Squatters were tough at Rocky Point – By John ‘Stinker’ CLARKE Opinion Property/Sports/Opinion - popup ad by News Of The Area - Modern Media - July 18, 2023July 18, 2023 Ron was given a 1928 Chevy when his father came to visit and hit a tree. The car was abandoned in the bush for Ron to repair. THE 1950s were wild times at Rocky Point with a gathering of squatters, from far and wide, forming a scattered community among the trees. The squatters eked out an existence any way they could by fishing, lobstering, farming and gathering shell grit for the chicken farmers. The pioneering spirit in the area was typified by young couple Ron and Adele McLean, who moved into a humble shack at Rocky Point on an acreage owned by Charles and Nettie Diemar. As could be imagined, living at Rocky Point was rough, no house, no road, no electricity or running water. While at Rocky Point, Ron worked on a small boat to trap the surrounding reefs and headlands for lobsters. Wife Adele worked cutting sticks to make lobster pots and lifting heavy traps with kids at her feet. Ron was fortunate to be gifted a 1928 Chevy which was abandoned in the bush. When repaired, the car enabled him to travel to collect vines to make traps and gather rocks for ballast to hold the traps against the sea. Having saved £300 in an envelope the young family left the isolation of Rocky Point and settled in Nelson Bay. By John ‘Stinker’ CLARKE Ron ‘Clanka’ Mclean was a master fisherman and lobsterman in Port Stephens who later moved into trawling before heading north to catch prawns in Queensland.
