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| Centaur Memorial Caloundra |
The tanker in the distance to the left of the memorial is around where the Centaur now lays.
On 12 May 1943 Centaur sailed from Sydney at 0945 hours carrying her crew and normal staff, as well as stores and equipment of the 2/12th Field Ambulance but no patients. It was sunk without warning by a torpedo from a Japanese submarine on 14 May 1943 at approximately 0400 hours.
Of the 332 persons on board, only 64 survived. These survivors spent 35 hours on rafts before being rescued. Sister Ellen Savage, the only one of twelve nursing sisters on board to survive, though injured herself, gave great help to the other survivors and was awarded the George Medal for this work.
Australian Government delivered an official protest to Japan over the incident. The Japanese did not acknowledge responsibility for the incident for many years and the War Crimes Tribunal could not identify the responsible submarine. However, the Japanese official war history makes clear that it was submarine 1-177, under the command of Lt Commander Nakagawa who had sunk the Centaur
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| Centaur Today |
A search team led by David Mearns in 2009 found Centaur located about 30 nautical miles off the southern tip of Moreton Island, off Queensland’s south-east coast.
Caloundra and the Pumicestone Passage
The Pumicestone Passage is seething with wildlife both above and below the sparkling blue expanse before you. Formed by a 35km channel, which runs between Bribie Island and the Caboolture coastline, Pumicestone Passage is a protected marine park and safe haven for wildlife.
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| Sailboarding on Pumicestone Passage |
It boasts more bird species than Kakadu so birdwatchers will revel in a day out on the water.
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Across Pumicestone Passage to Caloundra
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| Fishing the aqua waters |
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| Looking up to Point Cartwright from Caloundra |
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| Boating Pumicestone Passage | | |
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