Yamba, South West Rocks & Anna Bay – 29 to 31 January 2012

With all the rain we started south, deciding to drive as far as we could. As it was a wet Sunday with no one on the road it was a good driving day. The road was cut at Grafton so when we got to Yamba, a previous favourite, [see our post of 20 to 24 March 2011] we stopped at the Blue Dolphin Caravan Park and enjoyed the  lovely view over the Estuary of the River Clarence.

The next day the River having subsided temporarily, we were allowed a shortcut around Grafton and drove to South West Rocks a town on Trial Bay named after the brig Trial which was wrecked nearby in 1817. 

The many wrecks in the area and the recognition of Trial Bay as a safe refuge for shipping against strong southerly gales led to the decision to construct a breakwater to provide a safe harbor.

Trial Bay Gaol was constructed to house prisoners who would then build the breakwater. This was intended as an experiment in a humane way of rehabilitating prisoners. The job was much harder and thus slower than expected as the granite was extremely hard and only 300m of breakwater was actually constructed before more powerful ships avoided the need for a coastal refuge between Newcastle and Brisbane. The Goal was used to house German internees during WW1, and became a thriving place for sport and culture with its own Restaurant. Trial Bay Gaol closed in 1918 and as it had no foreseeable future it was allowed to become the [now preserved] ruin seen today.

We also visited Smoky Cape Lighthouse, its stunning views and lighthouse keeper’s house made more dramatic by a scudding rain storm which kept us huddled in the old barn housing exhibits of the lighthouse until the storm passed.

From South West Rocks we drove to Anna Bay near Port Stephens. On the way we stopped at the Akubra factory at Kempsey.  John found a new hat in the colour he wanted and we were offered a tour of the factory.

Anna Bay is a lovely Beachfront location sheltered behind dunes. We had some lovely walks.