02/09/2026
Cheynes III
This image from 1975 shows the Cheynes III during its time as a whale chaser off the coast of Albany.
The Cheynes III was built by the Smiths Dock and Engine Company of Teeseburgh, Middlesbrough. It was initially operated by a Norwegian based whaling company under the name Thorgrim, before operating in the Queensland whaling industry with the name Looma III.
It was bought by Cheynes Beach Whaling Company in 1963 and operated as Cheynes III until whaling operations ceased in November 1978. With the support of the Western Australian Museum, the ship was scuttled in 1982 to create a recreational dive site. Prior to scuttling, the engine was removed by a team led by John Bell who was previously an aerial whale spotter for the Cheynes Beach Whaling Station.
It was then towed to the western end of Michaelmas Island and sunk. Since then, the vessel has broken into two parts which lie between 19 and 30 metres beneath the surface. The wreck functions as an artificial reef and has become the home and habitat of numerous marine species.