Tonight’s Bedtime Story takes you to the windswept sand dunes near Warrnambool on Victoria’s southwest coast, where one of Australia’s most enduring mysteries lies buried. In the 1830s, whalers and travellers reported seeing the wreck of an old, dark-timbered ship half-hidden in the sand. Some believe it was a Portuguese or Spanish vessel that reached our shores long before Captain Cook. Then the shifting dunes swallowed it, and despite nearly two centuries of searching, the Mahogany Ship has never been found. Was it real, or a legend that grew with every telling? Get comfortable and let Cheralyn Darcey tell you the tale.

The Bedtime Story is a much-loved part of The Nightline every night, a chance to slow down, settle in and drift off with a story. Catch up on this one and past stories here, then join Cheralyn for a new Bedtime Story every weeknight on The Nightline, 8pm to midnight AEDT on 2HD and The Super Radio Network.