The Loch Ard got its name from "Loch Ard" a loch that lies to the west of Aberfoyle, and the east of Loch Lomond. It means "high lake" in Scottish Gaelic. The vessel belonged to the famous Loch Line which sailed many vessels from England to Australia. The Loch Ard was built in Glasgow by Barclay, Curle & Co. in 1873, the vessel was a three-masted square-rigged iron sailing ship that measured 79.87 meters in length, 11.58 m in width, and 7 m in depth with a gross tonnage of 1693 tons with a mainmast that measured a massive 45.7 m in height. Loch Ard made three trips to Australia and one trip to Calcutta before its fateful voyage. Loch Ard left England on March 2, 1878, under the command of 29-year-old Captain Gibbs, who was newly married. The ship was bound for Melbourne with a crew of 37, plus 17 passengers. The general cargo reflected the affluence of Melbourne at the time. Onboard were straw hats, umbrellas, perfumes, clay pipes, pianos, clocks, confectionery, linen, and candles, as well as a heavier load of railway irons, cement, lead, and copper. There were other items included that were intended for display in the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. The voyage to Port Phillip was long but uneventful. Then at 3 am on June 1, 1878, Captain Gibbs was expecting to see land. But the Loch Ard was running into a fog which greatly reduced visibility. Captain Gibbs was becoming anxious as there was no sign of land or the Cape Otway lighthouse. At 4 am the fog lifted and a lookout aloft announced that he could see breakers. The sheer cliffs of Victoria's west coast came into view, and Captain Gibbs realised that the ship was much closer to them than expected. He ordered as much sail to be set as time would permit and then attempted to steer the vessel out to sea. On coming head-on into the wind, the ship lost momentum, the sails fell limp and Loch Ard's bow swung back towards land. Gibbs then ordered the anchors to be released in an attempt to hold their position. The anchors sank some 50 fathoms - but did not hold. By this time the ship was among the breakers and the tall cliffs of Mutton Bird Island rose behind. Just half a mile from the coast, the ship's bow was suddenly pulled around by the anchor. The captain tried to tack out to sea, but the ship struck a reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Waves subsequently broke over the ship and the top deck became loosened from the hull. The masts and rigging came crashing down knocking passengers and crew overboard. When a lifeboat was finally launched, it crashed into the side of Loch Ard and capsized. Tom Pearce, who had launched the boat, managed to cling to its overturned hull and shelter beneath it. He drifted out to sea and then on the flood tide came into what is now known as Lochard Gorge. He swam to shore, bruised and dazed, and found a cave in which to shelter. Some of the crew stayed below deck to shelter from the falling rigging but drowned when the ship slipped off the reef into deeper water. Eva Carmichael a passenger had raced onto the deck to find out what was happening only to be confronted by towering cliffs looming above the stricken ship. In all the chaos, Captain Gibbs grabbed Eva and said, "If you are saved Eva, let my dear wife know that I died like a sailor". That was the last Eva Carmichael saw of the captain. She was swept off the ship by a huge wave. Eva saw Tom Pearce on a small rocky beach and yelled to attract his attention. He dived in and swam to the exhausted woman and dragged her to shore. He took her to the cave and broke the open case of brandy that had washed up on the beach. He opened a bottle to revive the unconscious woman. A few hours later Tom scaled a cliff in search of help. He followed hoof prints and came by chance upon two men from nearby Glenample Station three and a half miles away. In a complete state of exhaustion, he told the men of the tragedy. Tom then returned to the gorge while the two men rode back to the station to get help. By the time they reached Loch Ard Gorge, it was cold and dark. The two shipwreck survivors were taken to Glenample Station to recover. Eva stayed at the station for six weeks before returning to Ireland by steamship. In Melbourne, Tom Pearce received a hero's welcome. He was presented with the first gold medal of the Royal Humane Society of Victoria and a £1000 cheque from the Victorian Government. Concerts were performed to honour the young man's bravery and to raise money for those who lost families in the disaster. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: the apprentice, Tom Pearce, and the young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost her family in the tragedy. Ten days after the Lochard tragedy, salvage rights to the wreck were sold at auction for £2,120. Cargo valued at £3,000 was salvaged and placed on the beach, but most washed back into the sea when another storm developed. The wreck of Lochard still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island. Much of the cargo has now been salvaged and some items were washed up into Lochard Gorge. Cargo and artifacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced in March 1982. One of the most unlikely pieces of cargo to have survived the shipwreck was a Minton majolica peacock- one of only nine in the world. The peacock was destined for the Melbourne 1880 International Exhibition. It had been well packed, which gave it adequate protection during the violent storm. Today the Minton peacock can be seen at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool. From Australia's most dramatic shipwreck it has now become Australia's most valuable shipwreck artifact and is one of very few 'objects' on the Victorian State Heritage Register.The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register ( S 417). Flagstaff Hill has a varied collection of artifacts from Loch Ard and its collection is significant for being one of the largest accumulation of artifacts from this notable Victorian shipwreck of which the subject items are a small part. The collection's objects give us a snapshot of how we can interpret the story of this tragic event. The collection is also archaeologically significant as it represents aspects of Victoria's shipping history that allows us to interpret Victoria's social and historical themes of the time. Through is associated with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history.Toy saucer, white glazed ceramic, slightly oval shape and uneven surface. The underside has a brown stain. part of a child's tea set. Inscription on Sticker underneath. Recovered from the wreck of the Loch Ard.Sticker "L/66"flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, maritime museum, maritime village, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, child's tea set, minature saucer, saucer, toy saucer

