Pirates Bay, the great sweep of ocean east of teralina/Eaglehawk Neck, received its first European name, Monge Bay, during Baudin’s expedition, in 1802.

The earliest use of ‘Pirates Bay’ appears on a map printed in 1824. Below ‘Pirates Bay’ is written ‘Schooner taken, 30th January 1822’. Noting 2022 would be the bicentenary of this event, some inquisitive members of a local history group began researching the story and uncovered some intriguing facts!

On January 27, 1822, six convicts absconded from the Hobart Town public work, in a pilot boat. At least three were experienced sailors, so perhaps it’s no surprise that they sailed to Norfolk Bay and crossed the isthmus at Eaglehawk Neck. Here they came across an oppor­tunity that seemed too good to be true – a vessel sturdy enough to escape from Van Diemen’s Land. Seaflower had been chartered by George Meredith to transport supplies to Great Swanport, and was on the return journey when it called into Monge Bay to replenish its water supply. Meredith’s son, Edwin later wrote, “They had hauled up onto the beach the empty water-cask and were in the act of rolling it along to the creek to refill it when a party of convicts rushed down and took possession of the boat. The crew were put ashore and had to make their way back to Hobart in a dinghy to raise the alarm. They arrived on the third day and a messenger was immediately sent to Port Dalrymple. Here the commandant dispatched an armed boat to intercept them.” Despite their success up until this point, the pirates didn’t make it far. Three were caught ashore on Waterhouse Island, in Bass Strait. Another two were caught after scuttling Seaflower near Wollongong and trying to pass themselves off as shipwrecked sailors. What happened to the sixth pirate and who he was is still a mystery to be solved!

Of the men caught in Bass Strait, Robert Greenhill and Matthew Travers absconded again, only six months later, after being sentenced to hard labour at Macquarie Harbour. Their company this time was not so well chosen – amongst them was the notorious ‘convict cannibal’, Alexander Pearce. Only Pearce survived their escape and claimed Greenhill had been first to propose cannibalism.

William Walker, one of the pirates caught in New South Wales, has a story more fas­cinating than perhaps any other convict. He twice succeeded in escaping to England, the first time in 1823. In 1829 he was arrested and transported as ‘William Swallow’. Back in Van Diemen’s Land, he was to be transported aboard the Cyprus to Macquarie Harbour. On route a group of the convicts, reputedly led by Swallow, seized the well-stocked ship, putting those who hadn’t supported them ashore in Recherche Bay, and sailed to New Zealand and onwards. Swallow was eventually captured in England and when telling the story of his adventures, claimed to have visited Japan – a country then closed to foreigners. He was never believed, but just a few years ago, Nick Russell, an English teacher in Japan, dis­covered an illustrated account of Cyprus’s visit. It included a painting of a man thought to be William Swallow! Swallow was transported back to Van Diemen’s Land where he died, at Port Arthur, in 1834. He is buried in an unmarked grave on the Isle of the Dead not far from the bay named after his and his colleagues 1822 exploits.

To commemorate the bicentennial, the Eaglehawk Neck community have organ­ised a ship’s load of fun and informa­tive events which will be held over the weekend Friday 28 – Sunday 30 January. These include a Pirates Ball, performance of a play, market, history talk and display. Homes will be decorated and Windeward Bound will sail into Pirates Bay to repre­sent Seaflower. More information can be found at eaglehawkneck.org