Ahead of this year's Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, discover the stories of the race's origins: The tiny community of Coasters Retreat in Sydney, as well as the artist, the actor, the diamond trader, the mining engineer, the former prisoner of war and others who took part in the inaugural race.
Nev Watkins paused for breath as he worked his way up the steep hill from the Bonnie Doon wharf at Coasters Retreat.
The present owners of the house, John and Louise Brogan, said it was 20 years ago when Nev dropped in unexpectedly. "He felt history had been made here and while most of the characters had long ago passed away, he was keen to write down his memories and leave them with us." Watkins described Dicko as "a wonderful and friendly personality who often sailed around Pittwater in his yacht, 'Sea Rover', a 28-foot gaff-rigged couta".Dicko's wife, Joyce, would spend three days a week alone in the house, while Dicko worked from his flat in Kings Cross. There was no telephone or power and all supplies had to be carried up the steep hill.
Stockman Clyde Combo with star of The Overlanders, actor Chips Rafferty, centre, and director Harry Watt on location. Rafferty became one of the regulars at Coasters Retreat. Royle was also in the movies, but not as an actor like Chips. It wasn't till after his death that his story was immortalised in the movie Beneath Hill 60 .During World War I, Royle and fellow engineers were recruited as untrained soldiers to dig a series of tunnels underneath a German bunker and detonate the biggest bomb of the time.
It turns out that, while Royle was tunnelling, Stackler was "listening" for the vibrations with a primitive mobile seismograph or similar device.Berg finds Coasters a retreat from war Bernard Stewart is the current owner of "Stone lodge". He says his father, Les Stewart, had told him the story of the early Hobart legends.
Former prisoner of war Sverre Berg, left, was one of the original Sydney Hobart sailors on his ketch, Horizon.
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