The Tragic Shipwreck of Loch Ard Gorge

Swept under the treacherous waters of the Shipwreck Coast lies a story quite unlike any other. This is a story that quite literally starts with a dark and stormy night.

A tale of tragedy, bravery and survival – this epic story shows just how treacherous and powerful the ocean can be. This tale tells the catastrophic tale of a dramatic shipwreck, and the tragic lost potential of young love. There’s a reason this area of the Great Ocean Road is called the Shipwreck Coast!

Visit this area of the Great Ocean Road, and it’s easy to see how the Shipwreck Coast got its name. With fierce currents that crash the waves against a weathered rocky coastline, water pulses through a gap between jagged rocks.

It was a dark and stormy night…

The Loch Ard was an English merchant vessel that travelled from England to Melbourne, carrying a wealthy Irish family. In 1878, this ship departed from Liverpool and made its way to Melbourne. The whole journey was set to be a three-month voyage.

This ship was holding 37 crew and 16 passengers. On board was a wealthy Irish family: The Carmichael family.

Eva Carmichael was the daughter of a rich Irish dentist who sent the ship from Liverpool to Melbourne. Among the crew was an 18-year-old ship’s apprentice: Tom Pearce.

When the ship hit treacherous waters, the crew lost control of it, and the Loch Ard began to sink. Tom was trying to get a lifeboat overboard, but he ended up getting off the side of the boat. Tom wrestled with these harsh currents and was taken to shore.

It seemed, in the beginning, that Tom was the only survivor. But amongst the wreckage, Tom had noticed 19-year-old Eva Carmicheal gasping for breath.

Tom plunged back into the ocean and managed to drag Eva onto the shore. They slept in a nearby cave to take shelter for the night.

From the top of the cliff, a local farmer saw the ship’s destruction and witnessed the young pair struggling at the bottom. The farmer travelled for hours to fetch rope, so that they could lift Tom and Eva.

What happened to them?

Although there was a lot of public gossip about the potential of this young couple ending up together, this didn’t happen.

Eva Carmichael returned to Ireland. She lived until well into her late 70s and had three children. Tom, on the other hand, died at a slightly younger age. Tom didn’t end up finding love and died at just 48.

The only surviving legend…

The Loch Ard ‘peacock’ is the only living survivor. This iconic artefact was saved from the ship’s wreckage.

Visit the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum & Village in Warrnambool, and you’ll be able to see this unique survivor! It’s worth 4 million dollars. Visit at night, and you’ll be able to catch the impressive light show which narrates this exact epic story, amongst other legends of the Shipwreck Coast.

Visiting Loch Ard Gorge

See Loch Ard Gorge for yourself! Although the wreckage has long been swept away by the sea, you can see the part of the ocean where this famous shipwreck happened. Loch Ard Gorge is just five minutes away from the iconic Twelve Apostles.