Restoration begins on Queenscliff wreck bell

FOR generations of Queenscliff residents, the sound of the wreck bell carried a single unmistakable meaning: trouble at sea.

Long before radios and sirens, the bell served as the town’s early warning system. It was rung whenever a vessel was in distress at Port Phillip Heads.

More than 100 times across its working life, which stretched from the 1800s through to the 1970s, its toll signalled that lives were at risk and local volunteers would soon be heading into dangerous waters.

Queenscliffe Maritime Museum (QMM) president Kerri Erler said the wreck bell remained a powerful symbol of the community.

“When it was rung, there was always a sense of dread that invaded the community because they knew something was wrong and they knew their loved ones were going out to sea in heavy winds and rain to try and save people,” she said.

“It’s a symbol in Queenscliff of the courage of the people who dropped everything, as soon as the bell was rung.”

This week, that symbol of Queenscliff’s maritime history has been carefully restored.

The Borough of Queenscliffe began works on Tuesday to address corrosion affecting both the bell and its sign to ensure the heritage-listed asset is preserved for future generations.

“The bell is getting restored due to corrosion of the bell and aging of the sign, and is guided by our community caring and preserving our heritage,” a council spokesperson said.

“The bell will be cleaned, corrosion removed, and the sign will be renewed word for word on the existing sign.”

The spokesperson said a barrier will also be installed on the access stairs for the safety of the public.

The restoration follows advocacy from QMM, which raised concerns about the condition of the both the bell and its supporting structure.

Erler said the timing was particularly meaningful, coinciding with the centenary of the town’s historic lifeboat, Queenie, whose crews once answered the wreck bell’s call.

“It’s an important heritage asset, not only to Queenscliff, but to Victoria, and there are very few of them left,” Erler said.

Its location, she said, is part of its story. The bell is still positioned where it was once rung, after being moved earlier in its history to sit closer to Fishermen’s Flat.

“I’m a big advocate for a museum without walls,” Erler said. “For me, the location it’s in is significant.

“It’s only now that it needs that extra little bit of care, and if we can keep that up, there’s no reason why it can’t stay there for another 100 years.”