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Local Area Names

Historical Timeline

 

Our Local Area Names - their origin

See Wollongong City Reference Library - Place Names for more information about the origin of local place names.

Albion Park	Owes its origins to the early land grants - Samuel Terry was given an early land grant (2,000 acres known as Terry Meadows). John Terry Hughes took over the land in the 1840's & named his estate "Albion Park" - a reminder of Old England.
Albion Park Rail	With construction of the Illawarra Railway, it was chosen as the most suitable site for a station.
Balarang	an aboriginal word meaning place of swamp oak
Barrack Point	Most likely named after the barracks that may have been used to house the convicts required to work the Wentworth Estate.
Bass Point	Named for George Bass (of Bass & Flinders fame)
Bellambi	an aboriginal word from Beelambi meaning no.
Blackbutt	The common name of the eucalyptus tree that grows in the remnant forest that has been dedicated as a reserve.
Bong Bong	Bong is an aboriginal word meaning swamp, so Bong Bong means much swamp.
Bulli	Original name was Bulla or Bulla Bulla which means two mountains which are Mt Kembla and Mt Keira. Other meanings are white grubs and place where Christmas Bush grows.
Coomaditchy	an Aboriginal word meaning bad water
Corrimal	The name for the adjacent hill. Korrimul who was a dreamtime warrior took another man's wife. When pursued by the husband, Korrimul raced up the mountain and climbed a tall tree. The husband set fire to this tree and flames carried Korrimul up into the sky.
Cringila	aboriginal name for the pipeclay which the aborigines decorated themselves before a corroboree or fighting expedition
Croom	Name given to Isabelle Croker's land grant.
Dapto	an aboriginal word either from "Dabpeto" meaning "water plenty", or from "tap-toe" which described the way a lame aboriginal chief walked
Dunmore	Name used by the Fuller family for their home. Annie Fuller came from Dunmore in Ireland.
Horsley	Named after the owner of the land grant, John Horsley.
Illawarra	Adaptation of aboriginal word Elouera or Allowrie which means pleasant place near the sea or high place near the sea or white clay mountain.
Jamberoo	an aboriginal word meaning a track
Kanahooka	named after Kana (King) Hooka, an Aboriginal chief. Kana Hooka was head of the Five Islanders
Kiama	an Aboriginal word with a wide variety of translations including, the place where the sea makes a noise; plenty of food; good fishing ground; fish caught off rocks
Koonawarra	from the aboriginal word gkoonawarra meaning a high point of land with smooth, round stones; swan
Lake Illawarra South	Originally called Lake Settlement in 1926. Shellharbour Council named it Peterborough but this name was already an Australian postal address. Eventually called Lake Illawarra South.
Macquarie Pass	Named in 1878 because it followed the Macquarie Rivulet into the mountains. Named after Governor Lachlan Macquarie.
Minnamurra	an aboriginal word meaning plenty of fish; sharks came in
Mt Keira	an aboriginal name meaning large lagoon or high mountain. The aborigines called the mountain Djera meaning wild turkey
Mt Kembla	an aboriginal word meaning wild game abundant or plenty of game; aborigines called the area jum-bullah or Djembla which means a wallaby
Mt Warrigal	Native Dog Hill - Warrigal means wild dogs or dingoes.
Nareena Hills	an aboriginal word meaning home
Oak Flats	Name dates back to 1860's when it was the cattle run of John Terry Hughes; a descriptive name meaning relatively flat land with many She-oak trees (Casuarinas).
Peterborough	The name of D'Arcy Wentworth's estate of 13,000 acres named after a town in England. Also original name of Shellharbour.
Shellharbour	Name derived from the quantity of shells found there. Original village called Peterborough because it was on Wentworth's estate of the same name. People began calling it Shell Harbour but it was not proclaimed until 1885.
Stoney Range	This ridge & its slopes have very little depth of soil; the basalt rock is close to the surface - lots of stone.
Tallawarra	an aboriginal word meaning slippery place
Thirroul	an aboriginal word meaning valley or hollow
Tongarra	an aboriginal word meaning place of the cabbage trees
Towradgi	an aboriginal word from Kowradgi meaning guardian of sacred stones.
Tullimbah	Name of a local Aboriginal warrior
Unanderra	an aboriginal word meaning the meeting place of creeks or the junction of the two creeks
Warilla	Named by the Progress Association, as a rearrangement of 3 of the syllables of Illawarra.
Warrawong	Two meanings are given for the aboriginal word Warrawong, a whiting and the side of a hill
Windang	an aboriginal word meaning scene of a fight
Wollongong	an aboriginal word from Wollonyuh/Wollonga means sound of the sea; hard ground near the water; sound of the waves.
Wombarra	an aboriginal word meaning black duck
Wongawilli	Wonga is an aboriginal word meaning a native pigeon
Woonona	an aboriginal word meaning the place of young wallabies or run now. Also from wunona meaning sleep.
Yallah	an aboriginal word meaning native apple tree; a nearby lagoon; go away at once

