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Locations
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All locations featured on this page are now annotated on Google Earth. Enabling
the Google Earth Community layer will allow access to location markers of Twofold bay and the Davidson
whaling station.
Just enter “Eden, Australia” into the search field to be taken there.
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The Killer whale pods would station themselves off Leatherjacket bay which is
located south and outside Twofold Bay itself.
The whalers would often position a lookout at Boyd’s tower on South Head but would have to ride a horse some 4 miles- 6km to the
Kiah inlet. Quite often, Tom the killer would reach the kiah mouth first to
sound the alert before the horse and rider arrived.
On very calm days in a busy season the crews could station two whale boats at
the base of South head in wharf like natural rock formations.
The town of Eden is situated across the bay from the Davidson cottages and
whaling station on the Kiah
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Boyd’s Tower, constructed, then abandoned in the 1840s as a private lighthouse for
failed Scottish empire builder Benjamin Boyd was used as a lookout tower by the
Davidsons. Struck by lightning in the 1860s, a large section was damaged and is
missing from the top of the tower.
It is now protected and part of Ben Boyd national park.
Boyd’s tower closely resembles the Tarot card “the tower” which represents the fall of man in Eden.
Hold your mouse over the lightning picture.
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The Davidson whaling station Tryworks.
A series of iron pots in a bark shed and a log ramp and capstan to haul up the
blubber.
The tiny dimensions of the Davidson whaling station demonstrates the subsistence
level size of their operation, where barely more than 8 whales would usually be
caught per year.
Elsewhere in the world individual whaling operations could take hundreds of
whales per season. The Davidsons avoided using modern technology because motor
boats and explosive harpoons annoyed the killer whales.
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Master whaler George Davidson’s cottage “Loch Garrah” situated just above the tryworks.
The cottage is maintained and preserved within Ben Boyd National Park.
Visitors can sometimes take guided tours of the grounds. The interior and furnishings have been documented in detail by the website
author with the kind assistance of George Davidson’s daughter Elsie Severs. Elsie passed away in 2004 and lived to 100 years old.
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The township of Eden situated on middle head in the 1920s taken from a Fairey
IIID Navy seaplane.
Eden today is a delightful, relaxed and picturesque port town with ocean views
and pristine beaches and forest surrounds.
It has a busy fishing industry and has many whale watching operations for
tourists.
The davidson whaling station is 6km accross the other side of the bay from the
town.
The town stages a yearly whale festival with street parades, concerts, craft
displays and uniquely themed sporting events.
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Boydtown and the Seahorse Inn.
Built by failed Scottish empire builder Benjamin Boyd in the 1840s, and
abandoned soon after, now restored, Boydtown’s Seahorse inn is situated right on the beach and is a popular romantic
destination and watering hole.
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Kiah House and boatshed/workshop. The home built by Alexander Walker Davidson
from the shipwreck of the “Lawrence Frost”.
The hub of Davidson life untill destroyed by bushfire in 1928.
The original interior plans and furnishings have been documented by the author
with the kind cooperation of Alice Otton, daughter of Archer Davidson. Alice
passed away in 2004 and lived to 103 years old.
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The view from Kiah House, looking over the top of the boatshed out to the river
mouth and the bay itself. The distant buildings are the tiny tryworks at the
waters edge and George Davidson’s cottage Loch Garrah above and to its right. The small shacks at the waters
edge on the right of the picture were often used by the yuin crew members such
as the Thomas family.
Almost all of this area exists to this day in an undisturbed state and is
preserved within Ben Boyd National Park. George’s cottage Loch Garrah still stands and may be visited by the public. A recent
picture appears in the gallery.
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