| Art/Craft/Markets |  | Wood turned from local timbers - many items from recycled fence posts. There is something for everyone. See our sign and please come in, you will be very surprised at what you may find.
Burl Bowls, Vases, Wall Clocks, Lamp Bases and More Also Folk Art. Phone: 02 6496 1523 |
|  | Local award-winning artist Anna Warren exhibits both nationally and internationally and has a range of her recent oil paintings on display at her gallery/studio. Colourful, contemporary, marine and lanscapes with a twist of surreal, express some of the energy and stillness felt in nature. Gallery open daily 9am to 5.30pm or by appointment. Phone: 02 6496 1144 Alternate Phone: 02 6496 2103 |
|  | Pottery and gallery showing all local work.
* Opening Hours: 10am to 5.30pm
* Opposite the Eden Fishermen's Club
* Resident potter
* Most items created and fired on the premises. Phone: 02 6496 3577 |
| Fishing | Fishing Information Eden is renowned for its fantastic fi shing with deep water inlets
and bays, crystal clear rivers, golden stretches of
shoreline, strategic rock locations and reef and off-shore
fishing fields.
The following locations are just a few places recommended
to try your luck with rod and reel:
Eden Wharf
Many a rewarding hour can be spent by the family fisher
folk at Snug Cove wharves.
To the delight of all ages, yellowtail, mackerel and
trevally will always keep mum and dad occupied baiting hooks and
casting lines.
Pulpit Rocks at Green Cape
A great spot for land based, dedicated fishermen. Pack a
picnic lunch and spend the day. Reached by a 40km scenic road (unsealed
but well cared for), this location is well inside the boundaries of
the Ben Boyd National Park.
Kiah River Mouth
Anglers using live nippers may catch luderick or whiting at
this popular beach fishing spot.
Aslings Beach
On the outskirts of the township, Aslings Beach is ideal
during late evening for salmon.
Other popular fishing holes are at Haycock and Peninsular
beaches in Ben Boyd National Park to the North and Saltwater and
Bittangabee beaches to the South.
Wonboyn Lake
Situated 30km south of Eden, Wonboyn Lake is a versatile
lake system and is a mecca for dusky flathead. Moon phases and
conditions vary the movement of fish so it's best to seek local advice
from bait and tackle shops.
Baycliff, the ocean entrance to Wonboyn Lake, is a top
spot for salmon and taylor.
Quarantine Bay
Quarantine Bay is well known for its superb multi-ramp
boat launching facilities, but for the holidaymaker without a vessel,
this picturesque location is well worth a visit.
Situated only 3km south of Eden, just off the Princes
Highway, Quarantine Bay provides picnic and swimming facilities and
the most spectacular outlook. Picnic tables have been placed beneath
shady eucalypts adjacent to the fishing club.
Yachts and pleasure craft are moored in the deep waters of
the bay, creating an idyllic atmosphere.
| River Blackfish: |
Worms, Mudeyes, Beetles, Crickets. |
| Brown Trout: |
Worms, Lures, Flies, Shrimp,
Mudeyes, Grasshoppers. |
| Estuary Perch: |
Minnows, Shrimp, Bass Yabbies,
Lures.
Bream best baits Sandworm, Bass Yabbies, Crab, Shrimp. |
| Whiting: |
Clams, Mussels, Bass Yabbies. |
| Flathead: |
Clams, Whitebait, Pilchards, Fish
Fillets, Lures and Flies. |
| Snapper: |
Bonito, Pilchards, Squid, Fresh Fish
Fillets. |
| Gummy Shark: |
Same as snapper. |
| Garfish: |
Sandworms, Clams, Maggots. |
| Silver Trevally: |
Whitebait, Clams, Squid, Fish
Fillets, Bass Yabbies, Pilchards. |
| Australian Salmon: |
Whitebait, Pilchards, Lures. |
| Yellow Kingfish: |
Fresh Squid Trolled, Live Fish,
Lures. |
| Snook: |
Lures, Pilchards or Garfish rigged
on gang hooks. |
|  | Reef and game fishing on board 'Argus 11', a brand new 34ft catamaran which supplies all bait and tackle. No fishing licence required. Trips depart from Eden Wharf, weather permitting. Whale watching tours and leisure cruising also available.
