Loch Ard Shipwreck

The tragedy of the Loch Ard, wrecked on Mutton Bird Island reefs near Port Campbell in 1878, is one of the most infamous of Victoria's shipwrecks. It is a tale of carnage, luck and heroism. The Loch Ard, a 1,693-tonne iron-hulled clipper was 3 months into a voyage from England with 54 people on board when disaster struck early on June 1, 1878.

Shipwrecked
Days of fog and haze prevented Captain Gibb from calculating his position for the critical pass into Bass Strait's western entrance - a 90km passage between the coast and King Island. It was known as 'threading the needle' and a small error could leave a ship well off course and in danger. The seas were rough and when land was sighted the captain ordered evasive action. Anchors were dropped to steady the ship while the sails were set in an attempt to pull away from the coast. However, the anchors began to drag and the ship was mercilessly crushed against the reef.

Miraculous survival
Masts, rigging and rocks from the cliff smashed onto the decks. Some people were trapped, others were washed overboard. The Loch Ard began to roll, with the sea crashing all around, and sank within 15 minutes. Ironically, only the night before, passengers and crew had held a party to celebrate the end of their journey. In the end only 2 people were to survive the wreck: Tom Pearce, a member of the crew and Eva Carmichael, 18, who was travelling to Australia with her family.

Tom and Eva
Tom clung to a lifeboat and was washed into a deep gorge that now bears the name of the Loch Ard Gorge. Eva, who could not swim, used a chicken coop and then a spar to keep afloat. Tom saw her in the waves, swam for her and eventually dragged her to safety after an hour-long struggle against the elements. He took Eva to the cave at the end of the gorge where she collapsed from exhaustion after 5 hours in the water. Tom went for help, running into a party from nearby Glenample Station. They returned to the gorge to rescue Eva. Eva and Tom never saw each other after they recuperated at Glenample. Eva returned to Ireland and later married. Tom eventually became a ship's captain.

Cliff-top cemetery
Today you can see where the disaster unfolded, walk the beach where Tom and Eva struggled ashore and see the monument to the Carmichael family in the cliff-top cemetery. The few bodies recovered from the shipwreck are buried there. The area is signposted off the Great Ocean Road just before the Twelve Apostles.