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Port Stephens
Latitude – 32″: 28′ S.
Tide at Entrance – 2 Knots
High Water, full, and Change at 10 O’Clock.
Tide rises – 7 feet.
The Harbour, and Rivers above Direction Island, were traced by rowing from point to point, and estimating the distance by the Eye.
Below Direction Island, by taking the bearings from the vessel, as she lay at anchor off Salamander Point. The Country to the S. and W. is a mangrove Swamp; on the N. side, there are a few Hills, but the Ground is very bad and the Timber, low.
There are mangroves, and Oysters, as far up the Rivers, as we went, tho’ the Water is perfectly fresh.
The Rivers appear to be supplied, more from the Swamps, on each side – than the high land, at the Heads – for we never found – (in the Rivers) the Ebb Tide run more than 1/4 Mile; nor did the Trees, on their Banks appear bent by floods.
A Vessel running into Port Stephens, must keep the N. Head, close on board, within half a Cable; and run over the Bar, ’till they find 3 fath. water; then steer for Salamander Point, and keep the S. Shore, on board there is a good passage on the S. side of Direction Island, and a Vessel may lay perfectly secure in 3 1/2 fath. water, within Point Friendship.
There is a Bar across the Mouth of the Harbour – running in, at low Water, we had 3 fath. water – but coming out at high water 4 1/2 with a very heavy swell: The Sea breaks every two, or three minutes very heavy – but more on the S. than N. Shore.
C. Grimes
16th March 1795
Why Port Stephens?
“That Port Stephens was to be the locality first examined may be reasonably conjectured from Phillip’s letter to Lord Sydney, dated March, 1787, asking for liberty to select a situation. He wrote: “It must be left to me to fix at Botany Bay, if I find it a proper place; if not, to go to a port a few leagues to the northward, where there appears to be a good harbour and several islands. As the natives are very expert in setting fire to the grass, the having an island to secure our stock would be a great advantage, and there is none in or off Botany Bay.” It is very evident Phillip thought of Port Stephens, which Cook described as sheltered from all winds, with three small islands at its entrance. Mr. Barton, the Government historian, in his history, also entertains this view.”
1790
“In the month of September, 1790, when five convicts at Parramatta seized a small punt, and proceeded in it to the South Head, whence they seized and carried off a boat, appropriated to the use of the South Head signal house, and putting to sea in her reached Port Stephens, where they resided four years and 11 months.
When the incident was forgotten at Sydney after a period of five years, it was discovered they had not perished but had succeeded in hugging the coast until they reached Port Stephens, where their boat got stranded. As the names of these desperate men deserve to be recorded in history as heroes fighting for their liberty under circumstances of no ordinary character there can be no harm done in publishing them to the world. The ring-leader was the before-named John Tarwood. Next to him came one Joseph Sutton, who had previously attempted to escape as a stowaway on board the vessel Neptune, in which he and Tarwood had reached the colony. He was found secreted among some firewood, and was brought on shore by Lieutenant Long, of the marines. By order of Governor Phillip he was severely flogged, together with a free man who had also attempted to escape from the colony as a stowaway after swimming from the shore to the ship. The other escapees were: George Lee, George Cannoway and John Watson.
Returning to the desperate adventure of the five escapees, it must be regretted that no official account has been preserved of their adventures, and it is very doubtful that any account exists beyond the bare facts contained in this article. As previously mentioned, these heroic men (all except Joseph Sutton, who died at Port Stephens) were, contrary to all expectation, found alive (after a lapse of nearly five years) by Captain W.R. Broughton, of H.M.S . Providence (28 guns), who put into Port Stephens on 23rd August, 1795, through stress of weather. They were then “miserable, dirty, and smoke-dried men, having lived from September, 1790, to August 25th , 1795, among the natives.”
Captain Broughton (after whom the Broughton Islands are named) took charge of the men and gave them a passage to Port Jackson. According to the story of the wretched men, it would appear that on 26th September, 1790, they left Port Jackson in their little boat, and having sailed past Broken Bay and the coast in the neighbourhood of Newcastle, they entered Port Stephens, which, they informed the Secretary of the Colony, was the first harbour they reached. Their sufferings in the boat were intense, for they ran short of provisions as well as water.
At Port Stephens the natives received them kindly, and offered them fish, opossums, and other kinds of food. During their five years’ residence with the natives they made many tours inland, and were well acquainted with the country for miles around. We are told that they “spoke in high terms of the pacific disposition and gentle manners of the natives.”
21st March 1795 Examination of Port Stephens.
