Monday evening ... oh what a night!
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| Loch Ard Gorge |
The evening was a case of our worst fears coming true, with the younger residents of the caravan park and community members behaving in the way that only the poorer examples of the age group can.
We had a tape player going in the adjacent camp site until about midnight and this was followed by loud talking until 3:00 am, when I finally ventured in and asked them to clean up their act. Also during the evening, we had groups of hoods coming into the park discussing who had hit whom and who was fooling about with whom etc. Charming, it wasn't. To cap it off, the air mattress sprung leak number four of the journey.
Despite this, we woke early and took off for the sites to beat the tourists and yobbos.
Our first port of call was Loch Ard Gorge and environs. This was fantastic.
The story of the wreck of the Loch Ard and the subsequent survival of Eva Carmichael and Tom Pearce is inspiring and we found, best represented at the lovingly restored Glenample Homestead. It was here that the two survivors were brought and where Eva stayed for about a month to recouperate.
The Loch Ard had sailed from England in March of 1878 and on the night before the shipwreck (30th May), the crew and passengers celebrated the end of the journey - expected to be the next day. Poor visibility caused by fog had the captain, George Gibb, worried and he stayed on deck, assisting in looking for the light on Cape Otway.
At 4:00 am, the fog cleared and before him he saw the white limestone cliffs, perhaps only a few hundred metres away. He raised sail, but the ship failed to respond, owing to the incoming tide, high seas and the proximity to the cliffs. Sails were dropped and anchors thrown in to try and stay her passage but the sandy bottom was insecure ground for such a manoeuvre and Captain Gibb ordered the anchor lines cut and again ordered full sail. Unfortunately, just as the Loch Ard turned and responded to the helm. the stem struck rocks at the base of what is now known as Mutton Bird Island. Large waves breaking over the deck made it impossible for boats to be launched successfully and the action of the waves smashed the ship again the vertical cliffs. High above the Loch Ard, her yard arms continually struck the upper part of the cliffs - loosing rocks and fracturing themselves - sending debris raining down on the passengers and crew, who by now, were all on deck.
Eva Carmichael was the eldest of seven children to Mrs Rebecca and Dr Evory Carmichael, who were, all but one, emigrating to Australia. An older brother, William, was at the same time traveling back to Ireland from Australia. As Eva rushed onto the deck - clad only in her night gown, a jacket and a cork life preserver - she encountered Captain Gibb.
"Eva dear, if you survive, tell my darling wife I died like a sailor," he grabbed her and said.
Prophetically, at that moment, she was swept overboard by a large wave and found herself in the water, clinging to a chicken coup with two other passengers, Reginald Jones and Alec Mttchell. Becuase they appeared to be getting closer to the cliffs, the two men set out for a piece of floating jetsam but werefound several days later, when their bodies floated up on the beach in the gorge. Eva clung to the coup and then transferred to clutching onto a spar. Meanwhile, Apprentice Seaman. Thomas Pearce, was thrown overboard as a boat was being launched. He clung to the underside of an over turned boat for some hours before realising he was in the gorge. Upon realising this, he swam for shore. No sooner had he reached the shore, than he heard cries for help. He sighted Eva, clinging to the spar and swam out to retrieve her. The heaviness of the seas, even inside the gorge and the vast amount of wreckage, turned this rescue into an hour long effort.
Reaching shore, Tom took the scantily clad Eva - by this time she only had her nightie left on - to shelter in a cave. He fossicked among the wreckage and found some brandy and took it and gave it to Eva They both fell exhausted into sleep.
Tom awoke around midday and decided to go for help, where upon he scaled the steep walls of the gorge and followed tracks until he met two stockmen from Glenample Station. They summoned the owner - Hugh Gibson - and they all set off for the gorge.
It was early evening when they reached the gorge and it took some time to find Eva, as she had hid, fearing aborigines. Eventually, they pulled her from the gorge and got both of them to Glenample. By the time they got there, Tom and Eva had been exposed to the elements for 21 hours. Remember, this was mid-winter.
Only five bodies were recovered and they included Eva's mother and sister. Her father, two brothers and three other sisters, were never found. 47 passengers and crew were left unaccounted for, although bodies were sighted in various inlets in the area in the days that followed. The inaccessiblity of the water from the cliff tops made it impossible to recover them. 11 bodies were sighted in the Blowhole, for instance. A purple glow eerily emanated from this formation during the evening they were sighted, owing to phosphorous matches that. made up part of the cargo and had been washed in with the bodies.
From Loch Ard Gorge, we went to Glenample Station, which was the scene of Eva Carmichael's recovery. In the years that followed the wreck, the publicity was so great that the Gibson's eventually left Glenample. They had been besieged by sightseers and those who sought to recover valuable wreckage. Their horses were stolen, stock run off and valuables stolen from their homestead. The property was abandoned after passing through several owners in the ensuing 100 years and had fallen into disrepair until restoration in the past five years. It is an outstanding museum of the wreck of the Loch Ard and subsequent events surrounding Eva Carmichael and Tom Pearce. The secondary focus of the information supplied on wall displays and in cabinets, is the architecture and lifestyle of the late nineteenth century.