Game fishing - 9 hour trips. Reef fishing - 8 and 5 hour trips.
Bookings can be made at the Eden Visitors' Centre. Phone: 0447488887 Email: edenfishingcharters@bigpond.com.au Website: www.edenfishingcharters.com.au |
|  | A 38ft Randell operating out of Eden Harbour on the South Coast of NSW. Surveyed for 12 passengers and 2 crew and well equipped with all modern conveniences.
Reef Fishing:All year round catching snapper, morwong, perch, flathead, leatherjackets and kingfish.
Deep Sea Fishing:Catching snapper, morwong, perch, Tasmanian trumpeter and shark
Game Fishing: Catching marlin, tuna, broadbill and shark. Phone: 02 6496 1209 Email: fishing@freedomcharters.com.au Website: www.freedomcharters.com.au |
| Walks/Lookouts Etc | Light To Light Walk Green Cape Lightstation provides an important insight into local
maritime history.
Take a full day walk or two hour stroll along the 30km Light to
Light Walk between Boyd’s Tower and Green Cape Lightstation.
Nearby Boyd’s Tower is historic Davidson Whaling Station
where relics and plaques recapture the atmosphere of that
bygone era.
Access to the northern section of the park is via Haycock
Road which leaves the Princes Highway, 8km north of Eden.
Access to the southern section is via Edrom Road, turning
off the Princes Highway, 18km south of Eden.
Enquire at the Eden Visitors’ Centre for comprehensive
information and maps.
| The PinnaclesAnother favourite location in north Ben Boyd National Park.
The Pinnacles is a formation which dates back some 65
million years when the soft white sand and its cap of red
clay laid the foundations for the subsequent feature which
now exists. Viewers can appreciate the beauty of the formation from the
opposing cliff.
Other popular sites within the park include Severs Beach
and Haycock Point.
| Family Fun |  | Bicycle Hire is now available at the Eden Visitor Information Centre.
2 hour Hire - $15.00 4 hour Hire - $25.00 Day Hire - $39.00 (9.30am to 4.30pm)
For more information or to make a booking Phone: 02 6496 1953 Email: bookings@edentourism.com.au |
| Eden Killer Whale Museum Eden's history is steeped in the tradition of the sea and
undoubtedly the most colourful era was that of the shore-based whaling
which extended from 1828 to 1930. The Eden Killer Whale Museum,
established in 1931, is one of the oldest museums in NSW, and records
for posterity this incredible battle between intrepid men in rowboats,
armed only with hand harpoons and the leviathans of the sea.
The whalemen were, however, assisted by a pod of killer
whales and the museum contains its unique story and the skeleton of the
most famous of the killer whales "Old Tom".
The skeleton is the only one on public display in the
southern hemisphere.
In addition to the extensive whaling items, the museum
houses a variety of exhibits depicting a range of subjects to interest
everyone. Our exhibitions are constantly changing and you can be sure
to find something different every time you come back.
Contact the museum to find out more about our current
exhibition programme, by phone or check the website. Phone: 02 6496 2094 Email: promo@killerwhalemuseum.com.au Website: www.killerwhalemuseum.com.au
| Whale Watching Eden is one of the few places in the world that Humpback Whales feed on their migratory route. The waters are rich with krill and the whales quite often stop and feed.
Experience the unique sight of seeing these massive giants of the sea up close. Whale watching cruises operate from late September through to late November.
There are also some great locations around Eden which allow shore-based whale watching.
The Eden Killer Whale Museum sounds a siren when whales are in close proximity to vantage points around Twofold Bay.
|  | Whale watching cruises depart daily from late September to late November.
Twofold Bay cruises available all year. Cruises depart from Main Wharf, Port of Eden - direct access with no bar crossings. All cruises subject to weather and passenger numbers. Phone: 0427 962 027 |
| BeachesWhether your preference is swimming, diving, surfing or sunbaking,
Eden has a wealth of beaches suitable for all water sports.