Wishing to obtain some information which I could depend upon respecting the harbour of Port Stephens (thirty leagues to the northward of this place), I sent the colonial vessel thither, under the direction of Mr. Grimes, the Deputy-Surveyor. He remained in it about a week, and from his report, I have no reason to conclude it will ever be necessary to send a second time to it. – (HRA p. 490 From: Despatches – Captain Paterson, Administrator, to the Right Hon. Henry Dundas. Sydney, New South Wales 21st March, 1795.)
18th August 1795 William Broughton
1795 David Collins – One Volume Edition – On Account of the Colony of New South Wales…from 1788 to 1801 (published 1804) pp. 285-286 – March 1795
On the 1st of March the Francis returned from Port Stephens; when the master reported, that he went into two fresh-water branches, up which he rowed, until, at no very great distance from the entrance, he found them terminate in a swamp. He described the land on each side to below and sandy, and had seen nothing while in that harbour which in his opinion could render a second visit necessary. The natives were so very unſriendly, that he made few observations on them, other than that they were somewhat taller and a stouter race of people than those about Sydney : their language was entirely different. Their huts and canoes were something larger, and their weapons were the same. They welcomed him on shore with a dance, joined hand in hand round a tree, to express, perhaps, their unanimity; but one of them afterwards, drawing Mr. Grimes into the wood, poised a spear, and was on the point of throwing it, when he was prevented by young Wilson ; who, having followed Mr. Grimes with a double-barrelled gun, levelled at the native, and fired it. He was supposed to be wounded, for he fell ; but, rising again, he made a second attempt to throw the spear, and was again prevented by Wilson: the effect of this second shot was supposed to be conclusive, as he was not seen to rise any more. Mr. Grimes got back to his boat without further interruption.
August 1795 (David Collins On Account of the Colony of New South Wales pp. 302-304)
Wilson, or as the natives termed him, Bun-bo-e, immediately after his return from Port Stephens with the deputy-surveyor, went, off to the natives at the river, Another vagabond, who like himself had been a convict, thinking, that there must be some sweets in the life which Wilson preferred, determined to share them with him, and went off to the woods. About the middle of the month they both returned to Sydney, accompanied by some of their savage companions. On the day following it appeared that their visit was for the purpose of forcing a wife from among their countrywomen ; for in the midst of a considerable uproar, which was heard near the bridge, Wilson and Knight his friend were discovered, each dragging a girl by the arm (whose age could not have exceeded nine or ten years), assisted by their new associates. The two white men being secured, and the children taken care of, the mob dispersed ; and Wilson and Knight were taken to the cells and punished. It was intended to have kept them in future at hard labour, but they found means to escape to those companions whom they preferred.
Toward the conclusion of August the natives were, during two days, engaged in very severe contests, in which much- blood was shed, and many wounds inflicted; but no one was killed. It appeared to afford much diversion ; for they were constantly attended by all descriptions of people, notwithstanding the risk they ran of being wounded by a random spear.
On the 26th, the settlement was gratified by the arrival of his Majesty’s ship Providence, of twenty-eight guns, commanded by Captain Broughton, from England ; from whence she sailed on the 25th of February, in company with his Majesty’s ships Reliance and Supply, which the left at Rio de Janeiro some time in May. On board the former of these vessels was Governor Hunter, who might be daily expected. The Providence met with very bad weather on her passage from the Brazil Coast, and was driven past the harbour of Port Jackson as far to the northward as Port Stephens, in which she anchored ; and where, to the great surprise of Captain Broughton, he found and received on board four white people, (if four miserable, naked, dirty, and smoak-dried men could be called white,) runaways from Parramatta in the month of September 1790, by name John Tarwood, George Lee, George Connoway, and John Watson ; these, the reader will recollect, have before been mentioned as supposed victims to the folly of their undertaking. Their fifth companion: (Joseph Button) had died. They told a melancholy tale of their sufferings in the boat ; and for many days after their arrival they passed their time in detailing to the crowds, both of black and white people which attended, their adventures in Port Stephens, the first harbour that they made. Having lived like the savages among whom they dwelt, their change of food soon disagreed with them, and they were all taken ill, appearing to be principally affected with abdominal swellings. They spoke in high terms of the pacific disposition and gentle manners of the natives. Each of these had a name given him,and given with several ceremonies. Wives also were allotted them, and one or two had children. They were never required to go out on any occasion of hostility, and were in general supplied by the natives with fish or other food, being considered by them (for so their situation only could be construed) as unfortunate strangers thrown upon their shore from the mouth of the yawning deep, and therefore entitled to their protection. They told a ridiculous story, that the natives appeared to worship them, often assuring them, when they began to understand each other, that they were undoubtedly the ancestors of some of them who had fallen in battle, and had returned from the sea to visit them again ; and one native appeared firmly to believe that his father was come back in the person of either Lee or Connoway, and took them to the spot where his body had been burnt. On being told that immense numbers of people existed far beyond their little knowledge, they instantly pronounced them to be the spirits of their countrymen, which, after death, had migrated into other regions.
