If there are two things that I always make time for whenever I am in Sydney, one is the Hawkesbury River and the other are the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Of course, the former exists up north between Manly and Newcastle while the latter sits below downtown Sydney near Mascot, Coogee, and Redfern. Where the twain shall meet is on Dangar Island, a small residential island in the middle of the Hawkesbury River near the town of Brooklyn, about 75 km north of Sydney. But what would a small, idyllic island in one of Australia’s most beautiful bush areas have to do with the Rabbitohs? Well, that’s what this story is all about.
Being a Souths fan from America has introduced me to motley assortment of the coolest and kindest sports fans around. One fan in particular was David Reynolds, a lifelong fan from Dangar Island in the Hawkesbury River. After my first Rabbitohs game in 2013, a fan named David uploaded a photo of his fishing boat to my Facebook page that had a giant Souths decal on it. It was easily on of the most Australian things that I had ever laid eyes upon: a tinnie with a Rabbitohs logo on the hull! If it was dragged ashore in drydock underneath a hills hoist while filled with empty cans of VB and Tooheys, you’d have the ultimate Australian tableau! If I had a boat, granted it would be a mini-speedboat, I would have a giant Souths logo on it! Alas, I would have to wait two years to meet this wannabe oyster farmer.
On September 7, 2015, I headed out on a train bound for Newcastle, stopping at the Hawkesbury River station. Midway through the journey, Dave joined me in Hornsby; he had just come back from doing some grocery shopping. As we sat on the train awaiting our stop, we talked back and forth about, what else, the Rabbitohs! We had actually met previously at a bar near Allianz Stadium where we agreed on meeting for a day of exploring the place where Oyster Farmer was shot. Now that we were on the train, our day of Rabbitohs and river cruising would begin!
Once we arrived, David and I loaded our gear into his boat. There was a black, rabbit logo in the boat and it was undoubtedly his. After gassing up the bunny boat, we set sail (figuratively) for Dangar Island.
TO BE CONTINUED…
NEXT TIME: David and I go on a walkabout through Dangar Island. If you’re a Souths fan, you’re gonna love the next part!
Hi Jared
Yes I know it is lovely at Danger Island, we had homes in Mullet Creek, Wondabyne, it was also used for the Oyster Farmer movie, you should get David to take you there not very far, it is the end of the Hawkesbury going to Woy Woy the train station is only one carriage long then it is all by boat