The small town of Marulan can be found on the Hume Highway between Canberra and Sydney. Although the highway bypasses the town, it’s worth a stop to see the historic buildings, have a break and enjoy a coffee at one of several cafes in town.
Historic Buildings
Most of the buildings are on George Street, so after parking we walked along the street to see them. Most of them have information boards outside, providing a history of each building. Re-purposed by their owners, many buildings are now cafes, restaurants or shops. This is great as they can then maintain them for future generations to admire.
Meridian Park
Located in Meridian Park on George St, the Marulan Meridian Arch is a sculpture that forms an arch with a metal sphere on an axis mounted at the top of arch. It is the very centre of the time zone UTC+10:00 and, as such, the sun rises here at approximately 6:00am, then sets at exactly 6:00pm, every equinox.
Marulan Meridian ArchMarulan Town ClockOld Royal HotelOld Royal HotelGreat Southern Garage now a CafeMural inside the cafeAll Saints ChurchOld Butchers ShopOld Butchers ShopBilly Tea SignOld General Store
Although now retired from from its confrontations with Japanese whaling fleets, the MV Steve Irwin still looks impressive with its camouflage and skull painted deck house. Docked at Thales Marine in Newcastle, New South Wales, the ship is now owned by the non-profit organisation Ship4Good. Tours are a great way to learn about the fight to save the whales while contributing to the preservation of the ship.
We met our tour guide at the Thales Security Gate, where we were issued hi-visibility jackets for the walk to the ship. The jackets were necessary because the Thales dock is a working area.
Ship’s History
After a safety briefing our tour started with a talk on the ship’s history. Originally serving 28 years as the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency conservation enforcement patrol boat, FPV Westra, Sea Shepherd purchased her in 2006. Although originally named the MV Robert Hunter after Canadian Robert Hunter, co-founder of Greenpeace it was renamed the MV Steve Irwin following his death. Steve had been considering joining the vessel the following year before his death.
Over the next 12 years, the ship undertook 17 voyages ranging from anti-whaling and illegal fishing. These occurred in areas as diverse as the Antarctic and Mediterranean. However, she is most famous for confronting the Japanese whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. These clashes occurred as close range, with activists throwing stink bombs onto Japanese ships and attempting to entangles their propellors. On several occasions, ships rammed each other, a very dangerous action because of the freezing Antarctic waters.
Tour of the Ship
Over the next hour we toured the ship from the bridge to engine room. On the bridge we were able to see where the ship and its operations were directed, with the large windows providing an excellent view of the surrounding area.
In the engine room, the two British Polar 12-cylinder 2,100 bhp Engines with their turbo chargers showed why Sea Shepherd bought this ship. The engines and the ship’s design gave it a speed able to match and overake the Japanese whaling fleet, while being relatively stable in rough seas. Along with the embarked helicopter this enabled them to find and harass the whalers.
Getting Around the Ship
Anyone intending on touring the ship should be aware of several restrictions. Several of the rooms and corridors are small and narrow. So if you are claustrophobic, this may be a problem. Moving from one deck to another is via steep stairways. If you are mobility impaired or have small children this may make getting around difficult. Remember to wear sensible enclosed shoes, because of the stairs and outside surfaces.
We had a great time here learning about the Steve Irwin’s history and seeing the inner workings of the ship.
Sea Shepherd’s MV Steve Irwin in Newcastle HarbourGangway onto MV Steve IrwinCovered walkway around the shipSome of the cruises the ship participated inSome of the cruises the ship participated inThrowing stink bombs at the Japanese whaling shipsDramatic painting of the ship at seaThe two 12-cylinder 1,600 kW enginesThe Steve Irwin’s propellor shaftThe BridgeThe Bridge
Initially created through by Edward Charles Close, who selected a property of 1,000 hectares Morpeth developed as a river port from 1831-1841.
The river port grew steadily throughout the 1830s, but the construction of the Great Northern Railway in 1857, bypassed Morpeth. This resulted in Newcastle developing as the regional port. Morpeth became less significant commercially, but still survived as a township with its own history and heritage.
The town is now popular with tourists because of its historic buildings and riverside setting.
Getting There
Sitting a 10 minute drive from Maitland, the historic town of Morpeth is one of the Hunter Valley’s major attractions. On the drive from Maitland look out for the brightly painted shed advertising “Dr Morse’s Indian Root Pills”, as it’s a well known site by the Hunter River. Originally from North America, these pills are still manufactured and sold in Australia.
Parking in Morpeth can be at a premium on busy days, particularly in front of shops on the main road (Swan Street). There are more spots a available further down the road opposite the museum and old Post Office (now a vets).
Painted Shed Indian Root Pills on the Way to Morpeth
Swan Street
Most of the shops and restaurants face onto Swan Street, which makes them easy to find, because you are not wandering around back streets.
Row of Buildings in Swan Street Morpeth
Old Stone Walkway
Telephone Box
Morpeth Bridge
Opened on 15 June 1898, the Morpeth Bridge is a timber trestle bridge employing Allan trusses. It has two central iron cylinder span supports fabricated by Mort’s Dock. Spanning the Hunter River at Morpeth, the bridge is listed on the state heritage register because of its technical and historical characteristics.
Hunter River Bridge
Hunter River Bridge
The Morpeth Bridge
Historic Buildings
Located on Swan Street, most of the historical buildings are in excellent condition and look beautiful. Many are now used for different purposes than what they were built for, so have small plaques in the footpath showing their original use.
The Old Post Office
CBC Bank
St James Anglican Church
Derelict Trading Post
Courthouse Plaque
Commercial Hotel Plaque
Campbell’s Store
Located on the corner of Swan and Tank Streets, Campbell’s store is a collection of small businesses in one large building. From second-hand dealers, clothes and food, there is a lot to see and explore here. At the back of the building is a café and the Morpeth art gallery, which sells art and often has exhibitions on the second floor.
Ally Next to Campbell’s Store
Post Box Outside Campbell’s Store
Rear of Campbell’s Store
Old Railway Carriage
Other Interesting Things to See
Walking around, you will find several interesting sights, including painted lane ways, sweet shops, and old telephone box, and a mannequin inviting you for free ginger beer tasting.
Free Ginger Beer Tasting
Painted Murals on Berkley Street
Painted Murals on Green Street
What Did We Think?
Morpeth is a great place to spend a day out exploring, because it has so much to offer. From historic buildings, antique shops, or a relaxing meal overlooking the Hunter River, it’s a great place to visit.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
