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Pindimar Paradise

Hosted by Jade · Pindimar, New South Wales

95%

Today, Pindimar is a sleepy hamlet of around 200 homes, but more than 100 years ago the area was under consideration for major development that would have, had it proceeded, drastically changed its modern footprint. Today our property offers 38 acres of bush and wetlands with 700m of tidal waterfront. The native wildlife that call this place home are a priority for us, as is returning the bush to its natural state. The site was surveyed in 1918 followed by preliminary urban plans designed by architect W. Scott Griffiths covering an area of 7000 acres. Plans for this development included farming lots for returned soldiers, a railway link, industrial and educational zones, a cathedral, golf links and cemeteries. In 1919, it was also the suggested site of a naval base for the Pacific Fleet by Admiral of the Fleet, Viscount Jellicoe. However, the proposals were later rejected and the city never eventuated. The local shop, post office and public phone were built roughly in 1917 and still stand today, located in Warri Street. The Working Waterfront: "Every shark taken by us lessens the chance of you being taken by a shark.” This was the catchcry of Marine Industries Ltd who in 1929 displayed their new shark leather products at Sydney’s Royal Easter Show. The much talked about stall exhibited leather products tanned in various tints that had the quality of crocodile leather. Two years earlier in 1927, Marine Industries Ltd had leased the defunct Pindimar ice works for the purpose of opening a shark processing factory. The factory processed shark liver for oil and sold the shark hides, oil, flesh and fins. The last shark skinner, Mr Tom Priestly, remembered a hard life working seven days a week; skinning, finning and beaming sharks, salting then stowing their hides and boiling livers down for valuable oil. The oil was used to treat leather, temper steel and make soap. The firm used two boats called the Devil and Demon. The fishermen would lay several thousand feet of gill nets each night near the entrance to Port Stephens. In six years, over 25,000 sharks were killed, a devastating amount. In early 1933, the size of the boats was blamed for the small shark hauls and the factory was forced to close until such time as they could secure larger boats and build a fish-meal plant. This never eventuated and the old shark factory re-opened as a fish and oyster cannery, but fire destroyed the building in 1938. All traces of the shark killers are now gone with the long North Pindimar wharf collapsing in about 1970. The area known as Pindimar Bay (opposite the old township of Pindimar) was more commonly referred to as “The Duckhole”. It was here in the shallows, that a number of steamers ended their lives in a vessel graveyard. Originally floating at their moorings, the abandoned vessels were later beached as they became a hazard. Today, at least three hulks can be identified standing partially out of the shallows. Only one of these, the double ended steamer Brighton, can be positively identified. A total of five hulks are known to have been located in the bay, they were: Brighton, East Star, Deroby, Sydney and Bingara 3. The Brighton is perhaps one of the best known hulks in the Tea Gardens area and its double ended construction is clearly visible. In its heyday, the Brighton was renowned for the plush style of its internal decor, which included velvet seats, cages of singing canaries and plush woodwork. The vessel was the pride of the Manly ferries, initially running with the ferry Narrabeen during a working life which lasted from 1883 - 1916.

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95% Recommend39 Ratings · 26 reviews

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· June 2022

6 m travel trailer · Group trip ·

Pindimar Paradise

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Hosted by Jade T.

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