Tranmere and
Clarence Plains
Land and Coast Care

5. Site of "The Nutshell"

This site, a little way down Droughty Point Road, on the right, was owned by Mabel Hookey, 1871-1953, of Rokeby House, a prominent journalist and a prolific painter. It is believed that she provided the small weatherboard cottage on it as a studio for her artist friends when they visited Rokeby - in 1925, a 'country visit'! Later it became part of Mary Ann and John Britton's farm, the rest being accessed by a small wooden bridge across the Rivulet. Tragically Mary Ann was one of the victims of the bushfires of February 1967 when she was trapped in the burning cottage.

​

Now Crown land, a memorial seat will be constructed here by TAFE students. This will include part of the fabric of the long fallen down Brown Cow Inn, built c.1820, further down the Rivulet. Crews from sailing ships moored in Ralphs Bay would row up to the Inn on the bank - perhaps for a tot of rum, or a bit of fun!