Last Monday, 1st June 1878, disaster struck the small clipper ship, "The Loch Ard" near shipwreck bay in south Victoria. The ship, commanded by captain Gibbs, was transporting 17 crewmen, 37 passengers and assorted cargo.
It all started when the ship was approaching Melbourne and was expecting to see land soon. A heavy fog had rolled in and was making it very difficult for the ship to see the cape Otway lighthouse and was preventing them from noticing how close they were getting to the shore.
" The fog was so heavy I could hardly see the ocean at all!" said the lighthouse keeper.
As the ship continued to get closer to the shore the people on board began to realise how close they were getting. By the time the realised it was already too late to steer of course or escape on board the lifeboats. The ships hull crashed into the reef and the masts and rigging came crashing down on the deck below. The only two survivors of the incident were Eva Carmichael, who survived by clinging to a spar for five hours, and Thomas (Tom) R. Pearce, an apprentice who clung to the overturned hull of a lifeboat.

They both got ashore at what is now known as Loch Ard Gorge before seeking assistance. The lighthouse is getting a much brighter light to make sure that disasters like this will never happen again.
Last Monday, 1st June 1878, disaster struck the small clipper ship, "The Loch Ard" near shipwreck bay in south Victoria. The ship, commanded by captain Gibbs, was transporting 17 crewmen, 37 passengers and assorted cargo.
It all started when the ship was approaching Melbourne and was expecting to see land soon. A heavy fog had rolled in and was making it very difficult for the ship to see the cape Otway lighthouse and was preventing them from noticing how close they were getting to the shore.
" The fog was so heavy I could hardly see the ocean at all!" said the lighthouse keeper.
As the ship continued to get closer to the shore the people on board began to realise how close they were getting. By the time the realised it was already too late to steer of course or escape on board the lifeboats. The ships hull crashed into the reef and the masts and rigging came crashing down on the deck below. The only two survivors of the incident were Eva Carmichael, who survived by clinging to a spar for five hours, and Thomas (Tom) R. Pearce, an apprentice who clung to the overturned hull of a lifeboat.

They both got ashore at what is now known as Loch Ard Gorge before seeking assistance. The lighthouse is getting a much brighter light to make sure that disasters like this will never happen again.