Triumphs and Tragedies - Shipwrecks in the Furneaux Group

Since the late 1700s, Bass Strait has been braved by all manner of seafarers, from sealers and whalers to immigrant and convict ships. They faced biting winds, wild seas, and above all else, the unknown. Uncharted reefs, rocks and shoals, unmarked currents and unknown tides made an already difficult crossing perilous. Since the Sydney Cove in 1797, over one hundred ships have come to grief in the strait, taking crew and cargo to the seafloor in horrific maritime tragedies.
On occasion, however, whether it be by the strange hand of fate, bravery or sheer luck, some derelict castaways find their saving grace and manage to survive. Mayhaps it came in the form of another’s sacrifice, another’s bravery or another’s composure, but the outcome is the same. They triumphed.
These are just some of their stories.