The view south from the Smoky Cape Lighthouse

 

South West Rocks (including Hat Head National Park, Arakoon and Trial Bay)
Sleepy coastal town which is a well kept secret. A delightful holiday retreat.
Located 463 km north of Sydney, South West Rocks is one of those coastal towns which is often by-passed by holidaymakers. In fact it is one of the quietest and most attractive towns on the Mid North Coast. It is a true hideaway with some notable television personalities using it as their getaway because no one pays much attention to them and they can relax without being 'noticed' by holidaymakers.

South West Rocks is located on Trial Bay. The Bay was named after the brig Trial which was wrecked there in 1816 after it had been stolen by convicts who were attempting to escape to south-east Asia. When Captain Thomas Whyte found the wreck in 1817 there was no trace of the convicts and it was assumed they had all perished either starving or being killed by the local Aborigines.

Shipping along the coast ensured that the Trial Bay area was well known. Today there is a monument on the headland at South West Rocks to the people who were drowned when the Wooloomooloo ran aground in Trial Bay in 1864.

In the 1870s it was decided to build a deepwater harbour at Trial Bay (see Things to See - Trial Bay Gaol for more details) and a breakwater. Subsequently a prison was established and the prisoners began to build the breakwater. However the plan was not a success. Heavy seas washed parts of the breakwater away and the plan was abandoned.

The actual township of South West Rocks was established in 1896. It grew as a result of a new mouth to the Macleay River being established. This resulted in the construction of the Pilot's Station in 1902 and the town slowly grew up around this activity. The name of the town is a result of the pilot officer instructing vessels to anchor in Trial Bay so the rocks would be south-west of their anchorage. The locals decided upon the name for the town in the 1910s.

In January 1972 the tug Polaris put into Trial Bay with a showboat ('the Sydney Queen') and two vehicular ferries (the 'Koondooloo' and 'Lurgurena') in tow. The ferries had been used on Sydney Harbour and, later, around Newcastle. Polaris was hauling them 4000 km from Newcastle to Manilla where they were to be converted to scrap or barges. A third ferry, the ''Kooroongabba', was also being towed but had sunk off Crowdy Head and further problems necessitated the stopover at Trail Bay for repairs. The three remaining vessels were moored to the buoys used by oil tankers but a gale caused all three to break away and drift ashore where they became entrenched in deep sand and were subsequently left to decay. All that remains today are the loading ramp supports which protrude from the sand.

Today the township of South West Rocks is strictly a tourist destination. It has a modern and attractive centre with lots of accommodation, good foreshores, pleasant beaches and good fishing. The town also has some particularly beautiful stands of Norfolk pines.

 

Things to see:  

 

The Boatman's Cottage No: 1, the Tourist Information Office

 

Tourist Information at the Boatman's Cottage
Located in Ocean Drive (you can't miss it as you approach the centre of town) is the old Boatman's Cottage which operates as the local Tourist Information Office from 10.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m. The Cottage is also a museum with an interesting display of the maritime history of the local region. In the grounds is the small 'Macleay', the Macleay River's first powered pilot boat.

 

Wrecks on the Beach
In 1972 heavy seas forced two car ferries and the old Sydney Harbour showboat, the 'Koondooloo' onto the front beach at South West Rocks. They will eventually be totally destroyed by the sea but there are still remnants of the vessels to be seen on the beach, but only at low tide.

 

Trial Bay Gaol
The most important historical site in the area is the Trial Bay Gaol (it is located to the east of the small settlement of Arakoon) which has a museum as well as beautifully preserved ruins. It is under the control of the National Parks and Wildlife Service who have maintained it in superb condition. There is a self guiding brochure available which leads the visitor through the points of interest.

The prison was built between 1877 and 1886 to house 'good conduct' prisoners. It was built out of grey granite which was quarried on the site and is characterised by its hexagonal structure with three cell blocks actually radiating from the main entrance. Its primary purpose at this time was to house cheap labour to help with the construction of a 1.6 km breakwater around the bay. The project was not completed and the prison closed in 1903. In fact in 1903 the breakwater had only reached a little over 300 metres and a storm that year reduced it to little more than a pile of rubble.

It was reopened in 1915 and used to intern Germans during World War 1. The anti German feeling at the time had led to the rounding up of innocent Germans. Although life was hardly pleasant the Germans established their own band, turned part of the gaol into a tennis court and one visitor described the nights as being more like a pleasant beer hall than a prison.

There is a monument to all the Germans who died while interned at Trial Bay. It is signposted and is located on the cliffs to the east of the prison. The prison was closed permanently in 1917 and the movable parts of the building were auctioned off in 1922.

Trial Bay Gaol is open from 9.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. For more information contact (02) 6566 6168.

 

Arkaroon State Recreation Area
This recreation area, which includes Trial Bay Gaol, was established in 1965. There is a good camping area which is located below the gaol and there are a number of excellent walks ranging from the short (Little Bay to Gap Beach takes about 45 minutes) to a long and quite difficult walk along the coast from Trial Bay to the Smoky Cape Lighthouse. This means that these walkers can then continue into Hat Head National Park. For more information contact (02) 6566 6168 for bookings in the camp.

 

 

The Smoky Cape Lighthouse

 

Smoky Cape Lighthouse
Smoky Cape Lighthouse is on the edge of the Hat Head National Park. It is signposted 'lighthouse' from various points on the road into South West Rocks and is well worth a visit. Perched on the top of a cliff it offers wonderful views to both the north and south and heart­stopping views to the waves and rocks which are far below. The first European to site the headland was Captain Cook who, in 1770, named it Smoky Cape Range. The lighthouse, coach house, stables and the lighthouse keeper's cottage were designed by the Colonial Architect James Barnet and completed between 1889 and 1891. The lighthouse is built in a distinctive octagonal shape and the cottage has been located in a shelf cut into the rocks on the headland.

 

Hat Head National Park
Hat Head village is located in the heart of Hat Head National Park 32 km north-east of Kempsey. The area is characterised by excellent surfing beaches and good fishing. It is also noted for the whales and dolphins off the coast and the many coastal birds who live in the heathland flora which characterises much of the area. Hat Head National Park is 6445 hectares with camping facilities at Smoky Cape and Hungry Head. For information about booking into either destination contact the Kempsey Tourist Information Centre, Lachlan St (Pacific Highway) - tel: (02) 6563 1555, fax: 6563 1537, toll free 1800 64 2480 or the Port Macquarie District National Parks and Wildlife Service Office on (02) 6584 2203.

 

Fish Rock Cave
For divers Fish Rock Cave, which is located 2 km off the coast from South West Rocks, is regarded as a true diving highlight. It is recognised as one of the largest ocean caverns in the southern hemisphere. The cave which is 120 metres long is characterised by coral, live cowry shells, trumpetfish, wobbegong sharks, black cod and stingrays. There are also good dives available at places named The Pinnacle, Colorado Pass, Shark Gutters, The Bombie, Black Rocks and Green Island. Contact the local tourist information office for more details or: (i) Fish Rock Dive Centre at 328 Gregory Street, South West Rocks. Telephone: (02) 6566 6614. (ii) South West Rocks Dive Centre at 100 Gregory Street, South West Rocks. Telephone: (02) 6566 6474.

 

Jerseyville
On the way from Kempsey, on a delightful bend in the river, is the tiny hamlet of Jerseyville. It was named after a Governor of New South Wales who also happened to be the Earl of Jersey. Today it is nothing more than a few houses but there is a particularly beautiful old house on the far side of the river.

 

 

 

 

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South West Rocks