Overview
Nobbys Head (Aboriginal and dual name: Whibayganba ) 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. 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. The lighthouse is included in Newcastle's coat of arms.
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. The Awabakal people knew Nobby's Head as Whibayganba. The name Whibayganba was documented in an 1828 sketch by Sir Thomas Mitchell. This rock formation holds significance to the Awabakal and is a part of their dreaming stories.
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. In August 1818 surveyor James Meehan made the plans for the pier. Commandant Captain James Wallis visited the pier during one of his visits to Newcastle on 5 August 1818. 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.
Location and features
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: "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. 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. Nobbys Head was thought to have been originally high; however, work done by the Coal River Working Party in 2010 has concluded that the original height was more likely high.
It was reduced to its current 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. 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 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.
Gallery
File:Nobby's Island and pier.jpg Nobby's Island and pier, Newcastle, 23 January 1820 / watercolour by unknown artist File:Nobbys Head, 1887.jpg Nobbys Head, 1887 File:Nobbys Head, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia (1891).jpg Nobbys Head, 1891
See also
* Geography of New South Wales