Bed & Breakfast accommodation in Eden's Crown & Anchor historic hotel will delight even the
most discerning traveller.
Step back in time in this original early 1840's Inn. Edens world-renowned
BnB (bed and breakfast). where you can see the sunrise and sunset over the
sea.
Whale watching from the verandah during October-November.
Central to Eden and wonderfully quiet, walk to restaurants, beaches, and the
wharf.
For an independent assessment of our quality service, don't
miss the article by Sydney Morning Herald travel
journalist Anthony Dennis
Half-way between Melbourne and Sydney, on the NSW south coast.
NRMA
As seen on "Getaway"
, "Surfing The Menu" and "The Today Show"
Also
featured in the Sydney Morning Herald and in their book "Good Weekends
Away"
239 Imlay Street
Eden NSW 2551
Australia
Telephone: +61 (0)2 6496 1017
Email: info@crownandanchoreden.com.au
Site designed and maintained by
Batangabee Graphics & Design
A Whale of a time – article by Anthony Dennis
There are the places which you plan weeks, months, even years to stay at.
There are the places that are simply spontaneous choices. Then there are the
places you know absolutely nothing about and which you are prepared to risk
just for a good night’s sleep and a clean, warm bed. When, from Victoria, on
the way back to NSW after a week on the road, I contracted Eden’s Crown and
Anchor Inn all I had to go on was a name I’d obtained over the telephone from
a tourist information service. And Eden was a long way from civilisation,
namely Melbourne and Sydney at either end of the Princes Highway and probably
more a long weekend away the just a weekend away.
Oh, well. Eden, a fishing port on the brink of the NSW and Victorian boarder, was about halfway between where I was coming from and where I was going to. And I didn’t want to stay at a motel, so I decided to make a booking at this Crown and Anchor. When I called I was told I’d be in the “Brick Room” of a converted pub at the end of Eden Main Street (just past the Killer Whale Museum). Oh, right, what the hell is the “Brick Room”, I thought? The Crown and Anchor Inn as it eventuated was better then some of those places I’d planned weeks, months even years to stay at. Better, too, then many of those spontaneous choices.
It was built as a small hotel in the early 1940s and was first licensed in 1845. It is described as the first substantial building in Eden. Before it there were just slab and bark huts. I arrived a night, so it was impossible to tell what sort of views, if any, the Crown and Anchor afforded of the Pacific Ocean and Twofold Bay, though it was clear that it was in a good position. I was greeted by a pleasant young woman standing in for the then owners, Judy Bartram and Mauro Maurilli, who were absent during my visit.
The young women escorted me to the brick room, having informed me that drinks would be served in the sitting room with the other guests. The brick room derives its name from the fact that its walls are exposed bricks. It was on the small side and devoid of much of a view, but it was well appointed with solid, attractive antique-style furniture, including a rather substantial and, I would later discover, comfortable bed. (I had a peek in the other rooms and they all appeared to be of extremely high standard and with better views.) There was also a small but agreeable en suite.
So once settled in, I ventured into the sitting room to join the other house guests. The idea of actually having to converse with fellow guests is enough to cause convulsions for others. There were two couples waiting; one from suburban Sydney and another from seaside Victoria. After about half an hour of pleasant chat, having struck up a rapport with the Victorian couple over some sparkling wine and apple juice, with the young woman doing her best to be congenial we all left for dinner.
A seafood restaurant, the Wheelhouse, situated appropriately at Eden’s fisherman’s wharf, had been recommended to us by the young woman at the Crown and Anchor. When I arrived there, the restaurant checked my name and said the Victorian couple wondered whether I would like to join them for dinner. I was flattered since I was travelling alone and they were travelling together as part of a weekend away. The food was goon, in an unsophisticated, seaside town kind of way, and deliciously fresh. It was a most enjoyable interlude.
