Beacon Island (Houtman Abrolhos)

Beacon Island is a small island within the Wallabi Group, part of the Houtman Abrolhos islands located off the coast of Western Australia. It is notorious as the site of several gruesome events associated with the shipwreck of the Batavia in 1629.

Following the Batavia's grounding on Morning Reef, survivors initially landed on various islands within the Abrolhos archipelago, including Beacon Island. Hierarchies quickly collapsed, and the under-merchant Jeronimus Cornelisz, along with a group of mutineers, seized control. Over the following weeks, Cornelisz and his followers systematically murdered approximately 125 men, women, and children on Beacon Island and nearby islands. The murders were motivated by a desire to conserve dwindling supplies and to consolidate power prior to potentially pirating passing ships.

Eventually, a small group of soldiers, led by Wiebbe Hayes, who had been marooned on West Wallabi Island, managed to organize a defense and eventually capture Cornelisz and several of his accomplices. They were later transported back to Batavia (present-day Jakarta) for trial and execution.

Today, Beacon Island is an uninhabited nature reserve managed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions of Western Australia. The island is of significant historical and archaeological importance, with ongoing research and conservation efforts focused on preserving the remnants of the Batavia tragedy. The island's landscape still bears witness to the events that unfolded there, and the site serves as a poignant reminder of the dark chapter in Australian maritime history. Remains of crude structures built by survivors and victims can still be found. Access to the island is restricted to protect the archaeological sites and fragile ecosystem. The island is also an important breeding ground for seabirds.