© 2018 Greg & Sylvia RAY

Maritime and shipping

Read more about the article The sailing ship Lawhill at Newcastle in 1944
Lawhill off the coast of Newcastle, NSW, 1944

The sailing ship Lawhill at Newcastle in 1944

On September 9, 1944, when the veteran four-masted barque Lawhill arrived at Newcastle, NSW, on a trading visit, the city must have responded with excitement. With the world still at war - although by now it was clear the Allies were on the front foot in both Europe against Germany and the Pacific against Japan - the appearance of a big sailing ship would have taken the minds of old-timers back to their youth, when such vessels were regular visitors in the busy harbour. Younger people would have realised too, that this was likely to be…

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Read more about the article Carrington Slipways and the Laverick family
A young Jack Laverick (left), the launch of Aurora Australis and Don Laverick (right)

Carrington Slipways and the Laverick family

During the 1970s the Newcastle firm of Carrington Slipways was seen as part of the strong backbone of NSW industry. Over some decades the firm, founded and owned by the Laverick family, had invested in excellent ship-building and repair facilities and had developed a strong skills base. Carrington Slipways launched about 120 ships of various types before the government wound back protection for the Australian ship-building and repair industry. In its last years, culminating with its closure in 1990, Carrington Slipways campaigned to be part of Australia's big submarine and frigate contracts. These contracts were subject…

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Read more about the article A shopping coupon prize took him to the Titanic
Left to right: Andrew Rogers, Genya Chernaev (pilot) and Roman Sugden. Photo from Andrew Rogers.

A shopping coupon prize took him to the Titanic

When the story of the Titanic submersible disaster broke, my mind instantly went back 20 years to an interview with the first and - up until then at least - only Australian to have visited the wreck of the sunken liner. I had always remembered that interview because of the strange way Andrew Rogers wound up on the trip and because of the story he told about the submersible almost becoming trapped on part of the wreckage. Andrew's Titanic tale began in 1997 when he and his wife Winnie were planning a trip to India. They…

Continue ReadingA shopping coupon prize took him to the Titanic
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