The Batavia, or: A Bad Time for Everyone

The Mayday Podcast: Tales of Mystery and Misadventure

On 4th of June, 1629, the Dutch ship Batavia struck a reef off the coast of a then unknown land (now Western Australia). It took a week for the Batavia to sink, but the real tragedy had not even begun. 

CORRECTION: The Batavia was launched in 1628, not 1629 as stated in the episode. The wrecking of the ship and the events on Batavia’s Graveyard do take place in 1629. 

Check out our website and find us @themaydaypod on Twitter and Instagram to say hello. Thanks as always to our composer and producer Marlon Grunden, who you can find at his website here.

Further Reading/Listening:

  • “Australia’s worst serial killer”, hosted by Dom Knight and David Hunt on podcast Rum, Rebels, & Ratbags 
  • Wreck of the Batavia from the National Museum Australia 
  • Batavia’s History from the Western Australian Museum
  • Batavia's Graveyard: The True Story of the Mad Heretic Who Led History's Bloodiest Mutiny by Mike Dash

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