WA workers surveying a building site in the South West may have accidentally stumbled across the long-lost remains of 19th century whaling ship that ran aground near Bunbury in 1840.
The ship Samuel Wright holds a significant place in the coastal town's history after a surveyor used the mast from the wreck to help inspire Bunbury's first town plan a year after the disaster.
Over time, its final resting place has become a mystery due to changing shorelines but Bunbury MLA John Castrilli believed the wreck may have been re-discovered during site preparations for the Department of Parks and Wildlife's new headquarters.
He said geomagnetic surveys to help finalise the building's design had detected a large wreck nearby.
"While the identity of the wreck is not yet certain, if it can be confirmed as the Samuel Wright it will be an unexpected bonus for the project," Mr Castrilli said.
"Archaeologists will take samples, collect artifacts of high value and create detailed photographic records for interpretation before re-burying the wreck to preserve it."
Mr Castrilli said the shipwreck artefacts were not located in the area flagged for the new building and would not be affected by building plans.
The Museum of WA's website said the ship was believed to be buried under a car park after it was first uncovered during mining operations in 1962.
The ship was built in the United States and crashed into the WA coast after it lost its anchors in a storm.
Before coming to its final resting place it had been a sea for more than a year and had 30 tonnes of sperm oil, 36 tonnes of black oil and five tonnes of whalebone on board.
