The boat is a replica of the one used in the aftermath of the Batavia tragedy in 1629.

The Dutch East India Company ship Batavia ran aground at the Abrolhos and her survivors made it to land only to face a bloody mutiny in which 125 men, women and children were killed. Before the mutiny erupted, a small band of survivors set off in a longboat for Batavia (today’s Jakarta) to organise a rescue. They made it to Batavia in the tiny boat and returned months later, only to learn of the horrific mutiny that had occurred in their absence.