The Mid North Coast Maritime Museum will host a week-long exhibition called the The Wollongbar Experience.
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The exhibition is one of the features of History Week 2017.
Museum coordinator Ted Kasehagen said the exhibition will feature displays of The Wollongbar II, extra items specifically brought in for the display and short talks and guided tours of the Wollongbar II room.
“We will be providing a short, five to 10 minute talk and showing people through the exhibition,” Mr Kasehagen said.
“We actually have a butter box as part of the display. The Wollongbar II was carrying produce – including thousands of butter boxes and bacon – to the Sydney market when it was sunk off Point Plomber on April 29, 1943.
“There were just five survivors.
“The story has a bit of a twist because, at that time in Australia, rationing was well underway, and the locals took advantage of these washed up butter boxes and enjoyed making cakes and biscuits for several days later.”
Mr Kasehagen said immediately after the sinking by a Japanese torpedo, a Catalina flying boat – under the command of a Captain Honan – was flying down to Newcastle where his aircraft was to be fitted out with armaments.
The locals took advantage of these washed up butter boxes and enjoyed making cakes and biscuits for several days later.
- Ted Kasehagen
“He spotted something and decided to take a closer look. He saw that there were men on a raft – the five survivors – and he could also see the Japanese submarine just below the surface.
“He radioed ahead and several ships converged on the area. As well, a local fishing trawler took to sea, despite knowing the sub was still in the area – to assist the survivors.”
The exhibition is on from September 7 at the Mid North Coast Maritime Museum on William Street near Oxley Beach.
Another current exhibition which is part of History Week is Passion for Fashion: 60s style exhibition at the Port Macquarie Museum.
Other planned events for History Week include:
- The Story of the Wauchope Regents Theatre – Wauchope District Historical Society,
- Historical Courthouse & Innes Ruins: A Digital Retrospective – Port Macquarie Library,
- Secrets of Laurieton: Historic Walking Tour – Camden Haven Historical Society, and
- Historic Roto House tours with the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
History Week continues until September 10, 2017 and seeks to examine, unravel and understand Australian ‘popular culture’.
As History Week enters its 20th year, History Council of NSW members are invited to celebrate popular culture across the decades, to investigate its construction and analyse its impact on communities and individuals.