Sunday - avoiding the great exodus

We had been warned that with Camp finishing on Saturday night, there was a huge exodus on Sunday and the roads are clogged with all the caravans heading out from the Convention Centre.  Our friends were all staying on until Monday before leaving and we decided that it sounded a wise decision.  600 people at Camp means a lot of caravans, mobile homes, buses converted into mobile homes, camper vans, and even camper trailers that fold out into tents.  We had no desire to sit in a traffic jam - we can 'enjoy' that event any time in the city!  I'm sure the residents of this lovely country area could not fail to notice and were probably unimpressed with the 'Great Adventist Movement' as the camp was vacated either!


By Sunday afternoon I had done and hung out 3 loads of washing, Peter and Richard had packed up our annexe ready for the next morning and along with Bob and Laraine we decided to have a quick lunch and go out to Trial Bay to visit the old gaol there.  

Front of Trial Bay gaol

At least there was a nice view!

The bay was named Trial Bay after a ship that had sunk there and this gaol was built between 1877-1886 to house prisoners brought there specifically to build a breakwater in the bay to provide protection for ships.  But the stone was so hard it took 1 man 9 days to cut one stone, and progress on the breakwater was very slow.  This wasn't helped by huge seas washing parts of it away and with the advent of stronger ships the breakwater became unnecessary so the gaol was closed in 1903 and the breakwater was abandoned.

Dining Hall

But along came WWI and with that the hysteria about Germans living in Australia.  One of the places they were interned was at this place.  Coming from Australia and German colonies in Asia, the 500 men were an elite group of academics, professionals and craftsmen.


In 1918 the gaol was decomissioned, stripped and lay in ruin for many years until in 1946 the site was made a public Reserve and since then efforts continue to restore the gaol.

The dining room (above) was originally a spectacular interior space.  Three grand arches in the rear wall gave access to the two cell wings and to the kitchen by a central door.  In the Internment period, internees used the dining room  for dining hall, meeting place for classes, lectures, committees and communal gatherings.


They made furniture and decorated their cells with stencil friezes. 

They also built huts for businesses and recreation, and sports facilities such and tennis courts in the disused quarry.  Many recreation huts were constructed outside the walls of the gaol to achieve some level of privacy.


Some internees were allowed walks outside the Camp boundaries on the undertaking that they would not attempt to escape.  Cell doors were left unlocked and the gates were as well until 6pm each night.


The men grew vegetables, fished, set up shops: a cobblers, a carpentry shop, a watchmaker, a yoghurt factory, fruit shop, barber and plumber.  People from the surrounding area brought their flour to be made into bread at the bakery because of the quality of the baking.  They formed a camp orchestra, brass band, 2 folk choirs, and the German Theatre, which boasted a new production each weekend, making their own sets and costumes. 56 plays, mostly German 'classics', were performed in 1917.


There was an in-house newspaper too, Welt am  Montag, which reported on the war efforts of Germany, and downplayed those of the Allies; Internees had turned inward in their isolation and at best showed disinterest in Australian matters and cultural ways.


A newspaper dated 11th August 1888 says 'the bath house is large and roomy, and are supplied with water from a reservoir in the hills; in fact plenty of water is obtainable everywhere about the prison and outside buildings from the same source.  This from a sanitary point of view is everything that can be desired.'  I don't see anything about comfort in the cold weather or heating of that water!  As you can see below, bathing in cold water in these baths would not be an attractive proposition in the cold.

I hope the internees found it easier to get out of these baths than I did!

Mind you during the drought of 1915 each internee was allowed only 4 cups of water daily for washing, bathing and drinking per day, so I don't think it was an issue then. 


We had a great day with our friends, and all of us found the history of Trial Bay Gaol truly fascinating.  Just thinking of the lives, heartaches and daily routines of the people who pass through places like this is very intriguing.


I know I'm behind in posts, I'll try to catch up a bit tomorrow.  Until then,
Blessings,
Sandie