Nobbys Head
{{Short description|Headland in Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2013}}{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox islands
| name = Nobbys Head
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| sobriquet = Coal Island{{NSW GNR|id=ujqwoetLMa|title=Nobbys Head|date=7 October 1977|access-date=23 March 2013}}
| image_name = Nobbys Head.jpg
| image_caption = Nobbys Head, Newcastle
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| coordinates = {{coord|32|55|24|S|151|48|04|E|display=inline,title}}
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| country = Australia
| country_admin_divisions_title = State
| country_admin_divisions = New South Wales
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = City
| country_admin_divisions_1 = Newcastle
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| timezone = AEST
| utc_offset = +10
| timezone_DST = AEDT
| utc_offset_DST = +11
| website = {{URL|http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/recreation/art_and_culture/nobbys_headland|Newcastle City Council webpage}}
|local_name=Whibayganba}}
Nobbys Head (Aboriginal and dual name: Whibayganba{{Cite web|title=Dual naming – Geographical Names Board of NSW: Nobbys Head/Whibayganba|url=https://www.gnb.nsw.gov.au/aboriginal_place_naming/dual_naming|access-date=2021-07-11|website=gnb.nsw.gov.au}}) is a headland located on the southern entrance to Newcastle Harbour, New South Wales, Australia. The headland is situated above the Hunter River and the Tasman Sea of the South Pacific Ocean.
Originally called, Whibayganba by the Awabakal people, European colonists referred to it as Coal Island, and then later Nobbys Island. The Island was connected to the mainland at first by the Macquarie Pier, completed in 1846, 38 years after commencement. The pier was eventually replaced by a breakwater. Sand accumulated along the breakwall to make Nobby's beach, and the sand and plants makes the isthmus appear natural.
The rock consisting of Nobbys Tuff of the original island has significant tunnelling, which was completed during the 1850s using convict labour, with the aim of destroying the island.
Nobbys Head Lighthouse{{cite ngall|111|2009|124}} is located on the headland. The lighthouse is the third lighthouse built in New South Wales after the Macquarie Lighthouse in 1818 and the Hornby Lighthouse which was also built in 1858.{{cite loa|NSW|Nobbys%20Head|The Nobbys Head Lighthouse at Newcastle|access-date=14 September 2007}} The lighthouse is included in Newcastle's coat of arms.{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/commonwealth/nsw.html#nobbys|title=Commonwealth heritage places in New South Wales (Nobbys Lighthouse, Newcastle East)|publisher=Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts|access-date=21 July 2008}}
Aboriginal history
The Awabakal and Worimi peoples are acknowledged by City of Newcastle as the descendants of the traditional custodians of the land situated within the Newcastle local government area, including wetlands, rivers creeks and coastal environments.{{Cite web|title=Aboriginal Culture|url=https://newcastle.nsw.gov.au/Explore/History-and-Heritage/Aboriginal-Culture|access-date=2021-05-26|website=City of Newcastle|language=en}} The Awabakal people knew Nobby's Head as Whibayganba.{{Cite web|date=2016-07-06|title=Whibayganba wakes up|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/4015106/whibayganba-wakes-up/|access-date=2021-05-26|website=Newcastle Herald|language=en-AU}} The name Whibayganba was documented in an 1828 sketch by Sir Thomas Mitchell.{{Cite web|title=NSW Place and Road Naming Proposals System|url=https://proposals.gnb.nsw.gov.au/public/geonames/3ffcaade-e932-4cb0-8c78-b5ebeb657b52|access-date=2021-09-13|website=proposals.gnb.nsw.gov.au}} This rock formation holds significance to the Awabakal and is a part of their dreaming stories.{{Cite web|date=2008-02-19|title=Dreaming|url=https://hunterlivinghistories.com/dreaming/|access-date=2021-05-26|website=Hunter Living Histories|language=en-US}}
Macquarie Pier
Captain James Wallis proposed to Governor Lachlan Macquarie the need for a causeway or land bridge across the channel to link Nobbys to the mainland.{{Cite web|last=uoncc|date=2013-09-11|title=The Life and Times of Macquarie Pier|url=https://hunterlivinghistories.com/2013/09/11/the-life-and-times-of-macquarie-pier/|access-date=2021-02-03|website=Hunter Living Histories|language=en-US}}· In August 1818 surveyor James Meehan made the plans for the pier. The foundation stone was laid by Lachlan Macquarie on 5 August 1818.{{Cite web|last=uoncc|date=2018-08-02|title=Happy 200th Birthday Macquarie Pier (a.k.a. Newcastle Breakwater)|url=https://hunterlivinghistories.com/2018/08/02/200th-macquarie-pier/|access-date=2021-02-03|website=Hunter Living Histories|language=en-US}} Commandant Captain James Wallis visited the pier during one of his visits to Newcastle on 5 August 1818. On 11 October 1832 a Report of the Sub-Committee on the Breakwater at Newcastle had been received by the Legislative Committee over the budget of £.500. The pier was built of Roman Cement and was completed by 1846. On 12 June 1846 Mr Scott, the clerk of work was the first person to walk the length of the Breakwater to Nobby's Island.· By 1866 the decision was made to reconstruct the breakwater with stone quarried from Waratah and transported by rail.
