WEST WALLABI ISLAND ARCHAEOLOGY
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WEST WALLABI ISLAND ARCHAEOLOGY
In 1879, surveyor John Forrest reported the ‘remains of two old stone huts’ on West Wallabi Island. In 1963, while researching the history of Batavia, journalist Hugh Edwards learned of Forrest’s report. He hypothesised that these structures related to Wiebbe Hayes’ camp.
In 1964, Edwards joined a team of students from Thomas Aquinas College to visit West Wallabi Island and search for the structures. Their expedition located two stone-walled structures of similar construction on the eastern side of the island. The first was close to the coast, whilst the second was further inland, near a rockhole containing fresh water. Several other features in the area included ‘fireplaces’ made of standing stone slabs
along the eastern coastal cliffs, naturally occurring rockholes in the limestone containing fresh water, and stone cairns. The group excavated the coastal structure in 1964 and 1966, finding beardman jug sherds with the Amsterdam coat of arms, two iron ships’ nails, a crudely made lead ladle, fire pits, iron fragments bent into fishhooks, and burnt remains of tammar wallabies, sea lions, seabirds and oysters.
WA Museum excavations
In 1967, WA Museum archaeologists excavated the coastal two-roomed structure, finding objects identical to material found on Beacon Island and the Batavia wreck site. The artefacts consisted primarily of iron nails and portions of barrel hoops. As with the Thomas Aquinas College excavations, animal remains indicated the survivors had successfully managed to forage for local food sources.
In 1974, the WA Museum investigated the inland, single-room structure on flat pavement limestone, finding nineteenth century glass and ceramic artefacts, probably associated with occupation by guano miners between 1890 and 1915. In 1980, the Museum returned to the inland structure for further investigation. Debris within the structure was sieved, but no further artefacts were found. The inland structure’s association with Batavia survivors remains unconfirmed, although it is possible guano miners could have re-occupied an earlier Batavia-related structure. The stone cairns are likely related to John Forrest’s surveys carried out in 1879, and/or have been erected by nineteenth and early twentieth century coastal seafarers to mark water sources.
A further excavation of the coastal structure was carried out by the WA Museum and the University of Western Australia in 2007. In 2018, as part of the Australian Research Council-funded Shipwrecks of the Roaring Forties project, archaeologists from the WA Museum and University of Western Australia recorded both the inland and coastal structures using 3D digital photogrammetry.
Map showing sites on West Wallabi Island.
Credit: WA Museum
One of the fireplaces on West Wallabi Island. Currently, there is no evidence to link the fireplaces to Batavia.
Credit: WA Museum
Inland shelter on West Wallabi Island, investigated in 1973 and 1980.
Credit: WA Museum, BTB_465
Trench on West Wallabi Island during 2007 survey.
Credit: WA Museum
Survey of West Wallabi Island excavation in 2007.
Credit: WA Museum
Coastal structure excavation
After the ‘Batavia Shipwreck and Survivor Camps 1629’ was added to the National Heritage List in 2006, archaeologists from the WA Museum and the University of Western Australia travelled to the Wallabi Group in 2007 to assess the current archaeological values of Batavia-related sites. A major part of the work involved carrying out test excavations at the West Wallabi Island coastal structure.
Four one by one metre test squares were excavated, one inside the structure and three on the outside. A small number of Dutch seventeenth century artefacts were recovered, confirming the association of the structure with Batavia survivors and that the site retained archaeological significance.
One significant artefact found was a decorative copper-alloy book clasp, the first archaeological confirmation that
Batavia survivors brought books ashore. The Predikant Gilbert Bastiaensz recorded having at least one book with him in the islands—given his occupation this would almost certainly have been a bible. As Bastiaensz is known to have stayed with Wiebbe Hayes’ party on West Wallabi Island, the clasp could possibly be from one of his books.
Other artefacts recovered included a typically Dutch conical, copper alloy, lace tie end used for boot laces or clothing ties, two square lead artefacts that may have been used as either weights, tokens or gaming pieces, and small fragments of broken green glass. Animal remains, including tammar wallabies, birds and fish, some with evidence of having been cut and burnt, revealed the survivors’ foraging activities and diet while on the island.
Metal clasps from a book brought ashore by a survivor, recovered from West Wallabi Island.
Credit: WA Museum, BAT3949
Trench inside coastal structure on West Wallabi Island.
Credit: WA Museum
Lead squares, possibly used as weights, tokens or gaming pieces, recovered from West Wallabi Island.
Credit: WA Museum, BAT3948