It appeared from the account of these four men, that the language to the northward differed wholly from any that had been known at Port Jackson. Among the natives who resided there, there was none who understood all that they said ; and of those who occasionally visited at Sydney, one only could converse with them. He was a very fine lad of the name of Wur-gun. His mother had been born and bred beyond the mountains ; but one luckless day, paying a visit with some of her tribe to the banks of the Dee-rub-bun (for so the Hawkesbury was named), she was forcibly prevented from returning; and, being obliged to submit to the embraces of an amorous and powerful Be-dia-gal, the fruit of her visit was this boy. Speaking herself more dialects than one, she taught her son all that she knew; and he, being of quick parts, and a roving disposition, caught all the different dialects from Botany Bay to Port Stephens.
June 1796 (David Collins On Account of the Colony of New South Wales pp. 328-329)
About the same time the people of a fishing-boat returned from a bay near Port Stephens, and brought with them several large pieces of coal, which they said they found at some little distance from the beach, lying in considerable quantity on the surface of the ground. These people having conducted themselves improperly while on shore, two of them were severely wounded by the natives, one of whom died soon after he reached the hospital.
The natives had of late appeared less troublesome than for some time past. The people of a fishing-boat, which had been cast on shore in bad weather near Port Stephens, met with some of these people, who, without much entreaty, or any hope of reward, readily put them into the path from thence to Broken Bay, and conducted them the greatest part of the way. During their little journey, these friendly people made them understand that they had seen a white woman among some natives to the northward. On their reporting this at Sydney, the unfortunate female was conjectured to be Mary Morgan, a prisoner, who it was now said had failed in her attempt to get on board the Resolution storeship, which sailed in 1794. There was indeed another woman, who ran away a few days after the first settling in Sydney, and whose fate was not ascertained; if she could have survived the hardships and wretchedness of such a life as must have been her’s during so many years residence among the natives of New Holland, how much information must it have been in her power to afford! but humanity shuddered at the idea of purchasing it at such a price.
1799 (David Collins On Account of the Colony of New South Wales pp. 491-492)
It having been for several days reported, that the crews of two boats, which had been permitted to go to Hunter’s River, had been cut off by the natives, the Governor ordered his whale-boat to be well armed, and to proceed thither in quest of the boats and their crews; sending in her Henry Hacking, a person on whom he could depend. This man, at his return, informed the Governor, that on his arrival an attempt had been made to burn the smaller boat, which had three men in her, who were each provided with a musquet. The boat was there, but the men were not to be found. Going in search of them, he fell in with a large body of natives, all armed. On desiring them to inform him what was become of the white men, they told him that they were gone to Sydney. This, however, did not satisfy him, as he found that they had taken away the sails of the boat, the men’s blankets, and every thing that they had with them. He then threatened to kill them if they did not instantly inform him, and presented his musquet; at which they laughed, and said, that if he did not go away, and leave them a small boat which he had with him, and the whale-boat, they would destroy every white man there, and poised their spears in a threatening manner. He again levelled his musquet, in the hope of alarming them ; but they were not so easily frightened, and became more noisy and violent. Finding that an attack was almost certain, he charged his gun with buck-shot, and ordered them to leave the place; but, their clamour increasing, he fired, and four of them fell, one of whom got up again and ran off, the other three remaining upon the ground, probably mortally wounded. The whole disappeared, leaving Hacking to fill his boat and effect his retreat unmolested. The men who had been missing, some time after fortunately reached the settlement.
28th September 1800. Proposed Settlement at Port Stephens
Should this spirit of restlessness still exist , which I shall do my utmost to prevent , it will become necessary to remove a great part of the insurgents to another establishment which may-be formed at Port Stephens, that place being in the vicinity of the Coal River , but as a small civil and military establishment would be necessary for that purpose , which our numbers will by no means admit of, I humbly beg leave to apprize your Grace of what may be necessary , that it may be provided for if it should meet your approbation. I have done myself the honour of stating my ideas on this head in a separate letter, which I humbly submit to your Grace’s consideration. I have, &c., PHILIP GIDLEY KING. – (HRA, p. 614) From: ACTING-GOVERNOR KING TO THE DUKE OF PORTLAND. (General despatch No. 2, per H. M.S. Buffalo ; acknowledged by the Duke of Portland, 19th June, 1801.) Sydney, New South Wales, My Lord, 28th September, 1800.)
28th September 1800. Settlement at Port Stephens Proposed
If more people are sent here for sedition, or a much greater number of convicts, or that the refractory Irish still continue their restlessness, I respectfully beg leave to submit to your Grace’s wisdom the propriety of another settlement being formed at Port Stephens,* about thirty-five leagues to the northward of this place. The harbour is safe, and the land about it good, but its greatest recommendation would be the vicinity to the places where there is such an abundance of coal. Unless I find it absolutely necessary I shall not take this step without your Grace’s approbation, and if approved of, I respectfully beg leave to submit the following as a proper civil and military establishment for
that place, viz.:-A captain of the New’ South Wales Corps, to have a Colonial appointment as commandant; and as his attention to the public duties of the settlement would be an extra duty, I should recommend his having at least 10s. a day.
To be added to the establishment of the colony.
A surgeon’s assistant at £91 p. annum.
A deputy-commissary £91 p. annum
Two superintendants £50 each p. annum
A company of soldiers from the New South Wales Corps which cannot be detached from hence until an augmentation takes place, and about 300 convicts, if a great number are sent out here, which I presume will be the case when a peace takes place. I have, &c., PHILIP GIDLEY KING. – (HRA, p. 667) From: ACTING-GOVERNOR KING TO THE DUKE OF PORTLAND. (Despatch marked ” Military No. 1,” per H.M . S. buffalo ; acknowledged by the Duke of Portland , 19th June, 1801.) Sydney , New South Wales, My Lord, 28th September , 1800.
Notes:
Note. 273, page 667. Another settlement being formed at Port Stephens ) HRA p.752
Port Stephens had been sighted, and named by Captain Cook, on the 11th of May, 1770. In February, 1795, it had been visited and examined by Deputy-Surveyor Grimes in the colonial schooner Francis; in August of the same year, H.M.S. Providence sheltered there and found four runaway convicts ; and in September, 1797, it was entered by Lieutenant John Shortland in a whaleboat. A settlement was not established there by King, but one was located at Hunter River.
Monday, 22 June, 1801. (Lieutenant Grant)
We observed a stranger making up to us, which we could perceive was none of our party. It proved to be a man named John Loft, who had been unfortunately wrecked out of a boat belonging to Underwood of Sydney. She was cast on shore to the norw’d of Port Stephens. They were three in number, and he had been 32 days in travelling to this place from where she was wrecked. His other two companions, one he said was killed by the natives, the other eat a toad fish-which he complained of for some days-and died. He had a bag with a few small shell-fish on which he had chiefly subsisted. It was fortunate we were here, as I think it would have been impossible for him to have reached Sydney on foot. The emotions that he felt on meeting are much better imagined than described ; the laugh and the tear had their repeated place in turns, and his first utterance was, ” I am starving with hunger.” – HRA p.171 From: LIEUTENANT GRANT’S JOURNAL AT HUNTER RIVER. REMARKS, &c., on board His Majesty’ s armed surveying vessel, Lady Nelson , in Hunter ‘s River, 1801.
August 1801. (David Collins On Account of the Colony of New South Wales pp. 547)
Mr. Grant made his passage to the Cape of Good Hope, round Cape Horn, in the brig Anna Josepha, loaded with spars for masts, and coals ; which latter sold immediately at the Cape at 36 rix dollars per ton (nearly 6l. sterling), The above vessel’s top-masts, top-gallant masts, and yards, were of the wood cut in Hunter’s River, and answered remarkably well. Mr. Grant had thus an opportunity of being an eye-witness of its quality, which was more particularly proved from the very heavy weather always met with in those seas. Some specimens of this wood he brought with him. Governor King had formed a small settlement at Hunter’s River, for the purpose of working the coal, which is of the same nature with that of Newcastle. Mr. Grant entered this river in the Lady Nelson, in order to obtain the survey of it. He penetrated in his boats neatly 70 miles up the same, accompanied by Lieutenant Colonel Paterson, without being able, at that time, to discover its source. A wood resembling fustick had been found.