Call into the Eden Visitors’ Centre for maps and advice
on all these great beaches.
|  | Main surf beach which is
patrolled during summer school
holidays. Rock pools at the southern end. |
| A great, quiet beach for all the
family, especially the
very young. |
| Secluded and sheltered beach near Quarantine
Bay. |
| Unspoilt beach on the doorstep
of the Seahorse Inn. |
| Open to Twofold Bay for surfing and around the mouth
of
Nullica River. Good spot for the kids. |
| Severs and
Barmouth Beaches Sheltered beaches ideal for swimming. Nearby
Haycock Point
great for scuba diving. |
|
|
| Excellent for the dedicated surfer. |
| Ideal for swimming, snorkelling or sunbaking. |
|  | Olympic size pool for
lap-swimmers. |
| Adventure |  | Bicycle Hire is now available at the Eden Visitor Information Centre.
2 hour Hire - $15.00 4 hour Hire - $25.00 Day Hire - $39.00 (9.30am to 4.30pm)
For more information or to make a booking Phone: 02 6496 1953 Email: bookings@edentourism.com.au |
|  | Kayaking adventures from Eden, Merimbula, Pambula Beach and Lake Wonboyn. Half-Day Adventures Day trips from Eden Day trips from Wonboyn Three-hour Trips Over-Night Trips All trips include a half-hour instructional session and saftey brief. Phone: 0405529214 Website: www.oceanwilderness.com.au |
| Eden Wharf Visitors to Eden invariably find themselves drawn to Snug Cove where
three wharves unite as a working port with trawlers
regularly on the move bringing home the day’s catch for relay
to the markets.
Watch out for pelicans, dolphins and seals. Enjoy a
Twofold Bay cruise, bring the camera for some great snaps,
enjoy a feast of fish and chips or just a friendly chat with
the local fishermen.
Several hundred metres past the wharf is the Rotary
Lookout and the Seamen’s Memorial Wall.
While the lookout affords panoramic views over Twofold Bay
(and is also a great whale watching location), the Memorial
Wall captures the true essence of this township.
The wall was constructed in 1978 following the sinking of
the “Shiralee” and carries the names of seafarers and fi
shermen who have lost their lives at sea.
| Davidson's Whaling Station Situated a few minutes drive from Boyd’s Tower is the historic
Davidson Whaling Station.
The station was the longest operating shore-based whaling
station in Australia and the last of its kind to stand.
Strategically placed plaques capture that bygone era where
captured whales were brought to shore on the Kiah River.
Several relics and the original cottage residence still stand
amid delightful stretches of open garden – great spot for a family
picnic.
| Boyd's Tower Boyd’s Tower was originally constructed as a lighthouse to assist
the steamships which once plied the coast.
Constructed at Red Point, the structure was designed to
serve as a lighthouse, but unfortunately it was never used as
intended, and spent its early years as a whale spotting
tower.
Spotters whiled away the hours playing chess – a stone
slab with chess board carved into its surface still stands
behind the tower.
It was not until 1973 that the area was declared a
National Park with the tower being added to the Park in 1976.
Now a popular tourist site, brochures, maps and directions
are available from the Eden Visitors’ Centre.
| Explore Our National Parks Flanking Eden both to the north and the south, Ben Boyd National
Park contains 10,790 hectares of coastal land offering
striking coastal scenery from sandy surf beaches, rocky bays
and ocean platforms, to quiet campgrounds, sheltered inlets and
historic lighthouses.
Named after Benjamin Boyd, a 19th century entrepreneur who
played an important part
in the development of the area, the park provides a wealth
of things to see and do.
Swim, barbecue or picnic along the water’s edge at a
variety of locations.
Watch out for Eastern Grey kangaroos, White-bellied Sea
Eagles or colourful forest birds.
Visit historic Boyd’s Tower on the southern headland of
Twofold Bay, or Bittangabee ruins in picturesque
Bittangabee Bay.
| Light To Light Walk Green Cape Lightstation provides an important insight into local
maritime history.
Take a full day walk or two hour stroll along the 30km Light to
Light Walk between Boyd’s Tower and Green Cape Lightstation.
Nearby Boyd’s Tower is historic Davidson Whaling Station
where relics and plaques recapture the atmosphere of that
bygone era.
Access to the northern section of the park is via Haycock
Road which leaves the Princes Highway, 8km north of Eden.
