History cruise in Peninsula waters

Information on local history will be provided as part of a cruise taking place in waters around the Peninsula during history week.

Banjo Paterson Cruises last week announced a cruise "Exploring the history of the Brisbane Waters; A rich tale of indigenous life, white settlement and a prolific ship building industry".

Hardys Bay Yacht Charters owner Ms Anna McCall said the objective of the cruise was to journey past the significant bays and inlets of the Brisbane Waters with an accompanying commentary on the significance of the area and the characters that lived there, playing a part in shaping the history of the Central Coast.

Ms McCall said commentary would range from "King Bungaree, the chief of the Broken Bay tribe who circumnavigated Australia with Mathew Flinders to the amphibious car that would cross the channel from Wagstaffe to Ettalong".

Ms McCall said the bulk of the historical cruise would delve into the history of the prolific boat building industry.

"The Central Coast was second only to Sydney in the registered shipping tonnage it produced in the 19th century," Ms McCall said.

"At the height of the ship building industry in this area between 1861 and 1880, over 200 vessels launched in the Brisbane Waters.

"We have a rich resource of information," Ms McCall said, including Gwen Dundon's book "The Shipbuilders of Brisbane Waters NSW".

"Also the work of Geoff Potter, local studies librarian of Gosford Library, means that much of the history of the Central Coast is at our finger tips.

"However many are still unaware of the fascinating past of our local ancestors," Ms McCall said.

"It is an objective of the historical cruise that two books for every cruise be donated to local schools to continue to nurture the importance of local history."

Banjo Paterson is a local timber vessel that used to be the Ettalong Beach Fishing Club Trawler.

Ms McCall said morning and afternoon tea historical cruises would begin in mid October.

Press release, 15 Sep 2007 Anna McCall, Hardys Bay Yacht Charters