South West Rocks

Our meandering along the mid-north coast of NSW continues. After four days spent soaking up the serenity around Coffs Harbour, we made our way to Kempsey, which will be our base for a few days while we explore. We acknowledge the Dunghutti people who are the traditional custodians of the land around Kempsey.

Today we braved the elements - all of them - and took ourselves off to explore South West Rocks. It's been one of those days that just keeps giving. The small town of South West Rocks is built on rugged sandstone coastline, surrounded by beautiful bays, pounding seas and national parks. On a blustery day like today, when the swell is up, the sea is mesmerising and you could sit and watch it for hours. We didn't though, the Labs were bored.

Not far out of town is Smokey Cape Lighthouse which is significant for a couple of reasons: it's one of the last designed by the Colonial Architect (who knew that was a thing?), James Barnet; and it was surveyed by my bestie, Lynn "I surveyed that" B. Not in 1891, obviously, but at some point last century. Not quite sure why.

Smokey Cape itself was named by our old mate James Cook on his way north. He spotted fires built by the local indigenous people and thought it looked a bit smokey. I guess when you're sailing around the world constantly naming things your creativity can wane sometimes.

The Colonial Architect did a good job. It's a beautiful lighthouse and if you can still draw breath after climbing the hill leading up to it, you're treated to spectacular views of Trial Bay, Hat Head and beyond.

From Smokey Cape we moved on to Trail Bay Gaol. It's strange to think of a prison being built in such a beautiful setting, but they had their reasons.

In the mid-1800s the sea was the main transportation route between Sydney and Brisbane. Trial Bay is roughly half way along the route so the government decided that a breakwater should be built to create a safe refuge for ships. The Gaol was built between 1877-1886 to house prisoners nearing the end of their term, brought in specifically to build the breakwater. It's the only remaining large-scale prison built to supply labour for a public works project.

But building a 1500 metre long breakwater in rough seas is no easy task and after ten years of hard work, the prisoners had only managed to construct one seventh of the wall. By then ships were a little sturdier and could make the distance between Sydney and Brisbane without needing a rest half way, so the project was abandoned and the Gaol was closed.

When WWI broke out, the Gaol was re-opened as an internment camp to house 500 men of German descent. These poor fellows were rounded up from Australia and German colonies across the Asia-Pacific region. They were an elite group of academics, professionals and craftsmen who had been classified as ‘enemy aliens’. They were held at Trial Bay until 1918 when they were transferred to Holsworthy in Victoria. Four years later the Gaol was decommissioned.

We didn't look inside the ruins (national park) but I did take a short stroll around the perimeter while the bored Labradors waited in the car.

Exploring this little patch of NSW proved to be one of the many highlights of our trip so far. You just never know what's around the corner.

Here's a selection of photos that don't do justice to the natural beauty of the area. Also a few from around Coffs Harbour, including one of the Labs that makes me chuckle every time I look at it.