Access to the southern section is via Edrom Road, turning
off the Princes Highway, 18km south of Eden.
Enquire at the Eden Visitors’ Centre for comprehensive
information and maps.
| The PinnaclesAnother favourite location in north Ben Boyd National Park.
The Pinnacles is a formation which dates back some 65
million years when the soft white sand and its cap of red
clay laid the foundations for the subsequent feature which
now exists. Viewers can appreciate the beauty of the formation from the
opposing cliff.
Other popular sites within the park include Severs Beach
and Haycock Point.
| Beach & Surf |  | Kayaking adventures from Eden, Merimbula, Pambula Beach and Lake Wonboyn. Half-Day Adventures Day trips from Eden Day trips from Wonboyn Three-hour Trips Over-Night Trips All trips include a half-hour instructional session and saftey brief. Phone: 0405529214 Website: www.oceanwilderness.com.au |
| BeachesWhether your preference is swimming, diving, surfing or sunbaking,
Eden has a wealth of beaches suitable for all water sports.
Call into the Eden Visitors’ Centre for maps and advice
on all these great beaches.
|  | Main surf beach which is
patrolled during summer school
holidays. Rock pools at the southern end. |
| A great, quiet beach for all the
family, especially the
very young. |
| Secluded and sheltered beach near Quarantine
Bay. |
| Unspoilt beach on the doorstep
of the Seahorse Inn. |
| Open to Twofold Bay for surfing and around the mouth
of
Nullica River. Good spot for the kids. |
| Severs and
Barmouth Beaches Sheltered beaches ideal for swimming. Nearby
Haycock Point
great for scuba diving. |
|
|
| Excellent for the dedicated surfer. |
| Ideal for swimming, snorkelling or sunbaking. |
|  | Olympic size pool for
lap-swimmers. |
| General Info | |
| Church ServicesAboriginal Evangelical Church Sunday 11.00am Corner Moorhead and Clare Streets Pastor: Ossie Cruse Phone: 6496 2186 Youth Chaplin: Tim Maher Phone: 6496 1757
St John’s, Anglican Sunday 10.00am Calle Calle Street Rev. Helen Cowgill Phone: 6496 1466
Catholic Vigil Mass Saturday 6.00pm Our Lady Star of the Sea, Calle Calle Street Priest: Father Peter Gannon Phone: 6495 1880 Sisters of St Joseph Convent Phone: 6496 3367
Church of Christ Sunday 6.00pm RSL Hall, Corner Bass and Calle Calle Streets Pastor: Brian Dixon Phone: 6496 3367
Uniting Traditional Sunday 9.30am St George’s, Chandos Street Pastor: Judith Dalton Phone: 6496 2501
| SERVICE DIRECTORY
| Emergency Services |
000 |
| Eden Ambulance |
13 12 33 |
| Pambula Hospital |
6495 6002 |
| Bega Hospital |
6492 9111 |
| Dental Surgery |
6496 4222 |
| Curalo Medical Centre |
6496 3322 |
| Police |
6496 1444 |
| Water Police |
6496 0699 |
| Fire |
6496 1506 |
| NRMA Road Service |
6496 1529 |
| Taxi |
6496 1180 |
| Picnic spots around Town:Rotary Park Lookout Drive along Imlay Street, past the wharf to the road’s
end. Beautiful views of Edrom Lodge. Picnic tables, toilets, barbeque and playground.
Apex Park Bottom of Mitchell Street. Lovely picnic area with electric
barbeques.
George Bass Park On the eastern side of Cocora Street. This picnic spot
overlooks “Eagles Claw”, electric barbeques and picnic tables.
Cocora Beach Park Picnic area, free gas barbeque, playground and great views.
Aslings Beach Several kilometres of carefree beach strolling along the
northern area of Twofold Bay.
| Picnic Spots further outScrubby Creek Set amongst native bushland adjacent to the Princes
Highway, 15 minutes south of Eden. Toilets, water and barbeque.
Burrawang An attractive forest setting at the base of Mount Imlay,
an ideal spot for a picnic before venturing up the summit. Water and barbeques
available.
Ludwigs Creek Adjacent to a small stream and forms part of the
Wallagaraugh Forest. Has toilet and barbeque.
