BRISBANE—A memorial service will be held to honour those who died on the torpedoed World War II hospital ship Centaur, which has been found off Moreton Island.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said shipwreck hunters found the ship about 4.30am (AEST) on Sunday, much earlier than they expected.
She said the ship, which is 2059m below the surface, is a military gravesite and would be protected by an exclusion zone.
"Once we've been through the entire search process we will be go about an appropriate way of preserving and marking this site," Ms Bligh told reporters.
"This is a significant military gravesite.
"I will be working with the RSL and other appropriate groups including Friends of the Centaur to determine a way to mark this important grave site."
A Japanese submarine torpedoed the Centaur without warning on May 14, 1943. Of the 332 people on board, 268 died.
Search director David Mearns positively identified the ship on Sunday morning, 30 nautical miles due east from the southern tip of Moreton Island and well within the $4 million budget.
His crew will return in January with submarines and submersible cameras to film and document the entire site.
"In January the team will film the gravesite and early next year we will look at some type of memorial service where we can finally lay these brave Australians to rest and to rest in peace," Ms Bligh said.
"The ship has broken two-thirds the way down, indicating where the torpedo is likely have hit it."
She said the discovery of Centaur, so close to the Australian mainland, should spark curiosity and interest in the nation's military history.
"We know far too little about our military history," Ms Bligh said.
"The location of the ship will hopefully give all of us the chance to understand our military history.
"These Australians who lost their lives in the service of our country can rest in peace."
The Australian and Queensland governments jointly committed $4 million to the search and officers from the Department of Defence and the Department of Premier and Cabinet provided oversight and technical assistance.
