Loch Ard Gorge: The Best Beach Ever

The Loch Ard was a cargo ship, carrying 17 passengers and 37 crew members, that left England for Australia on 2 March 1878.

On 1 June 1878, Captain Gibbs stared out through the fog trying to sight either the Cape Otway Lighthouse or Port Philip Bay, the harbour of Melbourne - some clue to let him know where they were in the fog.

Suddenly, the ship's captain and crew realised they were heading too close to land. They tried to turn out to sea, and, failing that, they dropped anchor to try to prevent the ship being dragged ashore. But they struck a reef and the damage to the ship sent most of the passengers and crew overboard.

A man named Tom Pearce managed to free one of the lifeboats, but it capsized on top of him as it crashed into the side of the Loch Ard. Tom clung to the underside of the lifeboat and drifted with it until it washed up on the beach that became known as Loch Ard Gorge.

Meanwhile a passenger named Eva Carmichael, who was swept off the ship by a wave, clung to a piece of debris and eventually washed into the same gorge as Tom. Tom dived back into the water to help Eva.

With Eva safely in a cave that Tom had found, he scaled the surrounding cliff face. Luckily he found hoof prints and managed to catch up with some men who were working at Glenample Station. The men rode off to get help and Tom returned to stay with Eva.

Following the ordeal, Eva returned to Ireland by steam ship. Tom went on to Melbourne where he was honoured as a hero.

Pictured are the cliffs Tom Pearce had to scale to get help. Photograph by Peter Neal.