Stockton Beach, New South Wales

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Southern end of Stockton Beach taken from Shipwreck walk.
Southern end of Stockton Beach taken from Shipwreck walk.
North-eastern end of the beach at Anna Bay
North-eastern end of the beach at Anna Bay

Stockton Beach is located north of the Hunter River in New South Wales. It is 32 km (20 mi) long and stretches from Stockton to Anna Bay. Over many years Stockton Beach has been the site of numerous shipwrecks and aircraft crash sites. In World War II it was fortified against a possible attack by Imperial Japanese forces.[1] During that time it served as a bombing and gunnery range as well as a dumping area for unused bombs by aircraft returning from training sorties.[2] The length of the beach, its generally hard surface and numerous items of interest along the beach make it popular with four-wheel drive (4WD) enthusiasts. Four-wheel drive vehicles are permitted to drive on Stockton Beach provided the vehicle is in possession of a valid permit.[3] The beach is also popular with fisherman and several different varieties of fish may be caught.[1][2]

Contents

[edit] Geography

Stockton Beach, on the Tasman Sea, starts on the northern side of the break wall that protects the entrance to Newcastle harbour in Stockton, Newcastle's northern most suburb, and stretches for 32 km (20 mi) in an approximate north-easterly direction to Anna Bay in Port Stephens. In some areas it is as much as 1 km (0.6 mi) wide and has sand dunes over 30 m (98 ft) high although at the Stockton end it is at its narrowest with no dunes. Each year the dunes move north by approximately 4 m (13 ft).[1] The sand on Stockton Beach varies from hard to soft packed and changes daily with the changing winds and weather.[2]

[edit] History

The earliest inhabitants of the Port Stephens region and particularly the land close to Port Stephens itself were the members of the Worimi Aboriginal tribe and their middens may be seen at many points along the beach.[1] These middens, which are up to 12,000 years old, consist mainly of the remnants of pipis and whelk shells.[2][4] As the beach is constantly reshaped by the winds some middens are concealed while new ones are revealed.

In the late 1800s shipwrecks on Stockton Beach were so common that two tin sheds were constructed on a part of the beach in what is now Bobs Farm near Salt Ash to hold provisions for shipwrecked sailors.[5] During the Great Depression of the 1930s a group of squatters constructed a series of tin shacks at the site which is approximately 11 km (6.8 mi) south west of Anna Bay. During World War II the shacks were torn down to make way for an Army camp but were rebuilt after the war was over. Today, 11 of the shacks, known collectively as Tin City, remain but no new shacks may be built. Nor can existing shacks be rebuilt if they are destroyed by the elements.[4] Tin City was used for several scenes in the 1979 movie Mad Max.[5][6]

Tank trap at the northern end of the beach in Anna Bay
Tank trap at the northern end of the beach in Anna Bay

World War II resulted in fortifications against a possible amphibious assault by Imperial Japanese forces being installed along the beach. Many of these fortifications, in the form of barbed wire entanglements and concrete pyramid shaped blocks, commonly known as tank traps, may be seen along the beach. Some of the tank traps from the northern end of the beach have been removed and relocated to near the parking area at Birubi Point in Anna Bay while most from the southern end of the beach may be found outside Fort Wallace in Stockton.[1][2][4][7] Some of the tank traps remain submerged and pose a hazard to swimmers.

During World War II the beach was used as a military bombing range and Air Force pilots used to regularly drop unused bombs on the beach before landing at RAAF Base Williamtown. To this day it is occasionally possible to see exposed bombs in the sand.[2][8]

Stockton Beach is less than 3.5 km (2.2 mi) from RAAF Base Williamtown and is subjected to many overflights by both RAAF and civilian aircraft. On 10 February 1960 a CAC CA-27 Sabre from RAAF Base Williamtown crashed on the beach after overshooting its approach. The pilot was killed[9][10] [11] The remains of this aircraft appear from time to time.[2]

In 1989 Newcastle High School student and Fern Bay resident Leigh Leigh was brutally raped and murdered on a section of the beach near Stockton known as North Stockton Beach. The attack was so vicious that it was spoken about at length in the Parliament of New South Wales and referred to for years after the event.[12][13] A play, Blackrock (written by Australian playwright Nick Enright), and also a movie of the same name starring Heath Ledger, were both inspired by the event.

