The 1,600 ton empty cargo vessel, "Cherry Venture" was grounded on the 8th July, 1973 after gale force winds and wild seas drove her on to Teewah Beach, 3km south of Double Island Point. The Singapore owned freighter, bound for Brisbane from new Zealand, floundered in heavy seas with swells estimated at 12 metres high. the Captain kept both engines running full ahead and steaming into the unrelenting winds but the anchor kept dragging. Continuing heavy seas and winds up to 120 kn per hour caused the ship's anchor cable to part and the Cherry Venture was beached. The ship gouged itself in the sand and a newly formed sand bar locked her in.



Several attempts to refloat the Cherry Venture failed. She was written off by the insurance company and a salvage hunter purchased her with the obligation to extricate and refloat her. Further attempts failed and the Cherry Venture remained firmly wedged in the sandy beach where she became an established landmark and tourist attraction. In the early years of her grounding, the public were able to climb on board and enjoy a rare experience but eventually the salt water left her a public hazard. She was broken up and removed from the beach in 2007.

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