The cache is located within view of two shipwrecks and rows of ? The ship closest to these rows is the Cobaki, and the ship further out towards Long Bay is the Itata.
The Cobaki was built in Balmain in 1918. She was a 257 ton, 38.7 metre (127 ft) wooden steamship. Renamed AB431, the Australian Army owned her from 1939 to 1945 and used her for training. She wasn’t used after WWII, and was laid up in Middle Harbour. Vandals scuttled her in Salt Pan Creek on 2 April 1946.
The Itata was built in Liverpool, England in 1883. She was a 950 ton, 61 metre (200ft) steel steamship, that’s believed to have traded between England, South America and Australia.
She's probably most famous for the “Itata Incident”, and very nearly became the catalyst of war between the United States and Chile! In the spring of 1891, a Civil War was raging in Chile. The Chilean Congress had opposed their President, José Manuel Balmaceda. The Congressional insurgents, using an agent, legally bought arms and ammunition in New York, U.S.A. They were transported across the country and shipped out of Port San Pedro (Los Angeles) on the ship Robert and Minnie. It was a ruse however! The Robert and Minnie was to transfer the shipment to the Itata at San Clemente Island (off the coast of California), and the Itata would then illegally take the munitions to Chile. The Itata needed coal and supplies before the transfer was made, and put into San Diego, California. The whole shonk might have worked if the agent hadn’t been so sure of himself as to let a U.S. Customs Inspector know what was about to transpire. As this would be considered an act of unfriendliness to the Chilean government, the Itata was seized. Unfortunately, only one guard was posted and the Itata’s machinery wasn’t disabled. The Captain put the guard ashore and boldly left the harbour, met the Robert and Minnie, took on the munitions, and steamed off for Chile. By then, the Chilean Congressional insurgents had ousted President Balmaceda (who later committed suicide) and had taken over the government. They didn’t need the munitions any longer. With their approval, the United States cruiser Charleston captured the Itata without resistance at Iquique, Chile, and took her back to San Diego to face prosecution. An angry mob, furious at the seizure of the Itata and the munitions, attacked the sailors of the Baltimore who were on shore leave in Valparaiso, Chile. Two sailors were killed and many seriously wounded. The new Chilean government apologized, and paid $72,000 in compensation. In the meantime, the suit brought against the Itata was beaten on all counts, and she was ordered released.
On the 12th of January 1906 while in Newcastle, loaded with coal and nitrate, the Itata caught fire and exploded. Gutted, she was towed to Salt Pan Creek and abandoned.