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| The Twelve Aposles |
After finding some hippies' car keys at the look out, we lit off for Port Campbell again, wtth a determination to leave it behind. In the process we blew our money, as Mr Kennett does not allow refunds in his National Parks. However, we were more concerned with the noise and the undesirable nature of the clientele.
We broke records in packing up - 75 minutes, in all - and set out for Otway NP and Aire River.
Arriving after a final drive over a rough road that was both sandy and corrugated in different parts, we set up camp in a beautiful spot on the eastern side of the camping area and river.
We did not stop at the campsite long, because we needed to hot foot it to Apollo Bay and report Sue's wallet stolen in the cess pit that was Port Campbell. There one minute, gone the next. We assisted the police fill in about four forms - "they make us fill in the forms because it makes it easier" was the sarcastic quote from the desk sergeant - and thenreturned to our camp to stew about the possibility of our account being tampered with. To cap it off, the mobile phone had been disconnected, because we had forgotten to pay the bill!
In that desperation that makes you look behind the fridge for your missing car keys, a final search revealed that all we had said about the loutish, long haired, moronic younger generation was true but, never the less unjustified by what had happened to us. The wallet had been in the glove compartment area all along. The Futura has an oblong bucket type of glove box, which pivots along the back edge at the base, hence creating a space between the rear wall of the "bucket" and the compartment. It was in this cavity, that I discovered the missing wallet. Sue was very relieved, as were we all. Not only that, but a call to Telecom revealed that the phone was still legitimate ancl the bill was duly paid.
In return for their patience, Sue and the kids had a dip in the river by the campsite.
It had been a long day.
The weather continued to be fairly ordinary, as had been the case for the past ten days or so. We attempted one walk tn the area, but this proved to be abortive, when the track we were on was up-hill and very sandy. By the time we got back on the right track, we were so tired from slogging up the sand dunes, that we gave the rest of the distance to the beach away.
On our second full day in the area, we visited Cape Otway and went on a tour of the lighthouse. This was fasctnating and was the rare combination of educational experience and entertainment. Our guide was full of infonnation and in keeping with the Langston tradition, Sue, the children and I had done a bit of reading before hand and took more than our share of infonnation from the guide thanks to our informed questions.
The light was completed in 1848 and has used a variety of power sources since then. The building is constn.tetedfrom local sand.stone, with each block individually cut to interlock into the other. In fact, no mortar was used in the construction. Whilst it was brilliantly built, the architects were frowned upon later when, after laying the foundations, the builders went down onto the beach to discover they had constructed the Lighthouse above a cave 21 metres in depth !
Like most lights, it had trouble keeping staff for many years of its existence, although it did retain one keeper for 30 years. It has since stopped active service and has been replaced by a smaller, solar driven unit in the same location However, the local fishermen are very unhappy with the new light, as they feel it has an insuficient range.
A telegraph station was also constructed at the site. It was a link between incoming ships and Melbourne in the last fifty years of the 19th century. It used a series of signal flags to determine the name, cargo etc of incoming ships and then conveyed this information to the port authorities in the capital. This system of signal flags could also determine if a ship had any diseases on board and what they were. Perhaps they used spotted flngs for chicken pox? It was also used extensively to comunicate ship wrecks to nearby rescue services.
The building was used as a school in the first half of this century until the Second World War, when it was taken over by the armed services. It was from this venue that work was monitored on the clearing of mines laid by the Germans. The enemy mine laying ship Passat had set mines in the area and accounted for shipping as a result. Among these was the City of Rayville, on 8th November, 1940.
An American vessel, she was carrying lead from Adelaide to Melbourne and was struck by a mine ten kilometres south of Cape Otway, sinking in 35 minutes. All but one crew member were able to safely leave the vessel and were towed to sajety at Apollo Bay, in lifeboats. The ship still lies - intact - in 60 metres of water, with its cargo of lead and a reputed $34 000 in cash locked in the strong room The cash was payment for the crew when they reached Melbourne.
Minesweeping operations were directed from the light house and in all, 43 mines were recovered by sweeping, destroyed after being found floating or rendered safe after coming ashore.
The current occupant of the light house has leased the buildings and forwards weather details to the Met Bureau in Melbourne. He also collects half of the rent on the buildings (rented out as holiday homes etc.) and half of the tour charges. His father was the light house keeper from 1961 to 1968 and he returned to do the j ob, prior to the autornattc light being installed.
