THE Mid North Coast Maritime Museum will finish The 2013 Port Macquarie-Hastings Heritage Festival with a bang.
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The museum at the start of William Street celebrates with an open day on Sunday.
There will be free entry from 10am to 4pm, including an extended exhibition about the sinking of the SS Wollongbar II.
"The Wollongbar II was sunk on the April 29, 1943," museum spokesman Ted Kasehagen said.
"She was sunk by a Japanese submarine off Point Plomer, near Crescent Head. It's the 70th anniversary of the sinking, so it seems an appropriate way to conclude the week."
Thirty-two members of the crew were killed, and five people were saved.
"A fishing boat from Port Macquarie went out to save the crew," Mr Kasehagen said "The most impressive part is that they went out when the Japanese sub was still patrolling in the water."
The fishing boat was called The Excelsior, and it lives on today as XLCR. The boat was restored between 2004 and 2008.
Students at Newman Technical College use the boat as part of their Marine and Maritime Studies.
From 10.30am on Saturday XLCR will cruise up and down the Hastings River to advertise Sunday's event.
By strange coincidence the anniversary of the Wollongbar II's sinking is also the anniversary of the museum's opening in 1960.
"On the day we will also be launching the second edition of a book on the sinking of the Wollongbar II," Mr Kasehagen said. "Everyone is welcome to come along and have a look."