Maxwells Flora Reserve A beautiful place for a lovely picnic with fine examples of
Lilli Pilli and Pinkwood rainforest. Water, barbeques and toilets.
Newtons Crossing Fireplaces, tables, campsites and fresh running water.
Situated at the junction of the Wallagaraugh River and Imlay Creek.
Imlay Road Rest Area Located on the banks of Imlay Creek,facilities include
toilets and fresh water. A short walk downstream to a good swimming hole.
| History | A Brief History of EdenA particularly beautiful area of the NSW Far South Coast
originally settled by whalers and now a fishing port and a popular, but
relatively undeveloped, holiday resort town. Eden, located 476km
south of Sydney, is the last town of any significance before crossing
the border into north eastern Victoria. With a population of just over
3,000, it is situated 50m above sea level upon undulating land on a
point that juts out into Twofold Bay. This idyllic coastal town is
bounded to the north and south by National Park and by woodland to the
West.
It is thought the area was inhabited by the Thawa
Aborigines prior to white settlement. George Bass noted Twofold Bay
in December 1797 as he traveled south down the NSW coast. On his return
in early 1798 he entered the Bay he named Snug Cove for the security
to shipping it afforded. It is here that the Eden Wharf now stands.
Later in 1798 Bass set off again for Van Diemen’s Land
with Matthew Flinders, this time making a detailed and accurate survey
of Twofold Bay. It was during this survey that Bass and Flinders made
contact with local Aborigines. Flinders offered them some biscuits and
received some fat (probably whale fat) in return. After tasting it
Flinders recorded that while ‘watching an opportunity to spit it out
when he should not be looking, I perceived him doing precisely the same
thing with our biscuit’.
The early history of the Bay is closely tied to the whaling
industry and it is in recognition of this that the inaugural Eden
Whale Festival was held in October 1996. The first whales were killed
as early as 1791. The migration of these animals (mostly Right Whales)
to and from the Antarctic waters took them past Twofold Bay between May
and November of each year.
Commercial exploitation commenced in the early years of the
19th Century when whaling ships took shelter in the Bay from inclement
weather, subsequently using it as a base for operations.
The first white settlement was made by John Raine in 1828
when he established the first shore whaling station on mainland
Australia.
In the early 1830’s the three Imlay Brothers followed
suit, training local aborigines as whalemen. The Brothers, major
pioneers of and landowners in the district, moved to Australia from
Scotland between 1829 and 1833. Peter, the oldest and second to arrive,
first visited Twofold Bay around 1833 and decided to live there.
Followed by George they soon turned to cattle rearing, which they
shipped to Tasmania, South Australia and, later, New Zealand. They
erected Eden’s first, albeit modest, building, a small slab and bark
hut at Snug Cove. Unfortunately the depression of the 1840’s broke the
family financially. The Walker Brothers, merchants of Sydney,
foreclosed on the Imlays’ and acquired the land.
A particular group of killer whales visited the area each
year, using the south of the Bay as their base for the season. Locals,
recognising them by distinctive markings, assigned them individual
names and found them to be a great help in hunting and bringing whales
into the Bay.
The killer whales hunted in packs like wild dogs, driving
the whales into shallow water, preventing their escape to deeper waters
and attempting to frustrate their attempts to take in air. Apparently
the killer whales, if they detected whales about, would travel to the
whaling station, make a great deal of noise, wait for the boats to
launch and then lead them to the whales.
The combination increased the certainty of a kill,
ensuring a meal for the killer whales. They fed almost exclusively on
the lips and tongue of the whales, leaving the blubber etc for the
whalers.
Eden was named after the British Secretary for the
Colonies, Baron Auckland, whose family name was Eden. Although
permission was given for the establishment of a township at Twofold Bay
in 1834 the town was not laid out until 1843.
Apart from whaling, which died off in the late 1920’s,
wattlebark (a source of tannin) and, to a lesser extent, dairying and
brick making, were the main industries in the early days of white
settlement.
The exploitation of timber, now a principal source of
income for the town, came to prominence at the outset of the 20th
Century due to the demand for railway sleepers. These were shipped to
China from Snug Cove and, later, to Germany and New Zealand as well
as being used locally.
