Theme: European Discovery Settlement and Sustainability
James Cook Names Port Stephens
On the 11th May 1770, on his voyage along the east coast of Australia, Captain James Cook sailed passed and named Port Stephens.
For more information visit
For more information on the part of the voyage at Port Stephens visit

Broughton Island - Greek Fishermen
In the late 1900s, on Broughton Island’s north side, a group of Greek fishermen established a small settlement behind the sand dunes at North Beach. This provided a base from which to trap and explore the relatively untouched reefs and deep water.

Bert Hinkler, Stockton Beach
On 27 April, the Avro Baby is damaged on its return flight by strong winds after a beach landing north of Newcastle, in New South Wales. The photograph shows Bert Hinkler with his Avro 581E Avian, circa 1928.

Sheer Grit
This is the true and amusing account of the adventures of Arthur Murdoch, a young man who spent the depression years digging for shell grit on Fingal Island near Port Stephens.

Clatterbang, Fingal Bay
Fingal Bay had never experienced such a deafening noise. Investigation revealed that a young fisherman, Ken Barry, had saved up £90 to purchase his first boat, “Clatterbang”, a 16 footer with a 6hp Clay engine. The first motorboat in Fingal Bay.
