Snapshot in Time: Brief history of Batavia mutiny includes first Europeans to live on mainland Australia

Setting sail on October 27, 1628 and heading for the Dutch East Indies, the ship Batavia was soon separated from the rest of the fleet in bad weather. The commander of the fleet, Fransisco Pelsaert was on board the Batavia together with the ship’s captain, Ariaen Jacobz. Unbeknown to Pelsaert, Jacobz was plotting a mutiny with Jeronimus Cornelisz, their ultimate aim to take the ship and try their hand at piracy. Their hopes were dashed when the Batavia’s hull was smashed on the Morning Reef on June 4, 1629. Forty passengers drowned and the survivors made their way to the nearby Houtman Abrolhos Islands, namely Beacon Island. When Pelsaert continued the journey in a longboat, Cornelisz sent the soldier Wiebbe Hayes and a contingent of men to search for water on nearby islands, and then his cohort murdered more than 100 men, women, and children on the island. Hayes and his men returned and fought the mutineers until Pelsaert returned, where upon the traitors were swiftly dealt with. They had their hands amputated and were then hung. An interesting footnote to these events is that two of Cornelisz’ men were abandoned on the Australian mainland, becoming the first Europeans to live on the continent. Snapshots is an initiative of the Geraldton Regional Library. For more information, or to donate a historical photo or slide contact 9956 6659 or library@cgg.wa.gov.au