George Bass and Matthew Flinders’ adventures exploring the coast south of Sydney are well known.
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But for Thirroul artist and illustrator Christine Hill, illustrating the explorers’ exploits along the coast from Sydney to Lake Illawarra and back on the little boat Tom Thumb II, paints the true picture.
“My paintings show the adventures at the actual locations Matthew Flinders described in his logbook – these included Towradgi Beach, Lake Illawarra and Wattamolla,’’ Hill said.
“I was able to visit and sketch the scene, as well as having access to lots of local historic material and a replica of the boat.’’
These paintings are featured in her self-published book The Journey of Tom Thumb II – Bass and Flinders explore the Illawarra Coast, March 1796.
The book re-tells the week in March 1796 when Bass and Flinders set out from Port Jackson hoping to locate a river Henry Hacking had described as being ‘’beyond the George River’’, but the coastal current quickly took them too fast and too far south.
In the small wooden boat, probably sixteen feet (4.9m) long with a beam of five feet (1.8m) they had named Tom Thumb II, they sailed as far as Canoe Inlet in Lake Illawarra.
On their return voyage, on Monday, March 28, after rowing against a strong headwind, they took shelter on a small beach fronted by a reef at what is now Bellambi.
“Everyone has heard the Bass and Flinders’ story but through my research it became apparent that there weren’t any illustrations of the story which feature the locations where events took place,’’ Hill said.
“As I live in the area I was able to visit each place and have come up with a series of a dozen paintings telling the story in the actual places as Flinders recorded in his log of journey.’’
She will exhibit the paintings at Clifton School of Arts (CSA ) from Saturday, September 10 to Sunday, September 18.
“CSA, which has a beautiful light-filled hall, is the perfect place for the exhibition when you consider Bass and Flinders sailed right past the wide blue ocean just below,’’ Hill said. Visit www.christine-hill.com for details.