Historical Timeline

	To view historical photographs, see Illawarra Images Illawarra Wollongong Shellharbour Kiama
1770	Captain James Cook explores the east coast of Australia.
1788	Capt. Arthur Phillip arrives at Sydney Cove with the First Fleet.
1797	George Bass, Matthew Flinders & Martin explore the Illawarra in Tom Thumb. They land at Lake Illawarra.
1803	Capt. I. Nicholls brings cattle down into the area.
1810	Capt. I. Nicholls pilots a schooner laden with cedar out of Lake Illawarra.
1817-31	Land Grants issued to:- 1817 Andrew Allan (700 acres) near Albion Park airport; George Johnston (1500 acres) 1821 Samuel Terry (2,000 acres) at Albion Park; David Johnston (600 acres); Davey; Mileham; Horsley at Dapto; W.C.Wentworth at Shellharbour; D.Wentworth at Minnamurra.
1821	First white colonists begin to settle in Illawarra. W.C.Wentworth given rights to cut cedar.
1843	Caroline Chisholm brings 23 families to settle at Shellharbour. First school extablished at Shellharbour.
1850	Boundaries of Wollongong township proclaimed. The Empire is published by Henry Parkes in Kiama.
1851	Bushfires sweep the Bulli district; annual ploughing match at Brown's, Dapto.
1852	New public school opened at Dapto. Jamberoo post office established.
1853	Clerk of Petty Sessions appointed to Kiama.
1854	Site approved for village to be known as Gerringong; Kiama Agricultural Show produced potatoes as large as pumpkins.
1855	Inspection for Wollongong water supply sources takes place behind "Mt Pleasant Range" and "Mt Corrimal". First issue of the Illawarra Mercury published.
1856	An Illawarra steamer takes 4 hours and 50 minutes to go from Sydney to Wollongong; Ashton's Circus plays one night in main Illawarra centres to aid road repair funds.
1857	Meeting held to form Wollongong Cricket Club, 40 enrol.
1858	Magistrates take over new Wollongong Courthouse. Bridge over Macquarie Rivulet built.
1859	Wollongong Municipality proclaimed. Shellharbour Municipal Council constituted. William Wilson - mayor
1861	Steamer Kembla does the first trip to Wollongong in 3 hours and 31 minutes.
1862	At Bulli, Chinese collect, boil, salt and pack (in barrels) mutton fish for Sydney, then China.
1863	First Illawarra steam collier Woniora to be brought out by Captain James Shoobert. Ben Rixon cleared Aboriginal track down escarpment (Macquarie Pass)
1864	Wollongong houses now lit by gas. Schooner Reaper wrecked on Bellambi Beach.
1865	Wooden jetty at Kiama completed.
1866	Wollongong, Kiama & Shoalhaven mail to go by steamer to avoid overland theft.
1867	Public plea for government to build a direct road from the top of Bulli Pass to Georges River and Sydney.
1869	Ongoing campaign for "a bathing place for both sexes".
1870	Wollongong breakwater lighthouse foundations laid in concrete.
1872	Bridge built over Minnamurra River
1873	An Illawarra public meeting resolves the government should build a railway from Shoalhaven to Port Hacking.
1874	NSW Premier Henry Parkes arrives in Wollongong.
1875	Bulli Coal Company's new ship Woonona sails to Melbourne.
1876	Illawarra coal industry pioneer, James Shoobert dies, aged 71; State Parliament rejects Illawarra railway proposal (29-12).