File:Nobby's Island and pier.jpg]
The location of the foundation is unknown but a modern plaque was placed in 2010 where people believed it was to mark the Macquarie 2010 celebrations. The 2010 plaque was designed by Auchmuty Library designer Danylo Motyka.{{Cite web|last=uoncc|date=2013-10-23|title=University Researchers One Step Closer to Father of Australia|url=https://hunterlivinghistories.com/2013/10/23/father-of-australia/|access-date=2021-02-03|website=Hunter Living Histories|language=en-US}} On 13 August 2013 with funding from the New South Wales government geophysicist from GBG Australia began a subsurface investigation using ground penetrating radar and electrical resistivity located the buried structure. The electrical resistivity found evidence of a possible human construction around 1 metre below the surface.
In 2020, Newcastle City Council announced that Macquarie Pier Revitalisation project to celebrate Newcastle's maritime history and the match the Bathers Way Coastal Walk with the project to be completed by the end of 2020.{{Cite web|title=Major makeover for Newcastle's Macquarie Pier|url=https://www.portauthoritynsw.com.au/news-and-publications/news/major-makeover-for-newcastle-s-macquarie-pier/|access-date=2021-02-03|website=portauthoritynsw.com.au|language=en}}· Port Authority will spend $3 million to widened the pathway added sandstone seating, fencing and heritage feature along 900 m route.
Location and features
File:Nobbys Head, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia (1891).jpg
Nobbys Head was first sighted by Europeans on 10 May 1770 by Captain James Cook from the ship Endeavour and was described by Cook as:{{cite web|url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8106/8106.txt|title=Captain Cook's Journal During the First Voyage Round the World (1768-1771) |author=Cook, James |author-link=James Cook |publisher=Elliot Stock |location=London |year=1893 |access-date=29 August 2007}}
"A small round rock or Island, laying close under the land, bore South 82 degrees West, distance 3 or 4 Leagues".
It was not until the discovery of coal by Lt. John Shortland in 1797, that the island was viewed as having any significance.{{cite web|url=http://www.newportcorp.com.au/page_default.aspx?pageID=118|title=First Discovery of Nobbys|publisher=Newcastle Port Corporation|access-date=14 September 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070829162727/http://www.newportcorp.com.au/page_default.aspx?pageID=118 |archive-date = 29 August 2007}} In 1804, Signal Head was the first place in Newcastle that any form of navigational aid was established. Originally a coal burning light, it was changed over to oil in 1821 for a short period of time but was reverted to coal as the oil system was not reliable.
Governor Macquarie ordered a pier to be built to join Coal island to Collier Point. The pier was started on 5 August 1818 and convict labour was used to do the construction. It took 38 years to complete the pier and during this time numerous convicts were lost to the sea due to the convicts having to work through all sea and weather conditions, night and day.{{cite web|url=http://www.newportcorp.com.au/page_default.aspx?pageID=43|title=Australia's First Port|publisher=Newcastle Port Corporation|access-date=14 September 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070829025520/http://newportcorp.com.au/page_default.aspx?pageID=43 |archive-date = 29 August 2007}}{{cite web|url=http://www.newportcorp.com.au/page_default.aspx?pageID=120|title=Convict Built Pier|publisher=Newcastle Port Corporation|access-date=14 September 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070829162849/http://www.newportcorp.com.au/page_default.aspx?pageID=120 |archive-date = 29 August 2007}}
Nobbys Head was thought to have been originally {{Convert|62|m|ft|0}} high, however work done by the Coal River Working Party in 2010 has concluded that the original height was more likely {{Convert|43|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} high.{{cite web |url=http://coalriver.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/insearchofnobbystunnelsfinal.pdf |author=Kerr, Roslyn |title=In Search of Nobby's Tunnels |work=Coal River Working Party |publisher=University of Newcastle |date=October 2011 |access-date=10 October 2012}} It was reduced to its current {{Convert|27.5|m|ft|0|adj=on|abbr=on}} height because sailing ships were losing wind in the sails as they rounded Nobbys Head. The rock taken from Nobbys to reduce its height was used in the pier's construction.{{cite web |url=http://www.newportcorp.com.au/page_default.aspx?pageID=121 |title=Wind in Ship Sails |publisher=Newcastle Port Corporation |access-date=14 September 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070829161343/http://www.newportcorp.com.au/page_default.aspx?pageID=121 |archive-date = 29 August 2007}}{{cite web |url=http://www.ncc.nsw.gov.au/discover_newcastle/visit_our_libraries/nobbys |title=Nobbys is the enduring landmark of Newcastle |work=Discover Newcastle |publisher=Newcastle City Council |access-date=14 September 2007}}
In 2010 it was reported that the NSW Government was examining the transfer of management of the headland from Newcastle Port Corporation to the Land Property Management Authority{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2010/11/23/3074227.htm |title=Opening Nobbys headland to the public |author=McMahon, Jeannette |publisher=ABC News|location=Newcastle, Australia |date=23 November 2010 |access-date=23 March 2013}} for potential incorporation in a national park or reserve.
A location on Mars was named after Nobbys Head. NASA also agreed to update it to reflect its dual naming Whibayganba.{{Cite web|date=2016-08-17|title=Men are from Mars just like Nobbys|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/4103392/men-are-from-mars-just-like-nobbys/|access-date=2021-06-04|website=Newcastle Herald|language=en-AU}}
See also
{{stack|{{commons category}}{{portal|New South Wales}}}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{City of Newcastle suburbs}}
{{Hunter Region places and items of interest}}
Category:Geography of Newcastle, New South Wales
Category:Headlands of New South Wales
Nobbys Island, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia