A humorous account by `Stinker’ Clarke of the first motorised boat to `fire up’ in Fingal Bay.

The Depression years during the 1930’s forced ingenuity upon those with imagination and Arthur Murdoch was one of those people. His infamous autobiographical account `Sheer Grit’ details his time at Port Stephens digging and transporting shell grit for chicken farmers to survive.

The pioneering Australian aviator Bert Hinkler, the first person to fly solo from England to Australia, once made an unscheduled visit to Port Stephens.

From the 1890’s, Italian, Chinese and Greek Fishermen camped on Broughton Island to trap lobster and fish.