Queensland · Attraction
SS Maheno Shipwreck
Rusting relic, 75 Mile Beach
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
The SS Maheno is the most photographed landmark on K'gari. Built in Scotland in 1905, the ocean liner served the Tasman Sea crossing and acted as a New Zealand hospital ship during World War I. In July 1935 it was being towed to a Japanese breaker's yard when a cyclone snapped the towline, and the vessel drifted onto the sands of K'gari, where it has lain ever since.
The wreck came to rest on 10 July 1935 and has slowly deteriorated in the harsh salt environment over the nine decades since. The rusting hull sits directly on the open beach and is visible from a distance in both directions along 75 Mile Beach. Warning signs ask visitors to stay at least 3 metres from the structure, as sections of corroded metal can be unstable.
The Maheno is easily reached by driving north along 75 Mile Beach at low to mid-tide. Sunrise and late-afternoon light produce dramatic photographic conditions. There are no facilities at the site, so visitors should carry water and supplies. The wreck lies approximately 10 km north of Happy Valley on the island's eastern shore.
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Scenic views
