Seal Rocks, New South Wales

Suburbs around Seal Rocks:
Bungwahl, Smith's Lake	Smith's Lake	Tasman Sea
Bungwahl, Yagon	Seal Rocks	Tasman Sea
Yagon	Tasman Sea	Tasman Sea

Seal Rocks is a small coastal settlement in the Mid-Coast Council local government area, in the Mid North Coast/Hunter regions of New South Wales, Australia, 275 kilometres (171 mi) north-north-east of Sydney.^[2]^[6] It is famous for its many premier surfing beaches (including Lighthouse Beach, Treachery and Yagon), and also for being the home of Seal Rocks lighthouse, officially known as Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse. At the 2006 census, the area had a population of 131 persons.^[1]

Resistance to commercialisation

Seal rocks save seal rocks

Seal Rocks is well known for its peaceful resistance to attempts by developers to commercialise the small picturesque fishing village. On entering the town by the road, the slogan "Save Seal Rocks The Last Frontier" can be seen painted on the road itself, this has been continually repainted for over 30 years. Currently the local council is making an attempt to commercialise the small caravan park, and a movement is once again growing against this.^[7]

The 2013 movie Adore was filmed at this location.

Seal colony

Seal Rocks was named after the Australian fur seals that were often seen on the rocks near the Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse. There is some evidence that a breeding colony of seals once existed at Seal Rocks, although the species no longer breeds in NSW and the colony was lost.^[8] However, more recently sightings have been increasing in the Port Stephens area.^[9]

Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse

Main article: Sugarloaf Point Light

The construction of Sugarloaf Lighthouse was completed in 1875, ten years after it was recommended a light be placed to highlight the treacherous Seal Rocks. It was originally intended to place the light on Seal Rocks but landing was difficult and so the proposition was abandoned.

The tower is constructed of brick, rendered and painted white. Also constructed were three adjoining cottages, various outbuildings, the construction of the road from Bungwahl, and a 460-metre (1,509 ft) long jetty which was used to land some 1,829 tonnes (1,800 long tons) of building supplies and materials.

The light was upgraded in 1923 and was converted from kerosene to acetylene gas. Electricity was introduced in 1966 and the light was kept manned for many years despite automation in 1987.

The Sugarloaf lighthouse is the second-most easterly one in Australia, after the Byron Bay lighthouse, and offers accommodation in three cottages.^[10]

One of Australia's biggest shipping disasters occurred off Sugarloaf Point; the wreck of the SS Catterthun in 1895 when bound from Sydney to China with the loss of thirty one lives. Although some reports state that 55 persons lost their lives, the NSW marine board of inquiry listed 31 as the correct number.

References

1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Seal Rocks (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 February 2010. Map
1 2 3 "Suburb Search - Local Council Boundaries - Hunter (HT) - Great Lakes Council". New South Wales Division of Local Government. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
1 2 "Seal Rocks". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
↑ "Myall Lakes". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 24 March 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
↑ "Paterson". Australian Electoral Commission. 19 October 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
↑ "Seal Rocks". Land and Property Management Authority - Spatial Information eXchange. New South Wales Land and Property Information. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
↑ Seal Rocks fights for serenity, The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 May 2010
↑ "Australian fur-seal - vulnerable species listing". NSW Office of Environment & Heritage. 27 February 2011. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
↑ David Harasti. "Fur-Seals". Wild about whales blog. National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales). Retrieved 8 April 2012.
↑ Australia’s iconic lighthouses, Australian Geographic, 26 July 2010

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Seal Rocks.

