Australia's Great Barrier Reef Yields 200-Year Old Shipwrecks Found in [VIDEOS]

Three shipwrecks were discovered in Australia's Great Barrier Reef in a surprise find. For two hundred years, heritage experts are closer to solving the three mysteries that have haunted the seas.

Three shipwrecks were found in the Far North Queensland waters in the last four months. Historians and heritage experts are currently going through the items on each of the shipwrecks to find out the story of each one.

Bruce Elliott, who is working for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Authority said the three shipwreck discoveries were exciting because they were found mostly intact. Two shipwrecks were found in the waters of Cape York and another was discovered in the south of Cairns.

Mr Elliott said all three shipwrecks were believed to be from one of ships that sunk in the 1800s. The shipwrecks were described as relatively large and in fairly good condition. It was not yet known whether they were from passenger or cargo vessels.

Divers found the shipwreck near Cairns while the two were discovered by heritage experts in Cape York. Mr Elliott said the shipwrecks will most likely remain where they are given their historic value.

The exact locations of the shipwrecks will be kept from the public until all historical information have been retrieved.

Other notable shipwrecks

From untold treasures and historic finds, the discovery of shipwrecks always brings exciting news. One notable shipwreck was the recent discovery of a well-preserved ancient shipwreck in Rome. The ship was believed to be around 2,000 years old.

The wreck was found buried in the mud off the Italian coast of Varazze based on a report from The Age. The mud was keeping the shipwreck hidden from prying eyes of divers. However, it also helped to preserve the wreck and minimise the damaging effects of saltwater.

The wreck also contained cargo which was surprisingly intact and preserved in clay jars known as amphorae. According to Lt. Col. Francesco Schilardi, the commander of the diving team, they found some broken jars near the shipwreck but divers believe most of them remained untouched.

In 2006, a shipwreck believed to be 2,400 years old was found off the coast near Chios Island in Greece. The cargo carried an ancient type of salad dressing which was tested to reveal how old it is.