By Peter McCullough
What The Leader newspaper described as “a heartrending holiday calamity” took place on the afternoon of Christmas Day in 1905 when five people were drowned after being washed off the rocks at the Sorrento back beach. Four of the victims were members of the same family.
The O’Donnell Family
Among the Christmas holiday makers at Sorrento in 1905 was the O’Donnell family from Malvern: parents Richard, an ex-councillor of Prahran, (53 years of age) and Sarah (45) together with their six children – Albert Luther (23), Rebecca Florence (22), Hilda Lily (19), Stanley Richard (16), Dorothy Ruth (14) and David Arnold (12). They were residing in the cottage of Mrs Gunst, about three and a half miles east of Sorrento.
Accompanying them were Miss Edith Fraser (20) and Mr and Mrs Herbert Venman.
A Fishing Expedition
After Christmas lunch a party of eight went across to the Ocean Beach, led by Mr O’Donnell “and equipped with three fishing rods”.
The other members were Albert, Rebecca, Hilda and Arnold as well as their friend Edith Fraser and the Venmans. Sarah had returned to Melbourne to attend to her 91-year-old mother, taking with her Stanley and Dorothy.
Mr O’Donnell and his family had frequented this part of the coast for many years at holiday times, and he led them to a favourite fishing hole. On arrival daughter Hilda declined to go on the rocks. She remained on the beach reading a book; Mrs Venman kept her company doing some needlework.
Edith Fraser was also nervous about going out on the rocks but was eventually convinced that there was nothing to worry about.
Tragedy Strikes
The fishing party went forward with their rods and commenced operations. The tide was flowing and the waves were breaking quietly over the ledge. Suddenly, a great wave swept inward, washing over the little flat promontory with irresistible force. All six were carried into “a maelstrom of water and kelp”. Only Mr Venman survived; he clung to some ribbons of kelp until a friendly wave enabled him to clamber onto a neighbouring rock. He then dragged himself to safety, and reached his wife and Miss Hilda O’Donnell on the beach. His dripping and exhausted appearance told the tale. Miss Hilda O’Donnell glanced from her book to the pot hole, and saw hats and rods tossing about in the water. She called out with piteous accents “Oh. They are all gone – they are all drowned”.
The Aftermath
On the following day Herbert Venman, the only member of the party who managed to escape, gave a harrowing account of the event. This included the telling sentence: “Not one of us could swim”.
The body of Edith Fraser was recovered. An enquiry was held, and a verdict of death by accidental drowning was returned by the magistrate. The bodies of the four O’Donnells were never recovered.
At the time of the enquiry, Hilda also gave a brief account of the tragedy. She was reading quietly when a little girl named Rose Carr came along and said: “There are some people in that pool. Do you think they can get out?”
She said this so calmly that Hilda was not alarmed, thinking that she only meant that they were getting their feet wet. Hilda replied: “Oh. They are all right. They are fishing”.
Shortly afterwards the girl returned and said “They cannot get out!”’ Almost immediately Hilda heard people shouting out and then a distressed Herbert Venman appeared.
Following the enquiry Sarah O’Donnell and the three remaining members of her family (Hilda, Stanley and Dorothy) returned to their home in Malvern and attempted to come to terms with their loss. Sadly, another tragedy awaited them and this will be recounted in next month’s edition of Peninsula Essence.
References:
The Leader, Melbourne, 30 December, 1905.
Geelong Advertiser, Geelong, 27 December, 1905.
Peninsula Essence March 2026