The next morning revealed not only brilliantly sunny skies but the surprise realisation that the Crown and Anchor was situated in a superlative location. On one side there were truly superb views of the Pacific and on the other Twofold Bay. Eden’s situation is surely one of the most spectacular of any Australian town. During the whale watching season, between October and November, the crown and Anchor affords excellent views of the giants frolicking in their watery habitat, but it can be harder to secure accommodation, so book well ahead. Eden’s reputation is based on its rich whaling heritage. A whaling station was built in 1828 and continued to operate until 1930. At the killer Whale Museum there’s the giant skeleton of one of Eden’s most famous sons, Tom the killer whale. He reputedly assisted the early 19th century whalers hunt their prey.
During the whale season special platforms on Showground Road, along the Aslings Beach, help visitors spot the creatures. There are also cruises. But there is more to Eden then whales. Nearby is historic Boydtown, once a rival settlement as well as Ben Boyd National Park. Back at the inn, breakfast was being served. The whole place was enveloped by blueness, both above and beneath us that was almost dizzying in its brilliance. A generous breakfast was served on the balcony, over the Saturday morning papers. Even with sunglasses I found the glare almost to great, but it was time to resume my journey again anyway.
As far as B7Bs are concerned, the Crown and Anchor was certainly one of the best choices I’d ever made, if you know what I mean. An old handbill from the Crown and Anchor Inn’s early days, discovered during restorations, features on the modern-day establishment’s brochure. After just a single night at this surprising Eden gem, the sentiment clearly still applies today. “This hotel commands a splendid view of the whole of the Bay,” the old handbill reads “and is supplied with the very best articles the market can produce, and cannot be surpassed on the coast as a comfortable residence for visitors or a resting place for travellers.”
Welcome To Eden
Welcome to the beautiful Sapphire Coast. Eden is the ideal location for that
well-earned, relaxing holiday, set on beautiful Twofold Bay. Bushwalks, forest
drives and beautiful unspoilt beaches are everywhere and can be enjoyed all
year round with our great climate. Whales fill a very large part of Eden’s
history. Whale Watching is an experience of a lifetime, so why not come and
join us? Eden is one of the few paces in Australia where you can watch these
fascinating leviathons close to shore. I hope you enjoy your visit with us.
Eden is a very special place and I would love to share it with everyone. When
you arrive, why not drop into the Information Centre at the roundabout for a
chat with out friendly staff.
Whaling…A fascinating history
The Davidson Whaling Station Historic Site, on the southern shores of Twofold
Bay, offers a journey back in time providing a fascinating insight into the
lives and industry on the 19th century whalers. A relatively small family
business, operated by three generations of the Davidson family, the Station
was the longest operating shore-based whaling station in Australia and the
last of its kind to close. The whaling industry around Eden began in 1828.
Early success saw the whaling industry explode and by 1840 there were some 27
whaleboats operating from bases within Twofold Bay. When the industry was at
its height, competition for the whales was fierce. The cry “Rusho! Rusho!”
filled the streets and crowds flocked to headlands around the Bay to follow
the action. The whale was harpooned by hand, which was a dangerous practice at
the best of times. The rope from the harpoon was lashed to the whaleboat to
tire the whale – sometimes the boat was towed for miles out to sea before the
whale was exhausted. Competition decimated the whale population and by the
1860s only three operators remained. One of these was Alexander Davidson who
established his station around 1860. Davidson made extensive use of Aboriginal
labour – these men proved excellent harpooners. Declining profits and the
difficultly of obtaining skilled labour saw whaling from the early part of
this centaury into an opportunistic activity with no regular watch kept. By
the 1920s whaling was virtually at a standstill and in 1929 the last whale was
taken into Twofold Bay. Discover more about the early whaler’s way of life in
a guided tour of the station during the Eden Whale festival in October or
during the National Parks and Wildlife Service “Discovery” program. Visitors
are welcome at other times to visit this picturesque site. For further
information contact the NSW National Park and Wildlife Office on 6495 5000.
