TRIBAL WARRIOR
Reporter: TODD McKENNEY
Todd is having a tribal experience on the Harbour during Sydney Harbour Week.
Sydney Harbour Week is all about getting out and about on Sydney Harbour and The Maritime Harbour Warrior Trail is one of the activities you can do.
It’s a cruise around Sydney Harbour and it’s a chance for all ages to learn a bit about the Aboriginal history of our Harbour as well as experience some Aboriginal culture first hand with a welcoming ceremony, boomerang throwing & bush tucker lunch on a couple of islands in the Harbour.
Swim, snorkel, sail, dive and explore the world’s most wondrous harbour. There are more than 20 events over 10 days, and many of them are FREE! There’s plenty to see on the harbour including the Sail Expo and the Wooden Boat Raft-up; treat the kids to a free Sydney Harbour cruise or a day trip on the stunning Tall Ship James Craig; discover Chowder Bay – considered one of the world’s richest marine environments; whether you’re a beginner or an expert diver explore Sydney Harbour’s top dive spots; take a tour of North Head Fort or challenge yourself in the Harbour Swim Classic, the Bridge-to-Bridge swim or the North Sydney sailing cup. Don’t forget to join in the celebrations for the 75th Anniversary of the opening of Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Sydney Harbour Week is all about celebrating and sharing in our magnificent Harbour foreshores and waterways ... they’re yours to explore, so get out there and enjoy!
The Maritime Harbour Warrior Trail
Sydney Harbour National Park in partnership with the Tribal Warrior Association would be running The Maritime Harbour Warrior Trail. The Tour would begin at East Circular Quay, where patrons would meet both NPWS and Tribal Warrior Staff and get a brief outline of the day’s activities. All patrons would then board the Deerubbun, a former torpedo recovery vessel. They would board the boat that would sail throughout Sydney Harbour, stopping just offshore to tell patrons about the European and Eora Heritage and stories of the Aboriginal and European residents of our times, within our National Parks, and Harbour Shorelines. The areas may include;
- Circular Quay – Original Shore Line & The Rocks area
- Farm Cove & Botanical Gardens – Bennelong – the captured Aborigine who once lived on the point where the Opera House now stands.
- Woolloomooloo Bay – Kept its original name but has changed through History
- Clark Island - All patrons disembark for a traditional “Welcoming Ceremony”,
- Aboriginal Dance, Boomerang Throwing (approx 30mins)
- Shark Island – All patrons disembark for a tour of Shark Island and Bush Tucker Lunch. - With picturesque views of the Harbour, including The Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge (approx 30mins)
- Watson’s Bay/Nielsen Park – The Historic Greycliffe House, completed in 1851. “The Gap”, where the sea has carved out sheer sandstone cliffs along a zone of weakness in the rock to form a high amphitheatre above the sea platform 80 metres below. Nielsen Park is also home to the beautiful Greycliffe Gardens, which has an amazing view from the water.
- Other features include the Notting Memorial, Former Swimming and Life Saving Club and Men’s Dressing Sheds.
- Camp Cove/Hornby Lighthouse – Enjoy the view of exceptional sandstone cliffs, and a journey through Maritime and Military History. Home to the Gap Bluff Centre, which has the Officer’s Mess and the Armoury, surrounded by natural bush. Hornby Lighthouse built in 1858 following the wreck of the “Dunbar”. There is also evidence of Aboriginal rock carvings on the seaside cliffs.
- Touch Briefly on Dobroyd Head - Arabanoo Lookout, Uses of the Area Now, Aboriginal History, Manly and North Head – Blue Fish Point, Quarantine Station as we travel across the Harbour to Middle Head. Grotto Point Lighthouse, a first fleet survey party camped at Grotto Point on 28th January 1788. The lighthouse was built in 1911 and guides ships entering Sydney Harbour when aligned with Parriwi Light at Mosman (Just south of the Spit Bridge)
- Middle Head – Forts and Gun emplacements,
- Georges Head and Obelisk Bay – Underground Beehive Casemates, Gun Emplacements, Aboriginal History, Environment prior to European invasion.
- Bradley’s Head/Ashton Park – Gun emplacements, HMAS Mast, GPO Pillar, Eora people of that area, reliance on the environment, bushfood trails.
- Fort Denison/Pinchgut/Mat-te-wan-ye.
Throughout the tour, Tribal Warrior would talk about the “Heroes” throughout Sydney Harbour including; Arabanoo, Bungaree and Bennelong.
More Information
The Maritime Harbour Warrior Trail
Cadman’s Cottage
March 4th & 11th
It’s $65 for Adults and $45 for the kids.
Time: 10:30am – 2:45pm
Turn up to Cadman’s Cottage after 10am on Sunday March 4th or call 9247 5033 to book your spot for the 11th of March
Includes: All Water Transport, Bush Tucker Lunch, Welcoming Ceremony and Guided Tour.
What to Bring: Sunscreen, Drinking Water, Sturdy Shoes, Warm Clothing (It can get windy on the water).
Prices correct as at 03/03/07
This is just one of the events during Sydney Harbour Week which is on until next Sunday. To find out what else is happening, log onto www.sydneyharbourweek.com