Water Witch (1835)

History
Name:	Water Witch
Builder:	John Gray in Hobart Town during 1835.
Fate:	Sunk at mooring in the River Murray at Moorundie, South Australia, 5 December 1842.
Status:	Historic shipwreck.
General characteristics
Tonnage:	25 tons O.M.
Length:	35 ft 6 in (10.82 m)
Beam:	13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
Draught:	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Sail plan:	Cutter.

Water Witch was a single masted vessel rigged as a cutter built during 1835 in Van Diemen's Land and sunk in 1842 whilst moored in the River Murray at Moorundie, south of Blanchetown in South Australia (SA). Her wreck site was discovered in 1982 and received statutory protection as a historic shipwreck in 1983. The wreck site was the subject of an underwater survey in March 1984. She is notable for being the first European vessel to enter the River Murray via its mouth, her role in the charting of the lower reaches of the River Murray including Lake Alexandrina whilst under the command of William Pullen and her association with Edward John Eyre.

Water Witch was built at Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land by John Gray during 1835.

The vessel was originally built for George Watson and James Smith. She was subsequently owned by Richard Griffiths (1836), William Parcell (1837) and Thomas Strangways (1839). In 1839, she was purchased by the South Australian Government to replace the brig Rapid.

After short career in Tasmania, she was brought to South Australia by Parcell where her duties involved voyages to Thistle Island in Spencer Gulf, Sydney Portland, Port Phillip and King George Sound where she was abandoned by the master and crew. Under the ownership of Strangways, she worked in Encounter Bay. As a South Australian government vessel, she was initially engaged with the charting the lower channels of the River Murray and Lake Alexandrina under the command of Pullen.

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