THE CATLINS: Cannibal Bay
CANNIBAL BAY. THE CATLINS.
(Named following the discovery of human bones in the sand hills.)
Accessing the beach from the north, via Cannibal Bay Road, a reeded area was noted at the end of the sand dunes. MAS located two adjacent 47m x 11m junks within stone walled harbours. (46d, 27`, 50S, -169d, 45`,30E) Further investigation around the reeded area is required – this is most likely the harbour from which the creek was navigated into the hinterland to exploit the mineral wealth.
At 46d, 28`, 29S, -169d, 45`, 07E, at the edge of the beach, cut out of the sand dunes, a stone covered area was clearly visible, MAS indicated the presence of a 40m x 30m walled set of three barrack blocks. Maori are thought to have occupied this site. As the structures are clearly not Maori, presumably they vanquished the previous occupants of the site, whose fate is recorded by the name of the bay. Adjacent to the site, MAS indicated the outline of a stone walled harbour, still occupied by a 47m x 11m Junk with its anchors out.