[edit] Shipwrecks

The MV Sygna on Stockton Beach in November 2004
The MV Sygna on Stockton Beach in November 2004

Stockton Beach has been the site of numerous shipwrecks over the past 200 years but especially since the late part of the nineteenth century.[4][14] Wreckage from many shipwrecks continues to wash ashore periodically but the most well known, recognisable and permanent of the wrecks are the Uralla and the Sygna.

The Uralla was a 529 ton, 46.4 m (152.2 ft) long steamer that ran aground during a gale on 14 June 1928 approximately 9 km (5.6 mi) down the beach from Anna Bay. There was no loss of life but after the vessel was eventually refloated it drifted ashore and broke up. Its remains may be seen occasionally at low tide.[2][15][16]

The MV Sygna was a 53,000 tonne Norwegian bulk carrier that ran aground during a major storm on 26 May 1974. Attempts to refloat the ship were unsuccessful. The ship broke its back and the stern now lies off Stockton Beach where it is slowly decaying in the elements. The bow section was eventually towed to Taiwan and broken up. The ship is approximately 8.8 km (5.5 mi) from the southern end of the beach and usually easily visible from the Stockton breakwall. On a clear day the ship is easily visible from both ends of the beach.

[edit] Vehicular access

A 4WD vehicle heading toward the waterfront after entering Stockton Beach via Lavis Lane.
A 4WD vehicle heading toward the waterfront after entering Stockton Beach via Lavis Lane.

No vehicular access is possible at the southern end of the beach. Vehicle entry to the beach is via Lavis Lane in Williamtown or one of the two entrances in Anna Bay in Port Stephens and a permit needs to be purchased before entering the beach.[3] Drivers must ensure that they respect the natural habitat of the beach and refrain from driving on the plants and grasses on dune structure.

The beach is at its widest near the Lavis Lane entrance.

[edit] Image Gallery

Wreck of the MV Sygna as seen from southern end of the beach, approximately 8.8km to the south-west

Tank trap near the beach outside Fort Wallace in Stockton

Warning sign outside Fort Wallace in Stockton advising of the presence of submerged World War II tank traps

part of tank trap at the northern end of Stockton beach in Anna Bay showing the World War II date stamp

Tank traps along the roadway between the upper and lower car parks at the northern end of the beach in Anna Bay

World War II tank traps surrounding lower car park at the northern end of the beach in Anna Bay

[edit] Images of Stockton Beach on other websites

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Dunes at Stockton Beach. Port Stephens Council. Retrieved on 2007-09-12.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Camping on Stockton Beach. Retrieved on 2007-08-28.
  3. ^ a b Beach Vehicle Permits. Port Stephens Council. Retrieved on 2007-08-28.
  4. ^ a b c d The Hunter Region: Sand castles on Stockton Beach. NRMA. Retrieved on 2007-09-12.
  5. ^ a b Tin City Sand Dune Adventure Tour. Retrieved on 2007-09-12.
  6. ^ Tin City Dweller. Ted Szukalski. Retrieved on 2007-09-12.
  7. ^ Stockton Beach. Retrieved on 2007-09-12.
  8. ^ STOCKTON BIGHT NATIONAL PARK PROPOSAL. Parliament of New South Wales (2000-11-28).
  9. ^ ADF Aircraft Serial Numbers. Retrieved on 2007-09-12.
  10. ^ Commonwealth Sabre (2002-09-05).
  11. ^ In Remembrance. Injured Service Persons Association Inc. Retrieved on 2007-09-12.
  12. ^ Death of Leigh Leigh. Parliament of New South Wales (1996-10-15).
  13. ^ Death of Leigh Leigh. Parliament of New South Wales (1998-3-31).
  14. ^ National Shipwrecks database. Department of the Environment and Water Resources. Retrieved on 2007-09-12.
  15. ^ National Shipwrecks database - wreck details. Department of the Environment and Water Resources. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
  16. ^ SHIPWRECKS of the NEWCASTLE REGION including OYSTER BANK and the HUNTER RIVER. Retrieved on 2007-09-12.