Australian Trivia Only

[Shirley]

Monte Christo Homestead, constructed by Christopher William Crawley in 1885, looks interesting David, have you visited it?

[supersparky]

A few years ago, we tried to. But they were doing Reno's. Not sure that I would be willing to stay the night though.
I thought it might take more than an hour for someone to get the correct answer. Back over to you.

[Shirley]

Thanks David,
The Bogey Hole is a popular swimming place in Newcastle,NSW, what was its original name, who organised the building of it & when was it built ?

[Greynomad]

Ooohh...
NOW you’re challenging the memory banks!
I vaguely remember “Commander’s Bath”, maybe “Captain’s Bath”.
Built by order of Capt Morrisett, Camp Commander of the settlement of Newcastle in the early 1800s — 20s-30s?.
(Digging up high school history lessons now!)

[Shirley]

Not correct Ray, name was The Commandant's Baths, Commander Morisset ordered convicts to cut the rock out & build them in 1820 you only get the cigar if you can tell me which religious order uses them for a celebration each year put the thinking cap on. & what is the celebration?

[Greynomad]

Shirley,
Is this something that began in the last 50~60 years?
I don’t remember any religious services there as a child.
Likely the Roman Catholics for baptisms.

[Shirley]

Ok, I'll give you the cigar only because you're an old Newcastle boy. Held Sunday closest to January 6th, the day of the Epiphany young men from the Greek Orthodox Church dive for the cross, the one who claims the cross ensures a happy & healthy year ahead for him & his loved ones, actually started in 1957, 63 years ago.

[Greynomad]

Thank you, Shirley!

Another Novocastrian question:

Newcastle was the third attempt at a settlement on the coal-rich mouth of the Hunter River.
What were the names of the first two?

Bonus point if you can also give me the unofficial (English) name for the Newcastle harbour — not its aboriginal name — prior to its current official one.

[Shirley]

1801 the convict camp was named King's Town after Governor King, 1804 was named Coal River also Kingstown?

Maybe the unofficial name was Port Hunter?

[Greynomad]

Half a cigar, Shirley.
Correct on Kings Town & Coal River (logical!).
Not on Port Hunter.

The actual unofficial name was Reid’s Mistake.
Reid was the lookout on a ship searching for escaped convicts, and mistook the mouth of the Hunter for Port Jackson.
I think he might have benefited from a pair of glasses.
Knobbys looks nothing like the South Head at Sydney!
And Stockton is way too flat.