Eden: a whale of a time
07 Feb 2013
Eden is one of the gems of the Sapphire Coast and, after a visit, I don’t question why either got its name.
Eden is reflected in the beautiful colour of the sea that washes the NSW far south coast. Along the coastline are towns and villages that may have had a time as a big money spinner in fishing, whaling, forestry, gold mining and other industries, but have now come into their own as beautiful, welcoming havens for holidaymakers and road trippers.
The town of Eden is redolent with the scent of wood chips and the distant murmur of triumphant calls from whalers, once they have hauled their prey into the harbour.
There’s much history in and around Eden and much recorded evidence of how the Indigenous and non-Indigenous people worked together to catch the whales that migrated up the coast in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
One well-documented story tells of killer whales, orcas, helping local people to hunt and kill other whales. The orcas would herd whales into the harbour and, once caught, the bodies of the whales would be tied to a buoy so that the orcas could take their ‘payment’ of the whale tongue and lips – an arrangement said to have been made between the Davidson family of Eden and the orcas.
The most famous orca that resided in Twofold Bay was Old Tom – more than a legend he was. The shorebased whaling stations put a lot of store in Old Tom’s talent until, in 1930, his body washed ashore and the rest of the orcas left the area.
Safe harbour
The countryside around Eden is perfect for bushwalks, and a visit to the Davidson’s house and land on the edge of the bay gives you an idea of the life led by a working, whaling family and how they lived in their little house, which is still in surprisingly good nick.
Eden is a stunningly beautiful place; the harbour is crystal clear and is a sheltering haven for yachts to run to when it all gets too tough out in the ocean, especially Sydney to Hobart participants. When George Bass, in 1798, entered Twofold Bay he named it ‘Snug Cove’ and declar ed it a ‘snug and safe anchorage for any ship during a blow’.
It is the third-deepest natural harbour in the southern hemisphere and, other than the heavy working duties it performed in the past, someone else had bigger plans for it.
A prominent 19th-century entrepreneur (some would call him a rascal) had a magnificent vision for this part of the world.
Just 8km south of Eden is Boydtown, the relics of the place that Benjamin Boyd planned to create as Australia’s capital city. Boyd built the Seahorse Inn in 1843 using convict labour and named it after his steamship. His grand plan for the surrounding area included cottages, a wool store, a church and salting down works – an empire.
He had a magnificent tower built approximately 34km south of Eden and, even though it was designed to be a lighthouse, permission was never given for it to be used as such.
The elaborate structure still stands and from the road it’s a nice, leisurely walk through the bush to see it. It sits at Red Point, where you can also view the dramatic folded rocks of this coastline. Located perfectly midway between Sydney and Melbourne and a short drive from Canberra, Eden is a magical place and one that begs the visitor to linger a while and uncover the history and beauty of the Sapphire Coast and its riches.
Must see
Davidson’s Whaling Station
See relics and the site on the shores of the Kiah Inlet at Twofold Bay.
The Seahorse Inn
You must stay at this refurbished glamourpuss of the Sapphire Coast, 8km south of Eden. It has a wonderful restaurant and nothing to do but relax and enjoy the surrounds.
Mary Mackillop
Hall Australia’s first canonised saint, Sister Mary established a school utilising an old church building in appreciation for the care provided by Eden when Mary’s mother was drowned in a tragic shipwreck at Greencape in 1886.
Go whale watching
Migrating humpback whales visit here during spring, with no fear of Old Tom bailing them up. The whales hang around the harbour as it is one of the few places where they can feed on their journey.
The Eden Whale Museum
Open daily with changing exhibitions and a superb collection portraying the history of the local area.
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