RESTORED

Mac, Ian and Sharyn attended a lecture with Greg Brown hosted by and it was SUPER interesting.

For WA maritime heritage, the are restoring the majestic and historic vessel.

A two deck, double-ended vessel, that made its maiden voyage from Barrack Street in Perth December 20 1914. it is one of the oldest wooden boats still afloat in WA.

Follow their work here:-
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573759397024

Would you like to hear from Greg at one of our Meetings

20/05/2026

Pat Baker is without a doubt a LEGEND in our industry, what an absolute honour it was to have him as our May Maawa Speaker.

What an inspiring talk and to have one of the leaders in underwater photography be one of our Maawa own.

His photos would be in almost every underwater journal around the world.

What was further heart warming for the Maawa team, was to see so many young faces and the young at heart attend, just to hear what one person can do.

Having Pat Baker anchored in WA also puts us on the map in more ways than one.
He is a remarkable man indeed.

20/05/2026

Call for Papers HURRY as it closes on the 31st May

The 2026 AIMA Conference will be held in Geelong
Friday 18th to Sunday 20th.

Across the world many individuals share a deep passion for maritime archaeology and underwater cultural heritage. We are captivated by shipwrecks, by maritime histories, and the sites and artefacts that now rest beneath the water’s surface.

While a small number pursue maritime archaeology as a profession, it is those who engage in this study “for the love of it” who form the true backbone of maritime archaeology.

All the details are here for the conference!
https://www.aima-underwater.org.au/app/events/events/view?event=aima-conference-2026

19/05/2026

What the river holds, history in conversation!
A talk by our own President Trevor Winton
This was held recently at the Wireless Hill Museum.

This is two photos from the night, the feedback was ...
It was very informative, super interesting and sensational.

The topic discussed was finding buried remains of the Applecross shipwreck using modern day technology.

So, the question is, would this interest you our members for a speakers meeting night.

18/05/2026

Its TOMORROW NIGHT.. Tuesday 19th
Come and hear about Pat’s Mediterranean story, richly illustrated with images from his 60-year photographic archive.

Come one COME ALL - Bring a friend, ask your neighbour, see if your mum is available!

Please hit GOING on here so we no expected numbers.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2487912548313154

Arrive 6.15pm for a 6.30pm start
6.35pm Hear from Maawa
6.35pm Pat Baker our Speaker
7.05pm Q and A
7.15pm stay and mingle with members.

Notice the new agenda...

Tuesday 19th May 2026
6.15 for a 6.30pm start.
In the Rottnest Island Authority Walyalup Office,
1 Mews Rd, Fremantle.

TO THE ENDS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN
A 67 Year Journey

For several thousand years the Mediterranean, “The Cradle of Western Civilization”, has held evidence of the countries and peoples that have inhabited its rim, long studied by subsequent generations.

After WW2, a new breed of under-water explorers began to discover previously hidden ancient shipwreck sites, and saw that every shipwreck could be a precise “time capsule” of the moment the ship was lost.

Inspired by this in 1969 a 28-year-old Pat Baker decided to specialise in photography for underwater archaeology.
ABOUT PAT BAKER

Patrick Baker has been a passionate photographer for over sixty years; from the heavens to the depths of the sea, from mountains to the microscopic world. But, primarily, he is a specialist photographer for Maritime Archaeology.

In 1969, worldwide, there were few employment possibilities in the field of underwater archaeology. Nonetheless, professional photographer Pat chose this specialization, initially volunteering his time and skills to archaeological endeavours in the UK, Cyprus, Sweden and the Azores. He emigrated from England to Australia in 1973, ‘head-hunted’ to the position of Photographer for the Western Australian Museum’s Department of Maritime Archaeology, a role he kept until his retirement in 2017.

However, his enthusiasm for his life-long maritime interests, biological as well as archaeological continues, with the additional establishment of his own Underwater Photography Museum & Library at his Hamilton Hill home.

15/05/2026

Shared from

It was looking like this season would be a blowout, but 2 weather windows in quick succession means the team has been hard at work surveying a new target.

We can confirm the positive identification of the cutter suction dredge "Premier".
Built in 1893, she has a fascinating backstory - originally brought all the way over from Europe specifically to assist in the Fremantle Harbour project. She was also used in the construction of Princess Royal Harbour, Albany.

https://wrecksploration.au/projects/premier/

Address

1 Mews Road
Fremantle, WA
6160

Website

http://www.maawa.net/

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