So I jumped in the car and went for a scenic 80km drive up the coast to South West Rocks and to the Arakoon State Conservation Area to look at Trial Bay and Trial Bay Gaol. The bay wasn't orginally called that but became it after a boat "The Trial" was wrecked on rocks here. In fact ship wrecks was a rather all too common feature for the shipping channel along the coast between Syndey and Brisbane. Well over 200 boats were sunk and hundreds of lifes lost in the years between 1818 and 1866.
When someone suggested building a reform prision here and using the internees to build a breakwater into the bay to provide shipping with safe refuge the project received support and it started.
Come the early 20th Century the project was terminated as a failure. The prision had taken 10 years longer than anticipated to construct due the local rock being harder to work with than previously thought. The breakwater being constructed whilst reaching 900m in length was ravaged by a storm and reduced to 200m. It should have been 1500m. And the ships were getting larger and no longer needed a refuge at this point on the coast. Plus this prision was supposed to be a reform prision providing prisioners with a skill before being released, but all too many were becoming repeat offenders and back in prisions elsewhere. A failure pretty much on all counts. Then during the Great War the prision was used to house Australia's German residence for fear that if left in the community would be spying and a risk to National Security.
After the War the prision was decommissioned. All the tempory buildings were removed and roof tiles and ironwork sold off. The following photographs show what remains of the prision and the breakwater.
Spent the remainder of the day in Arakoon having lunch and enjoying the location whilst sitting around relaxing.
On my drive home I stopped at the Cassegrain Winery just outside Port Macquarie. I do like visiting vineyards and hearing about the growth of the grapes and the wine production process. Not the case here. This isn't a vineyard it's a winery. Farmers grow grapes, they buy them in and make the wine. No historic or educational tours either just a restaurant and a wine shop were you can sample wine on a try before you buy basis. So sampled three of their offerings. Well I was driving. And purchased a bottle of rose made from a Cabernet Sauvigon and Merlot blend. I'm sure I'll be able to get that consumed before heading home on Tuesday.
A successful day all told. Nice and relaxing with little thought given to Sunday's activities.
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