Commercial fishing, now another staple industry for the
township, had been carried on for many years but it was not until tuna
canning commenced in 1949 that business took off.
| Benjamin Boyd “Benjamin Boyd (1801 - 1851), by unknown artist, courtesy of
Herald & Weekly Times Portrait Collection, State Library of
Victoria. H38849/448.”
Benjamin Boyd, born on the 21st August 1801 in London, was the
second son of Janet and Edward Boyd, a London Merchant of Merton Hall,
Wigton Shire, Scotland. Boyd spent his early years in Scotland near
the small town of Newton Stewart.
In 1825 Benjamin Boyd became a member of the London Stock Exchange
where for 15 years followed shipping and commercial opportunities
available in the State.
On the 8th October 1840, Boyd addressed a letter to Lord John
Russell stating that he had recently dispatched a vessel (the Seahorse
Paddle Steamer) for the purpose of trading in Australian waters. He
also stated that he intended to send other vessels and asked for
certain privileges in the connection with the purchase of land at
various ports he intended to establish. He received a guarded reply
promising assistance, but pointing out that land could not be sold to
an individual to the “exclusion or disadvantage of the public”.
Boyd’s bold response to this was to float the “Royal Bank of
Australia” in hopes it would help finance his operations. The banks
total nominal capital was worth around one million pounds with Boyd
gaining a raised venture capital of approximately 200,000 pounds. Boyd
also formed the “Australian Wool Company” within which 15,000 pounds of
its in debentures were deposited with the Royal Bank.
In 1841, backed by the “Royal Bank of Australia”, accompanied by
brother James Boyd, artist and friend Oswald Brierly and a crew of 14,
Boyd set sail for Sydney aboard his luxury schooner the “Wanderer”, a
unit of the Royal Yacht Squadron. Boyd arrived in Sydney on July 18,
1842.
Boyd lost no time launching his various enterprises and investing
his own and his banks money. He quickly put the paddle steamer
“Seahorse” into operation as he believed steamships were required to
help serve the needs of the South Coast and that settlers’ were reliant
upon sea travel. The “Seahorse” began service between Sydney,
Melbourne and Launceston.
In December 1842, during a voyage from Sydney to Melbourne, Boyd
and his party remained in Twofold Bay while the paddle steamer
“Seahorse” returned to Sydney for repairs to a damaged piston. It was
during this short stop over that Boyd recognised Twofold Bay’s
potential and immediately set to work planning a self sufficient
township.
Within 2 years of his arrival, Boyd had become one of the largest
land holders in the colony with nearly 2.5 million acres in the
Riverina and Monaro regions upon which grazed 158,000 sheep and 21,000
head of cattle.
Boyd decided that Twofold Bay would serve as the coastal base
for his enterprises through which he could ship livestock, wool and
tallow from the Monaro Hinterland.
In 1843 constructions of Boydtown commenced, which involved the
building of a 300 foot long jetty, a lighthouse, a church, convenience
stores, brick houses and an Elizabethan style Hotel. Boyd hoped that
one day Boydtown would become the Capital of Australia.
Shore whaling and the related oil extraction process had been
established in Twofold Bay for approximately 15 years, Boyd seeing
potential in this added both of these to his list of enterprises,
undertaking the settlement of East Boyd for his purpose and building a
salting and boiling down works at Boydtown.
Boyd was a firm believer in low wages for his employees and due to
this had difficulty finding recruits for his various enterprises. His
solution was to import natives from the Pacific Islands in 1847 as a
source of cheap labour. However due to objections from liberals,
humanitarians, and the Australian labourers, who saw a threat to their
own interest, most of the Islanders had returned home by the end of the
year.
The extensive expenditures required for establishing Boydtown soon
began to weigh heavily against Boyd’s assets. He had overreached
himself with his investments and to make matters worse, the “Seahorse”
had been irreparably damaged after striking a rock in 1843 and his
other business ventures had been adversely affected by drought and the
depression of the 1840’s.
By 1847 the financial situation was so serious that Boyd was
removed from the control of the enterprise and by 1849 the liquidators
were called in and operations in Twofold Bay ceased.
