Site inspection by remote sensing - The HMAS Sydney search: A case study

Under the terms of the Historic Shipwreck Act (1976) and the Western Australian Maritime Archaeology Act (1973), the Maritime Archaeology Department of the Western Australian Museum is empowered and required to analyse and inspect all bona fide shipwreck reports in Western Australia. In two cases recently, sites reported or known to the Western Australian Museum have been successfully investigated using remote sensing methods. One study at Koombana Bay near Bunbury, W.A. McCarthy, (1983) examined the buried remains of a large iron sailing vessel, confirmed the existence of substantial hull remains and outlined the ship itself (Staniforth, 1982).