| Historical notes: | Kiama means 'good fishing ground' to the local Aboriginal people (Thorpe, 1940)
District history:
The first recorded reference to the district was by George Bass who anchored his 28ft whale boat in the sheltered bay (now known as Kiama Harbour) in December 1797. Cedar getters were the first to the area, among those was David Smith, who became the first permanent white settler when he built a residence in Kiama in 1832 (Graham, 2016, 6).
District history:
The first recorded reference to the district was by George Bass who anchored his 28ft whaleboat in the sheltered bay (now known as Kiama Harbour) in December 1797.
In the years following 1797 Black Beach provided the main landing place for the first cedar-cutters and settlers. Sailing boats would anchor in the relatively well-protected cove while colonists and supplies would be rowed ashore by open boats. In the ensuing decades Kiama's thriving timber and dairy industries put great strain on the limited cargo and mooring facilities in the cove (Dillon, 1991).
The growth and development of Kiama began with cedar-cutting and was linked to the growth and development of the Colony as a whole. Sea transport became of major importance to the district as vessels under sail and later steam, crowded into the Robertson Basin to load timber, later wheat and dairy produce and eventually basalt for shipment to the Sydney markets (HCNSW, 1986, 8).
The site of Kiama Township was reserved by the Government in 1826 and proclaimed in 1836. The township was first surveyed by Robert Hoddle in 1830 and again by Jacques in 1831, and its streets largely laid out around the c.1825 grant to the first settler and cedar getter, David Smith. Initially the town grew up around the road from the harbour to Jamberoo which travelled up the present-day Manning Street and Bong Bong Street but later a lower track through Pikes Hill (now Terralong Street) was cut. The cutting later became the site of a basalt quarry for which Kiama later became better-known (Graham, 2016, 6).
Cedar getters were the first (settlers) to the area, among those was David Smith, who became the first permanent white settler when he built a residence in Kiama in 1832.
The sheltered cove at Kiama became the principal shipping port for the cut cedar. From the 1820s, six or more coastal trading ships would anchor at any one time awaiting their precious cargoes. The early port was described as a 'tolerable good boat harbour from which nine-tenths of the cedar brought to Sydney is shipped' (Dillon, 1991).
Following the cedar cutting came dairying, which quickly flourished into the staple industry of the region. So successful was this rural activity that a new breed of dairy cow, the Illawarra shorthorn, was developed on these productive pastures (ibid, 1991),
By 1848 the town had two inns, a post office, 2 stores, a church and 18 permanent houses. In 1849 a train linking hte quarry and harbour was built down along Terralong Street and a new jetty relocated to here (ibid, 2016, 6).
Kiama was proclaimed a Municipality in 1859.
Local petitions requesting a general upgrading of harbour facilities were presented to the Colonial Government as early as 1864. Thirteen years later the constructed basin and dockside were completed and named Robertson Basin in honour of the then Colonial Secretary. The upgrading of the harbour was timely as in subsequent years, with the export of newly-quarried basalt, there was a massive increase in coastal shipping. Horse-drawn drays were initially used to transport the stone from the quarry to the loading hoppers at the wharfside (ibid, 1991).
In the 1870s the dairying industry was supplemented by basalt (blue metal) quarrying, now one of the district's major income earners alongside tourism. The state's ever-expanding tram, road and rail network needed vast amounts of basalt, both crushed and in natural cube form (ibid, 1991).
Shortly after 1880 a new road running out of Bombo up over the hill was created to link the town centre and Terralong Street to the relocated jetty, main quarry site and the soon-to-be-opened railway station at Bombo. This road was to become known as Collins Street and became one of the town's main roads and its northern approach. The train came to Bombo in 1887 and in 1888 an extension to Kiama was started (ibid, 2016, 6).
Kiama became a tourist attraction very early in the course of its development and throughout the Victorian era served as a premier seaside holiday resort. The town's popularity was considerably enhanced when, in 1888, with the opening of the railway, it became more readily accessible from Sydney (HCNSW, 1986, 8).
Kiama Railway station opened in 1893 as part of the first completed stage of the Kiama to Jervis Bay Railway which terminated at Bomaderry (Nowra).
By 1914 the horse-drawn drays (transporting stone to the wharfside) system had been replaced by a steam locomotive tramway running along Terralong Street (Dillon, 1991).
Downtown (Collins Street) history:
Much of this land was bought by William Geoghagen. In 1867 when he bought his first parcel his occupation was given as wharfinger. He later built the terraces facing Collins Street and sold land to the Temperance Hall, now the Masonic Lodge. It is probable that he built No.5 Collins Lane in the 1880s as his home.
The oldest building of the group is the Masonic Temple (1870s).
Nos 42-44 Collins Street was built in the late 1870s to house quarry workers. The terrace No.s 24-40 Collins Street was built in stages during the 1880s. No. 24 was originally an inn, with 26 the inn-keeper's residence; No.s 28-38 housed quarry workers, and No. 40 was originally a post office.
The stone crushing industry began in Kiama in 1871 and by 1880 the Bombo quarry (north of Kiama) was operating.
The Depression and World War II caused the decline and closure of most of the quarries (NTA (NSW) Precinct Classification card, 1984).
South Coast Supply System.
The Metropolitan Water Supply & Drainage Board initially used water from the Cordeaux River, the nearest of the Upper Nepean tributaries to supply the South Coast, Wollongong and its suburbs. A series of dams were constructed on the Cordeaux River, the principal dams being completed in 1903, 1915 and 1926 respectively.
Because of the height of the ridge (O'Briens Gap) above the coastal area, pressure in the trunk main was too high to be directly connected to reticulation mains. The pressure was broken down by the construction of 5 service reservoirs at the highest points on the coastal plain.
The initial supply scheme from the Cordeaux River to Wollongong was constructed by the NSW Department of Public Works in 1902-1903. It was transferred to the MWS&DB in 1903. The second major stage of development occurred in 1909 with extension to Port Kembla and Unanderra. The third stage of expansion was completed in 1915 with water supplied to Figtree, Mount Kembla, Kembla Heights, Mount Keira, Keiraville and town to the north of Wollongong, namely Balgownie, Corrimal, Bellambi, Russell Vale, Woonoona, Bulli, Thirroul, Austinmer, Coledale, Scarborough and Clifton. The extensions of supply to Dapto in 1920 and to Mount Drummond (now Mangerton), Tarrawanna, Reidtown, Fern Hill and Fairy Meadow, all in 1922, were supplementary to the third stage of expansion.
Since that date, expansion has occurred in all of the South Coast water supply, although Kiama and Jamberoo, and other southern areas were not connected to the Avon supply until after 1961. In the 1960s, supply was made available from Avon Dam, this dam being originally completed in 1928. Water is now supplied from Avon Dam, via filtration plant, to Mount Keira, Berkeley and Dapto, from whence all other reservoirs receive their supply.
Kiama Reservoir (WS 232).
This reservoir was not incorporated into the South Coast or Illawarra Region water supply until after 1961. |