The Shipwreck Coast is located along the iconic Great Ocean Road in Victoria. From the quaint towns of Port Fairy to Cape Otway, the Shipwreck Coast takes up over 130 kilometres of pristine coastline. It gets its name from the incredibly rough oceans that caused almost 650 European trade and transport ships to crash and become shipwrecked along the coastline, although only 240 of those shipwrecks have been discovered.
History of the Shipwreck Coast
The jagged sandstone coastline is notoriously dangerous, and the swells of the Southern Ocean that blow from the Antarctic have been known to cause havoc, especially for ships making the route from Europe centuries ago. Famous explorer Matthew Flinders explained that he had never seen a “more fearful section of coastline” on his travels.
Notable shipwrecks
Loch Ard
The most well-known shipwreck is the Loch Ard which crashed ashore in 1878. The crash site is now a tourist attraction where visitors go to visit the Loch Ard Gorge and marvel at the stunning landscape where it took place. The story behind the Loch Ard ship is what made it famous. At the end of the treacherous three-month journey from England, the ship collided with a rock and all 54 passengers perished, apart from two 19-year-olds by the name of Tom and Eva. In their memory are two rock pillars named after them at the Loch Ard Gorge site.
Fiji
In 1891, a ship sailing from Belfast with 26 people on board crashed into the shore in the darkness of the night. 11 of the crew members were swept to their death in the crashing waters of the area. The ship lies at the bottom of the ocean more than 6 metres deep and is now a significant shipwreck diving destination.
Marie Gabrielle
Just west of Moonlight Head is the location where the Marie Gabrielle ship found its fate. The strong gale-forced winds caused the ship to crash into rocks and break in two. Several people died in the accident and others were never found. The anchor of the Marie Gabrielle and other wreckage can be seen at low tide on Wreck Beach.
The shipwreck coast is an unbelievable place to visit if you are interested in history and maritime transport. Not only is it the home of some fascinating Australian history, it also has some of the most beautiful rugged coastline in Australia.