The Federal Government is currently negotiating with the Victorian Govemmentfor the purchase of the land and buildings, as they don't wish to maintain the service. It had formerly been paid for by shipping companies, but their modem satellite guidance systems mean that they don't need a light house any more. The Victorian Government is holding out on paying because they believe that it should be gifted to them. Believe it or not, the asking price is only $410,000 - for 300 hectares and buildings in a prime site!
After the light house visit, we drove along the Great Ocean Road for about 25 kilometres and the scenery was brilliant, despite the inclement weather.
Our last day was spent at the camp, as it rained off and on all day. Some new campers moved in in the
adjacent camp site, down from Ballarat for the Long Weekend - and we sat around a camp fire and talked. It was coincidental given that Ballarat was our next destination. One of the men was a carpenter and the other "just a labourer", as he described himself. They were pleasant company , but Sue and I were amused when they changed there attitude toward us when they found out we were teachers. They suddenly treated us as though we were something special and proceeded to put themselves down, especially when referring to their kids.
The rain cut the evening in the end but it was a very pleasant way to end a cold but happy stay in the Otway region.
It had been a long day.
The weather continued to be fairly ordinary, as had been the case for the past ten days or so. We attempted one walk tn the area, but this proved to be abortive, when the track we were on was up-hill and very sandy. By the time we got back on the right track, we were so tired from slogging up the sand dunes, that we gave the rest of the distance to the beach away.
On our second full day in the area, we visited Cape Otway and went on a tour of the lighthouse. This was fasctnating and was the rare combination of educational experience and entertainment. Our guide was full of infonnation and in keeping with the Langston tradition, Sue, the children and I had done a bit of reading before hand and took more than our share of infonnation from the guide thanks to our informed questions.
The light was completed in 1848 and has used a variety of power sources since then. The building is constn.tetedfrom local sand.stone, with each block individually cut to interlock into the other. In fact, no mortar was used in the construction. Whilst it was brilliantly built, the architects were frowned upon later when, after laying the foundations, the builders went down onto the beach to discover they had constructed the Lighthouse above a cave 21 metres in depth !
Like most lights, it had trouble keeping staff for many years of its existence, although it did retain one keeper for 30 years. It has since stopped active service and has been replaced by a smaller, solar driven unit in the same location However, the local fishermen are very unhappy with the new light, as they feel it has an insuficient range.
A telegraph station was also constructed at the site. It was a link between incoming ships and Melbourne in the last fifty years of the 19th century. It used a series of signal flags to determine the name, cargo etc of incoming ships and then conveyed this information to the port authorities in the capital. This system of signal flags could also determine if a ship had any diseases on board and what they were. Perhaps they used spotted flngs for chicken pox? It was also used extensively to comunicate ship wrecks to nearby rescue services.
The building was used as a school in the first half of this century until the Second World War, when it was taken over by the armed services. It was from this venue that work was monitored on the clearing of mines laid by the Germans. The enemy mine laying ship Passat had set mines in the area and accounted for shipping as a result. Among these was the City of Rayville, on 8th November, 1940.
An American vessel, she was carrying lead from Adelaide to Melbourne and was struck by a mine ten kilometres south of Cape Otway, sinking in 35 minutes. All but one crew member were able to safely leave the vessel and were towed to sajety at Apollo Bay, in lifeboats. The ship still lies - intact - in 60 metres of water, with its cargo of lead and a reputed $34 000 in cash locked in the strong room The cash was payment for the crew when they reached Melbourne.
Minesweeping operations were directed from the light house and in all, 43 mines were recovered by sweeping, destroyed after being found floating or rendered safe after coming ashore.
The current occupant of the light house has leased the buildings and forwards weather details to the Met Bureau in Melbourne. He also collects half of the rent on the buildings (rented out as holiday homes etc.) and half of the tour charges. His father was the light house keeper from 1961 to 1968 and he returned to do the j ob, prior to the autornattc light being installed.
The Federal Government is currently negotiating with the Victorian Govemmentfor the purchase of the land and buildings, as they don't wish to maintain the service. It had formerly been paid for by shipping companies, but their modem satellite guidance systems mean that they don't need a light house any more. The Victorian Government is holding out on paying because they believe that it should be gifted to them. Believe it or not, the asking price is only $410,000 - for 300 hectares and buildings in a prime site!
After the light house visit, we drove along the Great Ocean Road for about 25 kilometres and the scenery was brilliant, despite the inclement weather.
Our last day was spent at the camp, as it rained off and on all day. Some new campers moved in in the
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| Click here for today's photos |
adjacent camp site, down from Ballarat for the Long Weekend - and we sat around a camp fire and talked. It was coincidental given that Ballarat was our next destination. One of the men was a carpenter and the other "just a labourer", as he described himself. They were pleasant company , but Sue and I were amused when they changed there attitude toward us when they found out we were teachers. They suddenly treated us as though we were something special and proceeded to put themselves down, especially when referring to their kids.
The rain cut the evening in the end but it was a very pleasant way to end a cold but happy stay in the Otway region.
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