Times Gone By: A colourful Coffs character

MACAULEY’S Headland is a well-known landmark in Coffs Harbour, with extensive views over the ocean, its walking tracks and nearby beach.

Its name came from the area’s initial selector, Donald Macauley, who was born in Stornaway, on Lewis and Harris, the largest island in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides archipelago.

Initially, he migrated to Canada then came to Australia about 20 years later and obtained a conditional purchase of 40 acres of land in 1886 which included much of the area east of what is now Richmond Drive, but found the winds so strong when building his slab hut, that he had to place large poles around it to prevent it blowing down. He acquired another two portions of land in 1888 and 1892, which extended his land west to the highway, south to Arthur Street and north to Diggers Beach Road.

He kept cattle but mainly fished for snapper, especially after finding and repairing a whaleboat.

A mast and sail made from corn sacks was used, otherwise Walter and Herbert Jordan rowed as they had a partnership with him. He delivered mail to Upper Orara from Coffs, often running errands for isolated older residents. He also liked rum and at times, when he fell asleep outside the Cricketer’s Arms (now the site of the Coast Hotel), he was placed in his sulky and his horse slapped on the rump to start him off on the homeward journey, everyone agreeing his horse knew the way home better than Donald.

One day when dining at the hotel a small potato lodged in his windpipe, apparently suffocating him.

As an inquest was necessary, Dr Speece from the Bucca Mines was called in and Donald’s body was taken next door to the butcher’s shop.

With a jury present, he was placed on the chopping block for an autopsy, where it was found he had died from a stroke and he was interred in an unmarked grave in the Presbyterian section of the Coffs Harbour Historic Cemetery.

By Karen FILEWOOD