Nobbys Head

Nobbys Head (Aboriginal and dual name: Whibayganba[1][4]) is a headland located on the southern entrance to Newcastle Harbour, New South Wales, Australia.

[11] Captain James Wallis proposed to Governor Lachlan Macquarie the need for a causeway or land bridge across the channel to link Nobbys to the mainland.

[12] On 12 June 1846 Mr Scott, the clerk of work was the first person to walk the length of the Breakwater to Nobby's Island.

[12] The location of the foundation is unknown but  a modern plaque  was placed in 2010 where people believed it was  to mark the Macquarie 2010 celebrations.

[14] On 13 August 2013 with funding from the New South Wales government geophysicist from GBG Australia began a subsurface investigation using ground penetrating radar and electrical resistivity located the buried structure.

[15]· Port Authority will spend $3 million to widened the pathway added sandstone seating, fencing and heritage feature along 900 m route.

Nobbys Head was first sighted by Europeans on 10 May 1770 by Captain James Cook from the ship Endeavour and was described by Cook as:[16]"A small round rock or Island, laying close under the land, bore South 82 degrees West, distance 3 or 4 Leagues".It was not until the discovery of coal by Lt. John Shortland in 1797, that the island was viewed as having any significance.

[6] Governor Macquarie ordered a pier to be built to join Coal island to Collier Point.

Nobby's Island and pier, Newcastle, 23 January 1820 / [watercolour by unknown artist]
Nobbys Head, 1887
Nobbys Head, 1891