It’s hard to resist the Eden Wharf…
Visitors to Eden invariably find themselves drawn to investigate the natural
beauty to be discovered at the Eden Wharf. Three wharves are home to one of
the largest fishing fleets in NSW with fishing vessels varying in size from
day fishing trips to those which can remain at sea for months chasing big
schools of fish around the southern ocean. From the fishing boat fleet cases
are swung up to awaiting trucks to be ultimately dispatched to the cities’
fish markets, then the boats are cleaned and nets and equipment serviced in
readiness for the next trip. If your fishing style happens to be land based,
then Eden Wharf is just the spot. In this, the third deepest natural harbour
in the world, there’s always the chance to land the evening meal just by
dropping a line in the clear waters. There’s a variety of shopping at the
wharf creating a friendly atmosphere no matter what time of year – take away
foods, dine-in café-style or even enjoy the restaurant - the wharf really is a
great place. Fill up with petrol, inspect the beautiful art and craft items or
book a charter trip for diving, scenic cruise or fishing. Enjoy a picnic lunch
while appreciating the views over the harbour with Mt Imlay rising in the
distance. Graceful pelicans frequently soar overhead in search of their own
meal, dolphins also invariably enjoy a frolic in Twofold bay and penguins and
seals are often seen near the wharf. Perhaps the most popular pastime at the
wharf is simply strolling past the many vessels, stopping for a occasional
yarn with the locals and learning a little more of the vital fishing industry
of Eden.
Gateway centre…visitors welcome
The Eden Tourist Centre has always provided visitors to the region with a
wealth of information but those who are returning to re-acquaint themselves
are in for a pleasant surprise. During the course of he past twelve months,
the centre has been upgraded to one of a handful of government funded “Gateway
Centres” around NSW. The old building had insufficient room to house all the
displays, so it has now been relocated just around the corner…still at the
roundabout but now situated in Mitchell Street. Hundreds of thousands of
dollars have elevated the Eden Gateway Centre to a first rate facility
informing visitors not only about regional attraction, but also operating as a
‘gateway’ (hence the name) for those requiring information on more northerly
areas or for those heading into the Gippsland region of Victoria. A huge range
of displays, literature, maps, video information and wall panels cater for all
needs. A range of gifts and souvenirs is also sold from the centre. Assistance
is available with tours, attractions accommodation, National Parks and
bookings for whale watching cruises, scenic cruises or fishing charters. For
those visiting the nearby Snowy Mountains or travelling to the Australian
Capital, there’s a substantial array of information to ensure you’re not left
wondering what to do upon arrival. A 24-hour Datatrax touch screen has been
installed for after hour’s visitors. At a touch all information is flashed
onto the video screen in an easy-to-use fashion. A variety of accommodation is
available in Eden – caravan parks, motels and units. Your personal needs can
be catered for with one simple call to the centre. Onward bookings to your
next destination can also be made. The Eden Gateway Centre is situated at the
roundabout, corner of Princes Highway and Mitchell Street 9facing Mitchell
Street) or phone (02) 6496 1953.
Eden
Eden, population 4000, has been renowned historically for its whaling industry
(now defunct), its fishing (professional and amateur) and in more recent years
for its major timber based industries. The town nestles on the shores of
Twofold bay, the rugged cliffs from which magnificent views can be obtained of
the Pacific Ocean. Humpback Whales can be seen in October and November. Eden’s
history is steeped in the tradition of the sea, evidenced in the Killer Whale
Museum (a must for every visitor) and at the Seamen’s memorial wall built in
recent times by the townspeople in memory of its seamen who have been
tragically lost at sea and never found. The commercial fishing fleet has often
been the major supplier of the fresh fish to the Sydney market. Of equal
importance encompassing the woodchip export industry and the sawmill industry.
Not only do the state forests which surround Eden provide valuable timbers,
they also offer many attractive recreation and educational opportunities. IN
particular, Newton’s Crossing picnic area 9swimming and camping, Mallacoota
Lookout (majestic views over Mallacoota Inlet) and Maxwells picnic area and
Rainforest Walk are well worth a visit.