White porcelain toy cup and saucer. Motif of child painting dog house with dog beside her on both items.Made in Japan.toys, general

Yellow enamelled child's tea cup and saucer with motifs of butterflies, flowers, birds, etc.Made in Hong Kong.toys, general

Fourteen piece doll's teaset. 5 cups (one odd); 6 saucers ; 1 cream jug; 1 sugar basin; 1 teapot. All are very light orange/bone colour + white with running rabbit. Teapot has two young men in a car hunting a rabbit. Odd cup has flowers in red and yellow.Underneath all pieces - Made in Japanteaset toys dolls-accessories porcelain

Doll's Tin Coffee Set with tray consisting of Coffee Pot with lid and two cups and saucers, and milk jug. A total of 10 pieces.toys, dolls' accessories

Child's china tea set - white with blue edge and flowered pattern. Comprising: tea pot with lid, milk jug with one handle, 1 cup, 1 bowl, 1 oval plate, 1 oval plate, 3 saucers, 5 plates. 13 parts make up the setdomestic items, crockery, toys, dolls' accessories

Cream china toy tea set with small gold pattern and edging. Comprises nine pieces - Two plates, cups and saucers, one milk jug, sugar pot with handles and tea pottoys, dolls' accessories

Donated by Mrs. Doris Mattingly, a long time Secretary of N.H.S. Doris played with the tea set as a child in her family home at Murtoa in the Wimmera, Victoria.Blue enamel child's tea set with white speckle. it consists of one teapot with lid, one sugar bowl with lid, one milk jug, six cups and five saucers.toys, general

Two plates and one saucer of a child's tea set. Made of tin with a red riding hood and the wolf painted on surface.toys, general

Childs china tea set consisting of 6 cups, 6 saucers, 6 plates, 1 tea pot with lid, 1 sugar bowl with lid and 1 milk jug, all decorated with coloured flowers and gold trim.toys, domestic equipment, tea set

10 piece child's miniature tea set. White china with cat in blue suit, white waistcoat and top hat, and a mouse with a yellow jacket. The teapot also has yellow rabbit in orange jacket. Green trim on handle and rim. 10 pieces comprise:- 1 teapot with lid; 1 sugar bowl with lid; 1 milk jug; 3 cups and 2 saucers.Made in Japantea sets, toy tea sets

Child's miniature white china tea set, with painted fairy sitting on a red toadstool holding a dandelion. 15 pieces comprise:- 1 teapot with lid and blue spout and handle, 1 milk jug with blue handle, 1 sugar bowl with no lid and blue handles, 4 plates and 7 saucers, all with blue trim on the rim.Superior Quality Made in Japan (in brown paint on the base).tea sets, toy tea sets

Used in 1890, from Freida Striezel11 piece Children's Tea Set, white with green ring around rims, and gold leaf patterned. Sugar bowl with 2 lids, 5 saucers, 3 cups.toy dinnerware, toy cups, toy bowls, toy coffee services

Miss Moira Burgi.10 Piece doll's tea set, white with blue flower, 3 cups, 4 saucers, 1 teapot, 1 sugar bowl, 1 milk jug. Cup and saucer, Tennis picture. Odd cup and saucer, floral design. Odd jug and plate. Cup and saucer, children playing. toy dinnerware, toy cups, toy bowls, toy coffee services

Pink and white child's tea set. 6 saucers and 4 cups, with teapot, jug and sugar bowl. Plus a metal black tray with floral decoration.tea sets, toy cups, tea and coffee sets, toy bowls, trays

9 piece Miniature Coffee Set, White with green and red trim. Pot with lid, sugar bowl with spoon, 3 cups, 4 saucers.toy tea sets, toy dinnerware, toy tableware

Round tray, tea pot, sugar bowl with lid, milk jug, 2 cups, 2 saucers. Gold trim, purple daisy, green leaf hand painted design.toy tea sets, toy tableware, toy dinnerware

18 piece Children's Tea Set, blue and white Willow Pattern. Tea pot with lid, sugar bowl with lid, milk jug, 5 plates, 5 cups, 5 saucers.toy tea and coffee sets, toy cups, toy bowls, toy tea sets, tea sets