The  surviving records show that the East India Company's ship 'Tryal' was the first English vessel to be wrecked in Australian waters on May 25th 1622. She ran onto Tryal Rocks which bears her name, off the Western Australian coast. She carried with her provisions, equipment, money and a letter from The Hague to Dutch authorities in the East detailing the treaty which was concluded in 1619 between the English and Dutch East India Companies. The Tryal sailed from Plymouth for Java on 4th September 1621, calling in at Capetown to replenish food & water. While there the Captain John Brooke tried to recruit one of the mates from the 'Charles' to join him as pilot as neither Brooke or his mates had ever made the voyage to Batavia. He failed to do so and sailed on the 19th March 1622.

On May 1st they sighted the Australian coast but Brooke had mistaken the mainland south of Point Cloates WA for an island. He believed the land he sighted was 10 leagues south of an island referred to in Captain Humphrey Fitzherbert's journal of his voyage to Java in 'Royal Exchange' in 1620. For some unknown reason he then decided to steer North-East when he should have been on a North-West course to Batavia in Java. On the 25th May between 10 & 11pm the Tryal struck. It would seem that Brooke had not posted a proper lookout and when the ship struck a great deal of panic and confusion ensued. Brooke deserted the ship trying to take valuables, rupees and the ships papers with him, but failed and the lot was lost overboard, he took 9 men and a boy with him. The ships long-boat was saved and the First Mate Thomas Bright with 36 people onboard left just after the skiff with Brooke on board, the skiff reached Batavia on 5th July and the longboat on the 8th. The Tryal had left England with 143 people on board, 10 including Brooke survived in the skiff and 36 in the long-boat, leaving 97 to perish in a watery grave.

The wreck lies on the outer edge of the south-west part of the Monte Bello Islands reef, about 5 miles north of the northern tip of Barrow island. The rocks are awash during high tide and have long been called 'Tryal Rocks'. This diver is trying to locate artefacts from the 'Tryal'.