A hull of a way to arrive
Gliding in and out of Picton on the big car ferries, it’s easy to forget how challenging crossing the sea used to be. For a fascinating and historic reminder, take a wander along the waterfront to visit the Edwin Fox.
Built in 1853, the hull of this copper-sheathed sailing ship has been partially restored to its glory days, some of which were actually rather less than glorious.
In 1858 it was the last ship to transport convicts to Australia, and in the museum alongside the dry dock where the ship sits, propped up on struts, there’s a mass of detail about those unhappy passengers, who were crammed for the voyage into a prison with two cannons trained on it.
The Edwin Fox also carried more conventional immigrants, who were often also rather unhappy about the conditions on board. You can enter the hull to see a reconstruction of the setup for steerage passengers, where families of up to six were squeezed for 101 days into a double bunk, vulnerable to diseases such as tuberculosis and typhoid, as well as subjected to dripping vomit and worse, and suffering from seasickness.
Why go?
Because you never know when it will come in handy to know what scarf joints, trunnels, daggerknees and muntz are. There’s a mass of information about the construction of the ship, a three-master that looked splendid under full sail and was later converted to a barque.
As well as carrying settlers from Britain to New Zealand and
Australia, it shipped tea from India to London, troops from there to the Crimea, and press-ganged labourers from China to Cuba.
Eventually it became a stationary refrigeration hold and, finally, a humble coal store.
Insider tip
Read the small print. The detail about the crimes committed by the convicts is fascinating, though you might end up feeling sorry for some of them, especially William Messenger.
On the way/nearby
You’re right next door to the EcoWorld Aquarium, which is well worth a visit; and if you’re still in an inquiring frame of mind, the nearby Picton Heritage and Whaling Museum is also full of interesting things. The waterfront is a lovely place for a stroll, with cafes and shops nearby and minigolf to play, but if you’re feeling a bit more energetic, you could walk on past the ferry wharf up to the lookout for a fine view. You might then go further up to Wedge Point, from where you can look down into Shakespeare Bay, the business part of the port.
How much?
Adults $15, children under 14 free. Open every day, except Christmas and Anzac Day, from 9am until 2pm (winter) or 4pm (summer).
Best time to go
It’s good to visit in any weather, since it’s all under shelter or indoors, but on a fine day you can play quoits there, as the privileged cabin passengers did.