Shipwreck at Stockton

Shipwreck at Stockton, painted in oils, is of a particular scene at the seawall at Stockton in Newcastle, NSW. The work is situated at the site of more than one actual shipwreck. Many ships were wrecked during difficult weather conditions whilst trying to navigate the mouth of the Hunter River, now a working harbour in Newcastle. There are four major elements of the painting: the stormy sky, the harbour at sunset, the rocks, and the rusted wreckage of Adolphe, a ship destroyed at the spot 120 years ago. The Adolphe foundered when it was torn away from a tug in heavy seas. The entire crew was rescued, but the smashed remains of the vessel joined the many other shipwrecks at the rocky site of what used to be called Oyster Bank.Rain-filled skies and fierce winds are almost typical lately. Not only do the shipwrecks remind us of the ravages of the weather, but also of other wreckage such as the beach at Stockton and other natural harbourside landmarks, damage clearly due to the climate changing. The change is a sad legacy of human-led development. In the painting, the final word is in the stormy sky. There seems to be a faint (accidental) outline of a clipper in the clouds, suggesting a pantheon of ghostly memories that populate this working harbour.