1878	Paddlewheel steamer Illawarra makes its first trip in coastal trade.
1879	Test shipment of butter sent from Wollongong to England in an icehouse on the Chimborazo.
1880	Steam cranes begin to operate at Belmore Basin.
1881	Bulli Court House built; new blue metal quarry opens at Kiama.
1883	Bombo, according to the Kiama Independent, is "now the favourite resort of Sunday afternoon pleasure excursionists".
1884	June 2 - Gas lights Kiama streets for the first time.
1885	World champion oarsman, William Beach, returns to his hometown, Dapto.
1886	Kiama lighthouse lit by gas.
1887	Bulli Mine explodes, killing 81 miners. Railway begins operations; decline of coastal shipping.
1888	Oct 3 - Sydney to Wollongong Railway officially opened; township of Helensburgh officially named.
1889	According to The Mercury, Illawarra railway cars have no windows or shelter at the sides, passengers covered in smoke and ashes.
1890	A 12-car picnic train stalls in Otford tunnel. Second bridge over Minnamurra River constructed.
1891	Trustees improves Gooseberry and Hooka Islands on Lake Illawarra.
1893	Bulli Cottage Hospital opened.
1894	The Mercury describes Wollongong as a "watering place" with scenery unrivaled in NSW and excellent hotels.
1895	Saltworks of Sydney Salt Manufacturing Co. now operates on Long Point, Austinmer. Rock baths constructed at Shellharbour.
1896	Mt Terry Road from Albion Park to Jamberoo deviated and grades eased but Jamberoo grades unchanged; Macquarie Pass badly needed. King Mickey crowned.
1897	Illawarra becomes the first district in Australia to celebrate its centenary.
1898	Macquarie Pass opened; 600 people attend.
1899	Poet & short story writer Henry Lawson visits Bulli while on holiday for his health.
1900	The Mercury is reduced to one penny per copy.
1901	First stone for Port Kembla breakwater tipped.
1906	King Mickey dies
1925	Shellharbour District Surf Life Saving Club formed.
1928	Electricity connected to towns of Shellharbour & Albion Park.
1930	Main roads in Shellharbour area are tar sealed.
1932	Princes Highway constructed from bridge over Macquarie Inlet to Minnamurra Bridge.
1938	Wooden bridge crosses Lake Illawarra at Windang.
1941	Albion Park aerodrome is constructed.
1945	Water main across Windang Bridge to supply Lake South area.
1951	Township of Warilla granted official recognition.
1955	Public water supply from Nepean system is connected at Albion Park & Shellharbour.
1957	Illawarra County Council formed.
1964	Concrete bridge constructed over Minnamurra River
1964	Beach sands mined for rutile & disturbs beach stability.
1971	Sewerage works commence in Shellharbour area
1973	Wooden bridge at Windang replaced by 4 lane concrete structure
1977	Lake Illawarra Management Committee formed.
1980	Blackbutt Reserve dedicated
1982	Shellharbour Square opened Establishment of cycleways commenced in Shellharbour
1996	Jan 1 Shellharbour becomes a city

Adapted from information in All People One Destiny - Mercury Centenary of Federation Special 29/12/2000;

Land Between Two Rivers , Jim Derbyshire & Dianne Allen, Shellharbour Municipal Council, 1984.