Towns, suburbs and localities of Mid-Coast Council, in the Hunter & Mid North Coast Regions, New South Wales

Towns, suburbs and localities	Alderley Alderley Creek Allworth Back Creek Bakers Creek Barrington Baxters Ridge Belbora Bennetts Head Bennys Tops Berrico Bindera Black Head Blueys Beach Bobin Bohnock Bombah Point Boolambayte Boomerang Beach Booral Bootawa Booti Booti Bowman Bowman Farm Bretti Brimbin Bucca Wauka Bulahdelah Bulby Brush Bulga Forest Bulliac Bundabah Bundook Bungwahl Bunyah Bunyah Upper Burgess Beach Burraduc Burrell Creek Cabbage Tree Island Caffreys Flat Callaghans Creek Caparra Cape Hawke Caramea Carrington Cedar Party Cells River Charlottes Bay Clareval Cobark Coneac Coolongolook Coomba Coomba Bay Coomba Park Coopernook Cooplacurripa Copeland Coralville Corroboree Flat Craven Craven Plateau Cravens Creek Crawford River Croki Crowdy Bay National Park Crowdy Head Cundle Flat Cundletown Cureeki Creek Curricabark Darawank Dewitt Dewrang Diamond Beach Dingo Forest Dirty Creek Dollys Flat Doon Ayre Dumaresq Island Dungog Dyers Crossing Elands Elizabeth Beach Failford Faulkland Fernhill Firefly Forbesdale Forster Forster Keys Forster Waters Friendship Key Gangat Gereeba Island Ghinni Ghinni Giro Girvan Glen Ward Glenthorne Gloucester Gloucester River Gloucester South Gloucester Tops Green Point Hallidays Point Hannam Vale Harrington Hawks Nest Heatherdale Hillville Invergordon Johns River Johnsons Creek Jones Island Karaak Flat Karuah Kauthi Khatambuhl Kia Ora Killabakh Killawarra Kimbriki Kippaxs Kiwarrak Knorrit Flat Knorrit Forest Koorainghat Krambach Kundibakh Kundle Kundle Langley Vale Lansdowne Lansdowne Forest Legges Camp Lime Kiln Limeburners Creek Lower Bowman Manning Point Mares Run Markwell Marlee Maudville Mayers Flat Melinga Mernot Milbrook Mill Creek Upper Minimbah Mitchells Island Mograni Creek Mograni Mondrook Monkerai Mooral Creek Moorland Moppy Moto Mount George Mount Peerless Mungo Brush Myall Lakes Myall Upper Myra Nabiac Nerong New Forster Newells Creek Nooroo North Arm Cove North Pindimar Nugra Nugramudgee Number One Old Bar Oxley Island Pacific Palms Pampoolah Pindimar Pioneer Park Pipers Bay Pitlochry Possum Brush Purfleet Rainbow Flat Rawdon Vale Red Head Rocky Crossing Rookhurst Rosenthal Saltwater Sandbar Seal Rocks Smiths Lake South Pindimar Stewarts River Stratford Stratford South Strathcedar Stroud Stroud Road Sugarloaf Point Tahlee Tallwoods Village Tamboy Taravale Tarbuck Bay Taree Taree South Tea Gardens Telegherry Terreel The Bight The Branch Tibbuc Tinonee Tiona Tipperary Titaatee Creek Topi Topi Tugrabakh Tuncurry Upper Bowman Upper Karuah River Upper Lansdowne Upper Monkerai Violet Hill Waitui Wallabi Point Wallamba Island Wallanbah Wallingat Wallingat River Wallis Island Wallis Lake Wang Wauk Wapra Wards River Warranulla Washpool Wattley Hill Waukivory Waukivory Upper Weismantels Wherrol Flat Whoota Willina Winda Woppa Wingham Wirradgurie Woko Wootton Yagon Yagon Beach Yarratt Forest Yumbunga

Rivers and other waterways	Avon River Barnard River Barrington River Bowman River Coolongolook River Cooplacurripa River Crawford River Curricabark River Gloucester River Karuah River Mammy Johnsons River Manning River Myall Lakes Myall River Smiths Lake Telegherry River The Branch River Wallamba River Wallingat River Wallis Lake Wards River

National parks	Barrington Tops National Park Booti Booti Ghin-Doo-Ee Myall Lakes Wallingat

Other places and points of interest	Broughton Island Cape Hawke Gloucester Tops Mitchells Island Oxley Island Port Stephens Singing Bridge Tahlee historic property Tops to Myall Heritage Trail

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