Twofold Bay Development League offices

This is the site where the Twofold Bay Development League was formed by John R Logan of Edrom. He was also author of ‘South-Eastern Gate’, a book in which Logan envisaged the creation of a new state to include the Monaro north Gippsland, and from Tathra to Wagga Wagga its port being Twofold Bay.

Other members of the league included – Mr Hardy of Wagga Wagga, Mr Watt of Orbost, Mr Lynn (Gippsland member), Mr Und of Bairnsdale, and Alfred Wright of Delegate. Local members included – L.F.Diversi, W N Stone, W T Hall, G A Strickland, A Becus, G Gow, R Nixon, J Turnbull, J Drayson, G R Phillipps and W N (Steele) Rudd.

They sought to create dams for electrical purpose, their efforts foreshadowing the Snowy River Hydro Scheme. Logan personally organized power driven electrical services from the rear of these premises to light the streets and some of major buildings of Eden. Plans to have a railway to this port were consistently denied, as was the creation of an Australian owned paper mill at Twofold Bay, utilizing the poorer quality timber. This site at various times also housed Eden’s first ambulance, a district nurse, baby health centre, girl guides and a boys club meeting rooms, a billiard saloon and barbers, then ‘The Imlay Furnishings Store. Premises are currently ‘Eden Homemakers Centre’.

The window on the right advertises the first home of Old Tom’s skeleton. It was John Logan who instigated the preservation of Old Tom’s skeleton when his body was found in Twofold Bay in 1930, and a permanent place for the town to showcase the story of the killer whales of Eden. Admission fees to see Tom’s skeleton here at the headquarters of the Twofold Bay Development League went towards building the museum, which opened on the present site in 1938. It was also the site of Logan’s power plant that provided electricity for homes, businesses and street lights in Eden.