Wiebbe Hayes Stone Fort

Wiebbe Hayes Stone Fort is a rectangular sandstone structure on West Wallabi Island in the Houtman Abrolhos archipelago. The site stands roughly 100 meters from the shore and preserves the foundation walls and remains of the original defensive barriers.

The fort was built in 1629 by survivors of the Batavia, a ship of the Dutch East India Company that wrecked on a reef nearby. Those who built it constructed the fort as a refuge from mutineers within their own crew before rescue eventually arrived.

The fort marks the first sustained European presence on these remote islands, where castaways built shelter and defense through collective effort. The site reflects how people adapted and worked together when isolated from established colonial networks.

The site lies about 63 kilometers offshore from mainland Western Australia and is reachable only by boat. Visitors interested in early maritime history and archaeology should plan their trip during calmer weather months when island access is more reliable.

The castaways survived by hunting tammar wallabies, a small kangaroo species native to the island that became their lifeline. This hunting kept them alive while the mutineers who opposed them faced starvation, making the fort's story one of Australia's earliest survival narratives.

Location: Western Australia

Part of: Batavia Shipwreck Site and Survivor Camps Area 1629 - Houtman Abrolhos

GPS coordinates: -28.46134,113.70411

Latest update: December 7, 2025 20:46