The enterprise had closed with most of the buildings (Seahorse Inn
and Church) incomplete; Boyd’s whole colonial endeavour a fairly
spectacular failure. On October 26, 1849 Boyd set sail on the
“Wanderer” and left Sydney harbour unnoticed. In a parting legacy he
writes to an associate, a parting legacy to the colony in which I
had hoped for so much, and although in part succeeded, yet on the main
failed through little of my own fault.
Boyd left Australia to re-establish his fortune in the Californian
Goldfields, but failed. Moving on, Boyd explored various islands of
the Solomon group, with the idea of establishing a Papuan Republic.
On October 15,1851, accompanied by a native he went ashore on San
Cristobal Island to shoot game, and disappeared.
An investigation found only a deserted row boat, a gun and numerous
footprints indicating a struggle. In 1854, after rumours circulated
that Boyd was still alive and being held prisoner on the Island, an
expedition was sent to make further enquiries, but they proved to be
fruitless and to this day nothing has ever been proven as to his fate.
One month after Boyd disappeared, on November 13, 1851 the
“Wanderer” was wrecked in a gale off Port Macquarie. One of the ships
crewman noted, It seemed as though an evil fortune brooded over the
yacht; and in one short month after the death of him whose pride she
had been ............ the wanderings of the “Wanderer” were at an end.
| The Seahorse Inn The principal relic of Boyd’s adventures is the Seahorse Inn. It
began construction in 1843 however, symbolic of Boydtown itself the
Hotel was built of convict labour and was never fully completed.
It was abandoned in 1849 and for almost an entire century was left
vacant, reduced to a mere shell due to vandalism and deterioration.
In 1936 it was purchased by the Whiter brothers who renovated it
and later added a second story.
In 1975 Bruce Lyon purchased the Seahorse Inn and continued to
restore it throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s.
In 2002 he closed the Inn down and spent a considerable amount of
time renovating and refurbishing the old Hotel. He added the Brassiere
and Conference rooms onto the original building and transformed it into
the beautiful Hotel it is today, so that it could once again stand
proudly on the shores of Twofold Bay.
The foundation of the Inn was made of sandstone from Pyrmont in
Sydney, lugged from the shore to the site by bullock wagon. The rest of
the Hotel was constructed of local stone, thousands of red brick (from
clay quarried nearby) and pit sawn hardwood, with cedar and oak
fittings from England.
Perched on a ridge near the Inn are the ruins of the old church.
The church was built complete with shingled roof, however the bell
tower and floor was never finished. It is recorded that the roof of the
church was burnt in the fire of 1926. The church was never consecrated
or used.
| Boyd's Tower Boyd’s Tower built on the headland south of Twofold Bay was built
between 1846 and 1848. It was intended as a lighthouse and a lookout
for whales.
Like most things associated with Boyd, it was never fully completed
and permission for its use as a lighthouse was refused, due to the
fact that Boyd wanted to use the lighthouse for his ships only. It did
however serve as a great whale spotting site, giving Boyd an edge over
his competitors.
The walls and the stone work at the crest of the tower were
finished, however lightening has dislodged some of the latter. The letters B-O-Y-D are clearly chiselled into the stones forming
the apex of the tower. The woodwork of the internal staircase has been
destroyed. The tower was designed by Oswald Brierly, an English artist and
student of Naval Architecture, who accompanied Ben Boyd over to
Australia.
| Alexander Davidson Alexander Davidson, together with his wife Jane and seven young
children, arrived in Australia from Scotland in 1842, and the following
year moved from Miller’s Point Sydney, to Boydtown, in answer to an
advertisement calling for carpenters and joiners to work on the
Seahorse Inn.
After Boyd’s departure, Alexander worked at Inn Keeping and
gold mining before the family commenced what was to become one of the
most fascinating chapters in Australian maritime history.
With boats purchased from George Barclay and Solomon
Solomons along with other equipment from Boyd, Alexander and his sons
commenced shore based whaling by re-building an old station and try
works. Located at the mouth of the Kiah inlet, they operated over four
generations, eventually becoming the oldest continually run shore-based
whaling station in Australia.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the Twofold Bay
whaling story, however, was the role played by pods of killer whales.
From at least 1843 until 1930, these amazing creatures returned
annually to Leather Jacket Bay and played their unique part in the
whale chases of the area. Indeed, Brierly noted the presence of the
killers, as they became known, in his 1843 journals.
