Did You Know! That there is an old wreck, or at least part of it, lying in the north western bay, on Moturekareka, near Kawau Island. The wreck is the Alice A. Leigh and renamed the Rewa whose history is directly linked to the end of the days of sail. She was a 3,000 ton four masted steel barque built by the Whitehaven Shipbuilding Company, Cumbria and named after the Mayoress of Stockport. Alice was the biggest ship built in Whitehaven, carrying 31 sails on her lofty rig. Alice ran the typical trades of the large four–masters, from India and Australia to London.

Click on the links below to enjoy the history and stories of this ship:

Information supplied by Sally Greer living in Darwin, and her great grandfather was the Alice A Leigh Captain approx 1900 till she was sold approx 1918.

2001 Sally visits the wreck

 

The launching of the Alice A Leigh in 1889
Alice A Leigh under full sail

 

 

 

Alice A Leigh ships bust

 

 

 

Captain Davison and his wife Hannah

 

At rest at Moturekareka Island NZ approx, 1930

 

 

 

The children Allan, Alice Leigh, Jack & Edwin
The Saloon on the Alice

 

REWA at rest
2017 Great great grandson of Capt Davison, William Greer kayaking the wreck