Ben Boyd national park
Generous folding in the red and brown shales conglomerates and sandstones have
produced a rugged coastline with cliffs, jagged rocks and sweeping beaches to
the north. In the southern sector, a large expanse of health stretches back
from the rocky headland below Greencape Lighthouse, gradually giving way to
tall sclerophyll woodland. Perhaps the most spectacular of the heath flowers
are the bright pink bells of the Coral heath. Boronias, Low Growing Wattles,
the red belled Native Fuscia, and woody hakeas are supported by the organic
sandy loams fringing the coastline. Red bloodwoods characterised by rough
flaky bark. And the Silver Top Ash dominates the sclerophyll woodlands. Tall
stands of coastal Banksia, rough barked Anaphora and Sunshine Wattle grow up
to ten metres high, shading the under storey of Geebungs, Hakeas, Tea Trees
and Black Boys. The dunes backing the beaches in the northern sector support
sand binding plants, low health and merge into woodland. Commonly seen in the
area are Grey Kangaroos, Swamp wallabies, Red Necked Wallabies and Goannas.
Occasionally visitors may catch sight of Yellow Bellied Glided, Wombats and
Marsupial Mice, which even occur near picnic areas. White breasted sea eagles,
yellow tailed black cockatoos and lyre birds are common in the park, which
serves as a haven for the rare Ground Parrot, an endangered species which
nests in the heath.
Seamens Memorial Wall
On the lookout adjoining Rotary Barbeque Park, there is located a unique
memorial wall on which plaques have, and are still being erected, carrying the
names of seafarers, fishermen and others, who through tragedy have been lost
out of Eden and their bodies never recovered. The wall was built by a local
committee following the sinking of the Eden Trawler “Shiralee” in 1978 with
the loss of all three men on board.
The Eden Fishing Fleet
One of the most fascinating and interesting “places to see” at Eden, also
happens to be one of the ports busy industrial areas… the trawlers and wharves
in Snug Cove (just follow Imlay Street through the shopping centre). Eden has
one of the biggest fishing fleets in NSW and there is plenty of activity, and
plenty of colours for the shutterbugs, where the boats are unloading in the
afternoons. There are some wonderful photographs to be had too, when the big
fleet is tied up to the wharves due to rough weather. While on the subject of
photography, a couple of other most photographed subjects in the town are the
Eagles Claw Rocks on the Lookout. Drive to the eastern end of Weecoon street
and walk a few yards across a park to the cliff edge, you cant miss the three
prominent rock “claws”. With the sapphire sea on the east and the timbered
ranges on the west, Eden ranges on the west; Eden offers a restful and
enjoyable backdrop to enjoy nature made year round holidays.
Historic accommodation with fantastic views
A perusal of the visitors book at Eden’s Crown and Anchor reveals many
delighted comments such as “we have stayed in B & Bs throughout Europe but
have found nothing to compare to this” At the Crown and Anchor service is
impeccably first class whilst retaining the friendly country atmosphere. Judy
and Mauro have renovated with authentic precision to recreate the
splendour of this early 1840s small hotel. It was in fact the first
substantial building in Eden, preceded only slab and bark huts. The Crown and
Anchor is steeped in a feeling of maritime antiquity with the early Australian
character and charm of long gone whalers and sea faring days – very befitting
for two such charming hosts who spent years cruising aboard a yacht of their
own making. The rooms each have a view over Twofold Bay or the sea and offer
luxurious bedding, antique furnishings, en suite bathroom and some, open
fireplaces. The generous gourmet breakfast is bound to delight even the most
discerning palate – it is served in old fashioned country with a variety of
homemade and fresh market produce, complimented by freshly squeezed juices and
fine coffee and teas - it may betaken on the sunny veranda overlooking the sea
or in front of the warm fire. During whale season it is often possible to
watch the whales frolicking from your breakfast table, whilst enjoying the
glorious and unique charm of a perfectly romantic weekend interlude.
