JOHN OXLEY’S DIARY – 30TH NOVEMBER 1820
“There is nothing in the local situation of this Inlet or the quality of the surrounding Country that can at present render it an object of any Interest. In Trial Bay, vessels prevented by unfavourable Winds and Tides from entering Port Macquarie will Shelter, and I think it an eligible Station from whence to take advantage of a Change in wind and weather.”
WRECKS OF TRIAL BAY
Over the years, many ships have come to rest in Trial Bay. This beautiful bay is named after the brigantine “Trial”. The wreck of the little ship was found on the sands of the bay in 1817. A group of escaped convicts had seized the “Trial”, complete with crew and passengers, while it lay at anchor in Watsons Bay (Sydney) on 13th September, 1813.
For over two years no word of their fate was heard, but eventually news filtered bank to Sydney of a wreck on a beach well north of Port Stephens.
A search party was dispatched in 1817 led by Commander White. He discovered the wreck of the “Trial” just north of Smoky Cape but no trace of any survivors. Remains of the little ship are believed to be buried in the sand hills in the vicinity of Arakoon House.
In 1864 the “Gazelle”, “Julia” and :Wooloomooloo” were also wrecked during a severe gale. All hands of the “Wooloomooloo” were lost and a monument on Port Briner is a grim reminder of that fateful night. (Point Briner – named after George Briner, who held the seat in the Legislative Assembly).
In January 1972 the Sydney Showboat, “Sydney Queen” and vehicular ferries “Koondooloo and “Lurgurena” were wrecked in Trial Bay while being towed to the Philippines. Despite desperate efforts to save the ships, strong winds and tides won the battle. The remains of the “Sydney Queen” and “Lurgurena” may be seen at low tide at the northern end of trial Bay while the “Koondooloo” lies as a rusting hulk well up on the beach.
EXTRACT FROM THE MACLEAY ARGUS – 1888 /1889
“The township of Arakoon. A few houses, half buried in the scrub, a Police Station {Trial Bay Lodges stand on this site} school, and accommodation house, constitutes this, the most primitive of townships. The metalled road at this point ceases, giving place to a heavy sand track that continues to within a couple of hundred yards of the gaol entrance.”
Originally, Arakoon was the name given to the prominent hill now known as Big Smoky, which lies adjacent to Smoky Cape. The town of Arakoon was proclaimed in the Government Gazette in 1867 and was recorded as a postal town in 1892. In 1967 The Geographical Names Board of NSW altered the name of the western half of Arakoon to its local name of South West Rocks and assigned that the eastern part to remain Arakoon, as originally proclaimed.
South West Rocks – This pretty resort has and is still being patronised by those, who at this period of the year go in to camp for a week or so. At the present there are fully 300 people at the Rocks which with some 50 or 60 tents, gives this usually quiet place a busy appearance. Land is being eagerly taken up at the Rocks and is fetching as much as two pounds per foot.
TRIAL BAY JETTY
In the mid 1800’s the Arakoon end of Trial Bay was a deep-water port (hard to believe in the late 1900’s). The fragmented remains of the long jetty that once extended into the bay can be seen just north of the gaol.
This jetty was the loading and unloading wharf for the river residents and bustled with whalers, sealers and settlers. It was also later used for the disembarkation of the German Internees incarcerated at Trial Bay.
RUSSELL STREET
Russell Street (Named after Paddy Russell, a “giant” Californian immigrant) – locally known as Arakoon Road – was once the main route to Kempsey and was the site of several gold mining attempts, none of which was successful.
SEABREEZE (FEDERAL) HOTEL
Many flamboyant characters have been associated with the Seabreeze, but none more so than Captain Eaton, who was stationed at the gaol during the 1914-18 War. This dashing and daring soldier would force his horse through the swinging doors of the old hotel, ride down the bar and order his troops back to barracks.
The Federal (as it was named then) was a single-storey building housing a bar, parlour and four residential rooms. Built by Laurence Rafferty in 1907, it continued in the family for three generations. With renovations and a new publican, also came a new name – “The Seabreeze”. In 1986 the now thriving hotel was again extensively modernised. A motel, speciality shops and a bistro were added with the hotel now being a popular “watering hole” on the Macleay.
ARAKOON HOUSE
Originally built as a one-storey residence around 1887 – Arakoon House then had a second storey added in 1889.
Majestic in every respect, this grand old home has stood the passing of time extremely well. An historic description of the building in the Macleay Argus dated 1889 describes the upper storey as “having six bedrooms, two sitting rooms, bathrooms and a passageway running east to west 50ft by 6 ft. The woodwork is redwood and pine. On the ground floor are dining rooms, parlous and private rooms opening out on the verandah and a passage of the same dimensions as the one above.”
This home has served many masters. Built for Jesse Plummer and later owned by the Sullivans, Magnus Thompson, the Hilliers and the Moores. Mr and Mrs Earl McNeil then spent 12 years restoring their home to its former glory. Arakoon House has now been converted into four holiday flats.
LITTLE BAY
Within the confines of the State Recreation Park one will find the delightful sandy cover of Little Bay. While caution must be taken when swimming and surfing, the fishing is excellent and the sun soaking a must.
Close by – in years gone by – a reservoir was built across a gully, and water was piped to the gaol to be stored in massive tanks. So successful was this system that the township of Arakoon relied on this small dam for its water supply for many years. This is now known locally as “the duck pond”.