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In 1967, a test excavation of this same northern site was undertaken by Dr Colin Jack-Hinton of the WA Museum. Artefacts recovered included a bone comb, a button, porcelain and majolica sherds, metal fragments and other assorted fragmentary material. A large quantity of midden material was recovered from the surface, including butchered animal bones, a musket ball and a copper-alloy fishhook.

In 1973, a series of half a metre wide by half a metre deep test trenches were dug. One was made in the area between Johnson’s and Bevilaqua’s huts on the east side of the island, and three between Johnson’s hut and the jetty on the south side of the island. However, no further material was found.

In 1974, a test excavation in the sandy interior of the south-east portion of Beacon Island, between Johnson’s and Royce’s huts was carried out. This excavation revealed a range of artefacts that closely corresponded with material associated with the Batavia shipwreck. Some were identical to items raised from the underwater wreck site. These finds further reinforced that Beacon Island was ‘Batavia’s Graveyard’.

In 1980, another test excavation was carried out, parallel and adjacent to the north-east side of 1974 test trench. Again, the artefacts found were consistent with similar finds from the wreck site and included a brass buckle, military shoulder-belt

fitting, a bone bead and numerous majolica, glass and metal sherds.

In the early 1980s, during unauthorised earthworks for a toilet leach drain, rock lobster fishers accidentally located human remains which were later found to be part of a mass grave. The discovery was reported to the WA Museum during the Historic Shipwrecks Act amnesty held in 1993–94.

Artefacts recovered during the WA Museum excavation on Beacon Island in 1974.

Credit: WA Museum

WA Museum excavations on Beacon Island in 1974.

Credit: WA Museum