Bay Watch
They were both pretty unhappy with the trade. Mathew Flinders, the intrepid
explorer, had landed at the sheltered Twofold Bay on the far south coast of
the colony of New South Wales and, encountering a band of Aborigines from the
Thawa tribe, had given them some biscuits. The Aboriginals reciprocated
handing over a local delicacy – the dried blubber of a whale. It would have
been rude to refuse, so flinders was looking around for somewhere to
discreetly spit out his mouthful of bush tucker when he noticed the aborigines
equally revolted by British Navy hard tack, doing the same. And so began white
history of whales in the Eden area, a tiny town that as much as anywhere on
Australia’s South Eastern coastline, from Warrnambool to Maryborough can claim
the whale as its local icon. Any time from June, when they begin their long
migration from the icy waters of the Southern Ocean to the balmy tides of the
barrier reef to calve, until October when they return you may encounter a
mighty humpback or a rarer right or minke whale taking a break in the bay.
There are few better places from which to spy on them then the Crown and
Anchor, a historic coaching inn perched on top of the bluff that forms the
cleavage where the bay thrusts its bosom into the land. I arrive here from
Melbourne late on a cool afternoon, having first got slightly lost. Eden is a
good place to take a break if you’re taking the scenic intercity route as it’s
close to halfway between Melbourne and Sydney. The building is a carefully
restored old inn, built in the early 1840s when Eden was first established,
and made of stone and handmade brick stuck together with a mortar of cow dung
and termite mounds. The building is all mullioned windows, bare polished
boards, antique sofas, a piano, and all manner of nautical knick-knacks
including an antique barometer. Hosts Eric and Jennifer Shuwalow show me to my
window room overlooking the bay, which is the largest and best fitted-out of
the rooms. It is furnished in period fashion with a four-poster bed that you
almost need a step ladder to climb into, and a tiled ensuite bathroom. And a
radiator. Eden can be bleak, cold and windy in winter. At the back, concealed
from the street behind the old inn, is a new two-storey extension which houses
the Shuwalows’ living quarters, and a small restaurant with great views of the
bay. The whales are, alas, aren’t around when I visit so I opt instead to dine
alone before a crackling log fire in the drawing room. Tired, I crash early.
It’s not until the next day I realise that, even without the whales, Eden is
not just a convenient stopover; it’s a destination in its own right, with some
of the most stunning scenery and intriguing history, in that state. First stop
should be the Whale Museum which displays the mammoth skeleton of a killer
whale called Tom. The storey (supported by a contemporary newspaper report) is
that Tom was one of a gag of killer whales which used to help local whalers by
herding their unfortunate colleagues into the bay to be harpooned to death.
Their reward was the tongue and lips, while the whalers (including some of the
Aborigines) got the blubber. Further a field is the Ben Boyd National Park.
The whole area is surrounded by newly extended national parks and reserves, to
the fury of the loggers who would prefer to feed more of it into the Harris
Daishowa woodchip mill. Ben Boyd is an interesting character, one of the
colony’s pioneering entrepreneurs who set a pattern followed to this day by
the likes of Alan Bond, Christopher Skase and Rodney Alder. Boyd was a London
stockbroker who raised a million pounds from British investors. He spent the
money establishing a paddle-steamer service between Sydney and Hobart, buying
up more than a million hectares of land, discovering gold, and planning a port
city with which to exploit all this. Alas, the ship hit a rock, the gold ran
out, the landholdings were liquidated, the liquidators were called in and all
that remains today of Boydtown (of course) is the Sea Horse Inn, a grandiose
pseudo-Elizabethan structure that looks rather like a Spanish convent set amid
the forest. The owners are doing extensive renovations to this wonderful
folly, and plan to have it open as a guesthouse by the middle of this year.
That’s all I really have time for. I haven’t brought my fishing tackle with me
(there’s a $20 000 competition in March, and Lake WonBoyn is said to be one of
the best fishing spots in the state), or my Scarpa boots (there are some
beautiful walks through coastal forest and scrubland) I sip fresh orange juice
for breakfast on the desk, look out over the blue and white fishing boats
bobbing in the bay, and resolve to return to this other Eden for a few days
during the whale season.
Site designed and maintained by
Batangabee Graphics &
Design