The Batavia shipwreck is an important event in Australia’s early colonial history. It has been the subject of many articles, books and films and is prominently displayed in both the Fremantle and Geraldton maritime museums in Western Australia. The journal of Pelsaert, the master of the Batavia, was first published in 1647; but until the research for this article published in Hydrogeology Journal https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-026-03072-9 was undertaken, two important hydrogeological aspects had been overlooked. Firstly, the construction of the Pelsaert well and secondly the first recorded observations of tidal fluctuations in groundwater. Given its historical significance, the Pelsaert well is being nominated for inclusion in the West Australian and Australian National Heritage registers.