The killers played an instrumental role in the long
survival of the Davidson Station. After herding migrating whales into
the Bay, these creatures then combined with the whalers to attack the
prey, snapping at their body and throwing themselves over the whale’s
blowhole until they finally succumbed to what was almost always an
inevitable result. They were even known to alert the whalers to their
quarry’s presence by flop tailing and splashing in the Bay in front of
the Station. They were rewarded for their assistance with lips and
tongues after the whalers had killed the prey.
The Sydney Mail reported on this strange relationship in
1903, commenting: When a whale is passing North it is driven into Twofold
Bay by whales known as the killers ..... When the whales succeed in
driving the whale into the Bay they leave off the attack and wait for
the whale boats to come. Any attempt the whale makes to go out to sea
the killers resent with all energy by snapping pieces out of it ... all
the time the killers are at work
The intelligence of the killer whales was aptly
demonstrated by “Tom” in 1926 following the drowning death of Jack
Davidson and two of his children. Despite a search that continued for
more than a week, Jack’s body remained missing, but all the time “Tom”
continued to swim around the area where their boat had capsized. It was
there that the body was eventually found.
Shore-based whaling at Twofold Bay had finally ended by
1930, just over a hundred years after it commenced. The final farewell
to the unique relationship between whalers and killer came in September
1930 when the last of the pod “Old Tom” was found dead in the Bay. He
was eventually towed ashore, his skeleton cleaned and mounted and
placed on public display. This saw the birth of the Eden Killer Whale
Museum and “Tom” remains one of the most popular exhibits on show
even today.
| Eden Killer Whale Museum Eden's history is steeped in the tradition of the sea and
undoubtedly the most colourful era was that of the shore-based whaling
which extended from 1828 to 1930. The Eden Killer Whale Museum,
established in 1931, is one of the oldest museums in NSW, and records
for posterity this incredible battle between intrepid men in rowboats,
armed only with hand harpoons and the leviathans of the sea.
The whalemen were, however, assisted by a pod of killer
whales and the museum contains its unique story and the skeleton of the
most famous of the killer whales "Old Tom".
The skeleton is the only one on public display in the
southern hemisphere.
In addition to the extensive whaling items, the museum
houses a variety of exhibits depicting a range of subjects to interest
everyone. Our exhibitions are constantly changing and you can be sure
to find something different every time you come back.
Contact the museum to find out more about our current
exhibition programme, by phone or check the website. Phone: 02 6496 2094 Email: promo@killerwhalemuseum.com.au Website: www.killerwhalemuseum.com.au
| Whale Watching Eden is one of the few places in the world that Humpback Whales feed on their migratory route. The waters are rich with krill and the whales quite often stop and feed.
Experience the unique sight of seeing these massive giants of the sea up close. Whale watching cruises operate from late September through to late November.
There are also some great locations around Eden which allow shore-based whale watching.
The Eden Killer Whale Museum sounds a siren when whales are in close proximity to vantage points around Twofold Bay.
| Davidson's Whaling Station Situated a few minutes drive from Boyd’s Tower is the historic
Davidson Whaling Station.
The station was the longest operating shore-based whaling
station in Australia and the last of its kind to stand.
Strategically placed plaques capture that bygone era where
captured whales were brought to shore on the Kiah River.
Several relics and the original cottage residence still stand
amid delightful stretches of open garden – great spot for a family
picnic.
| Explore Our National Parks Flanking Eden both to the north and the south, Ben Boyd National
Park contains 10,790 hectares of coastal land offering
striking coastal scenery from sandy surf beaches, rocky bays
and ocean platforms, to quiet campgrounds, sheltered inlets and
historic lighthouses.
Named after Benjamin Boyd, a 19th century entrepreneur who
played an important part
in the development of the area, the park provides a wealth
of things to see and do.
Swim, barbecue or picnic along the water’s edge at a
variety of locations.
Watch out for Eastern Grey kangaroos, White-bellied Sea
Eagles or colourful forest birds.
Visit historic Boyd’s Tower on the southern headland of
Twofold Bay, or Bittangabee ruins in picturesque
Bittangabee Bay.
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