In conjunction with the launch on Monday 14 October, a photographic exhibition titled “Unearthed Echoes” by local photographer Jen Newman, showcased the remnants of the World War II artefacts used in the book.

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These are still present on the Tomaree peninsula.

A large gathering of local residents including members of the Port Stephens Historical Society, Nelson Bay RSL and Port Stephens Council were in attendance, with the event facilitated by the Tomaree Headland Heritage Group.

Emcee Chris Muir introduced guest speaker Dr Peter Hobbins from the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney.

“Australia’s fundamental concern in the late 1930s was Japanese forces landing at Port Stephens and driving on to the key industrial targets in Newcastle”, he said.

“They could only land that amphibious assault in the context of local air, land and sea superiority”.

Dr Hobbins went on to describe how the Australian Government prioritised Newcastle and Port Stephens coastal defences.

“Judy’s done us an enormous service in documenting, illustrating, explaining and storing how Port Stephens responded to the challenge of the national crisis during World War Two”.

Judy said “Paradise Interrupted” had been a very long gestation of four years.

“In that time it has gone through many iterations of title, content and cover page,” she said.

“When the announcement was made that Tomaree Lodge was to close, the Tomaree Headland Heritage Group recognised the need to document the many remaining World War Two relics on the Headland, the information for which was now scattered across Australia and the United States.

“Some… were in formally Top Secret files, many of which were hundreds of pages in length.

“We successfully applied for a grant to collect these documents to form a digital database, which was used to create an easier publication to inform the community and consultants for future reference.

“I found that the information unfolding was intriguing, my appetite was whetted, and I put my hand up to help out.”

“Paradise Interrupted” documents the monumental task of the creation of the coastal defence facilities in such a short period and details the roles of the personnel who served and trained in Port Stephens and who played such a vital part in World War II.

Judy’s book can be purchased at the Visitors Centre in Nelson Bay where Jen Newman’s photographic exhibition ‘Unearthed Echoes’ will also be on display until 3 November.

By Simon EKINS