WHAT’S HAPPENING
NOTICE
2024 AGM
The TMA recently held its Annual General Meeting on Monday 2nd September 24 at the Tomaree Community Centre.
The meeting was well attended by Association members and new committee members elected. The Chairman Doug Cross, Secretary Mary Sillince and Historian Chris Peters were re-elected unopposed, and the committee welcomed new Deputy Chairman, Noel Shang.
New video
Ted Flower
Ted Flower was a WW2 veteran serving on the HMAS Manoora which provided beach landing training for Australian and US troops in Port Stephens prior to the Pacific Campaign with US forces. This campaign included the liberation of the Phillippines.
Ted tells of his childhood, war service and provides a glimpse into the life of a returned serviceman in post-war Australia. He maintained a connection with the Filipino people throughout his life including sponsoring the education of several students through to graduation.
Sadly, Ted passed one month short of his 101st birthday on 23 August 2024.
Lest we forget.
VALE
Peter Phillipson
It is with great sadness that TMA advises of the passing of one of our founding members Peter Phillipson, after a long illness.
Although his failing health prevented him from taking a more active role in recent years, Peter remained an avid supporter of the TMA’s objectives and donated many precious items to the museum from his personal collection.
Following his term as Port Stephens Divisional Commander of the Australian Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol from 2001-2003, Peter spearheaded a Board-appointed team which developed the plans to create the organisation that became Marine Rescue NSW in 2009.
Fundraising
Raffle
This is a chance to win one of Stephen Keatings’s magnificent glass images, a $100 Bunnings Warehouse Gift Card or even a signed copy of John ‘Stinker’ Clarke’s latest book ‘Marsh Road’!
- Prizes have been donated free-of-charge
- $5 raffle tickets can be purchased individually or in books of 10 for $50
- Raffle will be drawn at Soldiers Point Bowling Club by John Clarke on Wednesday 30 October during his book launch commencing at 2.30pm
- Prize winners will be notified by mail/email and results published on the Tomaree Museum website and Facebook page
For further information email Warwick Mathieson
matho44@bigpond.com or call Warwick on 0418 635 095
Bunnings Sausage Sizzle
Date: To be advised
Time: 9am to 4pm
Place: Bunnings Taylors Beach
Thank you for supporting our fund-raising efforts at the Bunnings BBQs.
We use only the tastiest & finest grade sausages skilfully barbecued by experienced sausage chefs and artfully placed onto the softest white bread with your choice of caramelised onions and/or barbecue, tomato and mustard sauce to make your perfect sausage sanga.
You can then wash it down with a Coke classic or Coke no sugar, Sunkist or Solo beverage and chat with TMA members about the Museum Project.
Permanent Exhibition
Date: Everyday
Time: 10am to 4pm
Place: Inner Light, 5 Lighthouse Road, Nelson Bay
Why not visit our display at the Inner Light?
Originally developed by the Port Stephens Historical Society, and recently updated, the display provides a snapshot into our local history at a beautiful location.
Be sure to set aside some time to savour some treats in the Inner Light Tea Rooms!
Newsletters
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Stinker’s History
Reproduced with kind permission from News Of The Area & John Clarke
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JOIN US!
We want to build a multi-faceted Museum for the many historical, cultural and ecological organisations in the area to exhibit alongside our own.
Exhibitions that will enlighten and surprise visitors and locals in an eventual permanent Museum as well as here on our website. Can we let you in on a little secret? We have a lot of fun!
If you’re curious about the unique history and ecology of Port Stephens and want to research, learn and share that information and fun with us – then we hope you’ll press the `Join Us’ button below and sign up for a Tomaree Museum membership.
OUR BLOG
Landing at Little Beach
Our fundraising Sausage Sizzles at Bunnings are a great way to keep in contact with our community.
Here are some donated images of Troop landing exercises in Port Stephens in the 1960’s.
Way back when – but now…
Coming out of lockdown we thought it might be nice to see some images of every day life in Nelson Bay from the Arthur Renforth Collection in the TMA's library of images - then and now. If these images trigger any memories with you, we hope you will share them with us...
Our opening `Open Day’
We can only say that our first open day this past Sunday at the Bobs Farm Hall was a great success – and it was pouring rain so that’s no mean feat.
DID YOU KNOW?
Port Stephens was going to be a Navy Base?
Around 1910 to 1913, a huge 1190 hectare Submarine Navy Base as part of the Commonwealth’s long term defence strategy was proposed for Port Stephens and work commenced in 1916.
The area included was Salamander Bay from Corlette Point (where the Anchorage Resort is now), the entire Soldiers Point Peninsula and down past Cromarty Bay almost to Taylors Beach. The Commonwealth had gazetted the entirety of the Mambo Wetlands and past where the Salamander Shopping Centre is now located.
Work began in 1916 with 250 unemployed miners from Newcastle used to blast rock from the base of Wanda Wanda Head (and anecdotally destroying Aboriginal Artwork in caves there). Surveyors were hard at work and drainage ditches and roads were constructed as well as a wharf to berth Australia’s then two RAN Submarines.
After the finish of the first World War and the loss of our only 2 submarines, work on the base slowed and stopped completely in 1922. The Naval Base land was sold by the Commonwealth to the Port Stephens Shire Council for a bargain £50,000 or about $1.6 million in todays money.
Source: Mike Scanlon, Port Stephens Examiner
VIDEO
Original Museum Artefacts Collection
Members of the Tomaree Museum Association catalogue and collect historical artefacts that have been held in storage by the Carroll Family for 45 years.
AUDIO
`Excavations' Ep 01 (upcoming)
Listen to our Podcast `Excavations’.
Keep an ear out for our Podcast about matters related to the history, geology, wildlife, culture and related issues of Port Stephens titled ` Tomaree Museum; Excavations’.
MUSEUM CATALOGUE
Explore our online catalogue of artefacts, writings and photos.
IN THE NEWS
Ray Alley photo collection donated to museum
Charlie Elias
Port Stephens Examiner,
13th August 2020.
“Nearly 50 years of work from one of the Port’s most prolific photographers will go on display at the Tomaree Museum Association (TMA) to be preserved for future generations.”
New Tomaree Headland Heritage group unveiled
Charlie Elias
Port Stephens Examiner
18th June 2020.
“Plans for Tomaree Headland Heritage Group…”
Tomaree Museum Association turns focus to developing a virtual museum collection
Charlie Elias,
Port Stephens Examiner,
10th April 2020.
In response to the COVID-19 crisis the Tomaree Museum Association (TMA) has turned its focus to developing a website and a virtual museum…
DO YOU HAVE A STORY ABOUT PORT STEPHENS?
We invite the community to contribute stories of about 200 words on any topic connected to the Port Stephens region including people, places, buildings, or events.
JOIN in the FUN!
Are you interested in joining the Tomaree Museum Association?
The TMA is a young community driven organisation with the goal of building a permanent Museum on the Port Stephens Peninsula for all of Port Stephens and everyone interested in the area.
We want to collect, learn and share the knowledge of the many facets of our area – it’s ecology and history, and the many paths our investigations lead us down. It’s a detective story we’d love you to join us in.