14th August 1804. Character of land in Illawarra on the north coast. (Governor King)
Of the appearance of the land to the northward of Port Stephens, I believe, from the various information I have received, that if it is totally unfit for agricultural purposes, at least the want of safe harbours is at present a great objection to settlements being extended farther northward. – HRA. Vol 5 p.7 From: GOVERNOR KING TO LORD HOBART. (Despatch marked ” General Letter No. 1,” per whaler Albion ; acknowledged by Viscount Castlereagh, 13th July, 1805.) Sydney, New South Wales, 14th August, 1804.)
15th June 1804. Adventures of runaways from Port Jackson (Lieutenant Menzies)
They made this place in three days got the boat into a Creek and decked her with Cedar slabs which occupied a week , came down the Harbour at night, and passed a Schooner at Anchor, shaped their Course to Port Stephens, remained there three days, left that Port with an intention of reaching Timor, proceeded about a hundred Miles further to the Northward when a heavy gale came on, the boat was drove on shore and dashed to pieces, they however got safe on shore and saved every thing that was in her, and remained there a week in hopes of repairing her; at the end of which, all expectations vanished; they then determined to return to Sydney and give themselves up; with this intention they were packing up their provisions when the Natives came suddenly upon them and threw a number of spears, one of which mortally wounded Broadbent, Johnson received six wounds and died five days afterwards in great agony, Field also received several; they were then stripped of everything, but he (Field) found the Natives more friendly afterwards, generally supplying him with a little fish and fern root, by which means he was enabled to crawl to this place. – HRA Vol 5 p.113 From: LIEUTENANT MENZIES TO GOVERNOR KING. King’s Town, New Castle, 15th June, 1804.
17 November 1812 (Governor Lachlan Macquarie)
He (Paterson) encouraged exploration by sending Charles Grimes, the surveyor, in the colonial schooner Francis to make an examination of Port Stephens ; but he made no attempt to control the evil practices which were developing amongst the officers of the New South Wales Corps. – HRA, Vol 7. Introduction, p.viii – Macquarie’s tour of inspection to Tasmania, Newcastle and Port Stephens. 1812 17 Nov.
3rd February 1814. (Governor Lachlan Macquarie)
Newcastle in Hunter’s River, and Port Stephens to the Northward of that Settlement, I returned again to, and Landed at Sydney on the 6th of January last; – HRA, p. 582 From: GOVERNOR MACQUARIE TO EARL OF LIVERPOOL. (Despatch marked ” No. 6 of 1812,” per ship Isabella; acknowledged by Earl Bathurst , 3rd February, 1814.)
Examination of Port Stephens
On Friday, the 20th of December, the Governor proceeded from Lagoon-beach on His return to Sydney, with the intention of previously informing himself regarding the extent and Value of Port Stephens, with a view to the forming a Settlement to the Northward of Newcastle at some future period. The Harbour He found very good although a Bar runs across the entrance of it, but this Bar has at all times four and a half fathoms of Water upon it, so that a Vessel of any size may enter this Port with Security assured of a safe Anchorage well Sheltered from all Winds. Port Stephens is formed into two Capacious basins. The inner Basin is however unsafe from its numerous shoals for any Vessel to enter. From the head of this Basin the Governor proceeded five Miles up a large river in the North West Quarter of the Bay where He landed, and from the summit of a Hill obtained a view of the interior of the Country to a considerable distance, and was much disappointed in finding that neither here nor on the other side of the Bay any inducement offered for a more minute Survey being made of it, the ground appearing throughout of an unproductive and barren nature.
From Port Stephens, the Governor proceeded to Newcastle, where he viewed the Coal Mines, and those parts of the river where Lime is made. Proceeding to the first branch at the distance of Twenty Miles from the town, He was much gratified to find that this useful Settlement already furnishing the Colony with Cedar, Coals and Lime, also promises from the fertility of the Soil higher up the river, to provide for the increasing Population of the Country, being fit for the Purposes of Agriculture and grazing.
On Sunday, the 5th of January, 1812, The Governor departed from Newcastle… – HRA p.622
- Rex Nan Kivell Collection NK12/28.
- Inscriptions: “A Native Camp of Australian Savages near Port Stevens, N.S.W.” – In ink on reverse.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people are advised that this item contains images of deceased persons. The item also contains words and descriptions that may be considered offensive and distressing and reflect the attitude of the period in which it was created.
- Also available online http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-134497417
Grimes’ colour map of Port Stephens 1795 is printed in HRNSW Vol 2 p286 (print version only, not in the CD version).
Thanks for the tip, we have added the published version today.