British Admiral Beach – 101 Best Beaches

King Island’s British Admiral beach is named for the iron clipper wrecked in its wild Bass Strait waters in 1874, with the loss of 79 lives. The waves here are for experienced surfers only as the sea is littered with reefs and strong rip currents.

Shipwrecks

Many ships have been wrecked around Australia’s coastline. Among the most famous were:

Batavia (1629) – Houtman Abrolhos, WA
Zuytdorp (1712) – Zuytdorp Cliffs, WA
Endeavour (1770) – Endeavour Reef, QLD
Sydney Cove (1797) – Preservation Island, TAS
Cataraqui (1845) – King Island, Bass Strait
British Admiral (1874) – King Island, Bass Strait
Loch Ard (1878) – Shipwreck coast, VIC

Each of these wrecks, far from home and assistance, has a fascinating story – some heroic, many tragic. Only Endeavour survived to sail again.