Zuytdorp Wreck
The wreck of the Dutch ship Zuytdorp lies on the seabed against the cliff face at the southern extremity of the Shark Bay World Heritage Area. The ship was wrecked in winter 1712 whilst on a voyage from Holland to Batavia in the East Indies. The Zuytdorp was carrying more than 250 passengers and crew and a cargo of trade goods and silver including 248,000 guilders in newly minted coins.
Clues to the Zuytdorp shipwreck have been put together to create a story which has unfolded over the last 40 years. It is thought that the Zuytdorp struck reef virtually without warning, probably at night as the anchors were stored away. The wreck came to rest close enough to the coastal reef platform for some crew to bridge the gap to apparant safety.
It is assumed that there would have been very few survivors as there would have been no time to launch boats and any who jumped would have been crushed on to the reef. Though others may have survived by jumping from the stern onto the reef platform. Evidence shows that the survivors lit large fires in the hope of attracting salvation from passing vessels or searching ships. However their hopes were in vain.
There has been speculation that survivors may have joined an aboriginal group, if this is true, it would have been the first known contact between Europeans and Aboriginals.
The wreck was discovered in 1927 by station workers who were fencing and trapping dingoes on the remote cliffs between Tamala and Murchison House Stations. The ship was identified by the coins found at the site.
In 1992, 59,000 hectares of land surrounding the wreck was declared the Zuytdorp Nature Reserve. Access to the Reserve and wrecksite is both hazardous and restricted. For safety reasons at least two vehicles are required for expeditions in that area. Permission is required from CALM to enter the area and from station owners to pass through their property. The immediate area surrounding the wreck and associated land sites is a restricted zone. Permission is required from the Western Australian Maritime Museum to enter the area. Diving on the wreck is prohibited for safety reasons and to protect historical relics.
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