Newcastle Harbour

06 Aug Newcastle Harbour

I love busy Newcastle Harbour. It’s Australia’s oldest export port and one of the country’s
largest tonnage throughput ports. Freighters carry bulk cargoes of coal, grains, vegetable oils,
alumina, fertiliser and ore concentrates.
Newcastle, shared by ships freighters and recreational vessels, is a compulsory pilotage port
(about 80% of pilots embark and disembark by helicopter here). The ship pilots navigate marine vessels
into or out of harbours, sounds, straits, bays, rivers, or lakes, setting the ship’s course to avoid
hazardous conditions and boat traffic.
A huge responsibility – but looking at amazing sunrises and sunsets from high on the bridge,
interacting with the supporting tugboats, and swinging a huge structure smoothly into
a berth would be a very satisfying experience!

Navigating the Port 2019. Oil on birch panel, 15 x 27cm. Private commission.