TitleWooden plank from the wreck of the MV Malabar, 1931Date2nd April 1931About this objectThis painted timber plank comes from the Malabar, a passenger and cargo ship that ran aground in heavy fog at Long Bay on 2 April 1931. Although the vessel was badly damaged, all passengers and crew were safely rescued. The wreck became a major public spectacle, drawing crowds to the shoreline, and was significant enough that the surrounding suburb was later renamed Malabar in its memory.
The inscription “Souvenir of S.S. Malabar wrecked near Sydney April 2nd 1931” reflects the common practice of collecting fragments from shipwrecks during this period.Object No.99.136Physical descriptionWooden plan with inscription from SS Malabar shipwreck 2 April 1931. The paint is cracked and wearing away.Inscriptions & marks"Souvenir of S.S. Malabar wrecked near Sydney April 2nd 1931"DimensionsL: 432 mm MaterialWood SourceLa Perouse MuseumCredit lineReceived from Glen BlaxlandOrganisations (Detailed entries)La Perouse Museum (La Perouse, N.S.W.)ThemesSocial history
Wooden plank from the wreck of the MV Malabar, 1931 (2nd April 1931). Randwick City Council, accessed 15/01/2026, https://ourstory.randwick.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/12515