Success Bank is a sandbank in Cockburn Sound, off Fremantle, Western Australia. It is about 5 metres (16 ft) deep and is just to the south of the main shipping channel of Gage Roads.^[1]

Success Bank was named by Captain James Stirling after his ship HMS Success which was used for a preliminary exploration of the Swan River region in 1827. On 28 November 1829, HMS Success revisited Western Australia and ran aground on Carnac Reef, a shoal further to the south, causing extensive damage.^[2]

[edit] Description

The sandbank extends about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the coast in a West and North-Westerly direction and is up to 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) wide. It covers an area of 1,205 hectares (2,980 acres). Two approximately 15 metres (49 ft) deep man-made shipping channels dissect the sandbar, built for the Fremantle Port Authority to carry cargo and other deep water ships to and from Owen Anchorage.

Success Bank is covered extensively with the seagrasses Posidonia and Amphibolis griffithii.^[1]

Parmelia Bank is slightly smaller and runs approximately parallel to Success Bank, about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) further south extending from Woodman Point.

[edit] References