MARINE & MARITIME 11ATAR

Shipwrecks before 1800

All of these ships were involved in the race for spices and to find new land. At the time, there was great rivalry between Holland and England, each trying to find the fastest way to reach the Spice Islands. It always involved sailing with the roaring forties and then turning north before reaching the West Australian coast. Most shipwrecks happened after the turn was left too late.

The French were keen to make scientific discoveries and the British were interested in being the first to colonise new lands. In the 1700s, the French were keen on discovering the South Land and sent many ships on voyages of discovery.

The British had a very strong navy and explored around the world looking for new lands to trade with and to colonise.

New Holland Castaways

Between 1629 and 1727 four ships of the Dutch East Indies Company (VOC) are known to have shipwrecked on the coast of Western Australia. Over 300 personnel of those ships, and some from rescue parties, are estimated to have survived these wreckings. There may have been more survivors as three other vessels, that could have had similar fates, are still unaccounted for.

With no other alternatives, one theory is that these survivors may have been adopted by the local Aboriginal groups. 

One sailor from the Vergulde Draek was wrecked twice off the WA coast. Read Abraham Leeman's fascinating story here.

Useful Websites

W.A. Museum: Shipwrecks	Shipwrecks W.A.	Shipwreck Locations in W.A.

The Vergulde Draeck was wrecked on April 28th 1656, on a reef off Ledge Point, with 193 people on board. Only 75 survivors managed to struggle onto the shore. The Vergulde Draeck sustained heavy damage upon impact. Very few provisions were salvaged, but fortunately a small boat was saved.
Using this boat, seven of the ship’s crew sailed north to Batavia, and reported the tragedy. Three rescue missions were organised to locate the remaining 68 survivors, though nobody was ever found.

In 1658 the rescue mission of the Waeckende Boei, reported finding a beach littered with wreckage from the Vergulde Draeck, like pieces of Beardman jugs (right). Survivor activity was supported by the discovery of a circle of the ships planks, planted deliberately with their ends in the sand.  This may have been a roughly fashioned wind break enabling the survivors to maintain a presence on the beach while awaiting to be rescued. 

In 1931, forty silver guilder coins from the Vergulde Draeck were found in the sand hills near the entrance to Moore River.  No human remains have ever been located, suggesting a short, but fatal trek inland may have ensued.

Useful Websites

28 April 1656 Vergulde Draeck	VD: The Mystery [VOC Society]	Gilt Dragon History

The Zuytdorp was wrecked during April 1712 on a reef at the base of some rugged cliffs south of Shark Bay. There were 286 passengers and crew on board the ship.  Unlike the other three Dutch wrecks, nobody from the Zuytdorp reached Batavia to report the incident. We will never know the exact circumstances of that fateful day.

The anchor (right) probably broke a fluke when the Zuytdorp was dragged through the surf towards the steep coastal cliffs.

Excavation of the site has provided some clues. The Zuytdorp first struck a reef about 100 metres offshore, before pounding waves pushed the ship towards the base of the cliffs. There was probably no time to launch the boats.  Any survivors who had succeeded in leaving the ship would have been in major spot of bother. Imagine standing on a reef platform at the base of insurmountable steep ocean cliffs, being ravaged by huge seas, and sucked into dangerous blowholes. Somebody did manage to get to the cliff top.

In 1927, a stockman stumbled upon a survivors camp on the top of the cliffs. Various items including silver coins, broken bottles and cooking pots were discovered near old some abandoned camp fires.  No human remains have ever been found.  It is possible that some survivors climbed the mast of the disintegrating ship, and bridged the small gap between it, and the cliff face. Exhausted, they reached the cliff top, and survived there for a short period of time.  In recognition of their struggle, the cliffs are now known as the Zuytdorp Cliffs.

The ship's bell (left) rang for the last time in 1712, alerting the passengers to the impending disaster.

[Select the images to find more information.]

Useful Websites

Zuytdorp [VOC Society]	Zuytdorp: North of Kalbarri	Zuytdorp 1701-1712