Celebrate History Week by uncovering local tales to treasure, thanks to Wollongong City Libraries and Helensburgh Historical Society.

Discover local stories

By Local Studies librarian Jo Oliver

“From the Ground Up” is the theme for History Week, 4-12 September.

The local land has been a place of deep connection for Aboriginal people, a source of industrial wealth and prime real estate.

You can learn about all these aspects of our local history through the online resources of Wollongong Libraries Local Studies Collection.

You can look at past and present maps of the area, images, listen to oral histories, read about the history of your suburb, explore your family history.

Everyone has a story

History Week marks the launch of ‘Aboriginal Community Members Stories’, a new section in Illawarra Stories, the libraries’ oral history project.

The cultural boundaries of the local Aboriginal community extend beyond the Wollongong LGA. People have connections to La Perouse, the south coast of NSW and other places in Australia.

With libraries closed, our Croker Island exhibition has been put on pause, but you can now watch the documentary for free, from home! Croker Island Exodus is a documentary based on the journey that 95 Aboriginal children undertook to escape the threat of WWII before settling in Otford. Learn more about this important time in local history by viewing the documentary.

Many thanks to the filmmakers for allowing us to bring this documentary to you.

Delve into your ancestry

During the current lockdown the library’s subscriptions to Ancestry.com and Find My Past can be used from home through the library website for free.

History comp for kids

For primary school students, the Local History Prize is open for entries. This is a great activity for children studying from home or teachers to make as an online class activity. Students chose an image from the library catalogue of a place that is special to them, then photograph or draw what it looks like now, research its history and write about how they imagine its future. 

There is prize money to win for the student and their school. The closing date is 17 September.

Visit www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/library/explore-our-past/local-history-prize 

Land values

Much of the Illawarra’s wealth has come from the ground. The photo below shows Coalcliff Colliery and jetty circa 1910. The photo was taken by Wensemius, hand-coloured and printed as a postcard. 

Land in the Northern Illawarra is still the source of riches. When these subdivision maps were produced, who would have thought the prices would now be in the millions of dollars? 

High-resolution copies of these map posters can be downloaded from the library catalogue. Search ‘suburb name’ subdivision.

Read the new book

Author Dr Lorraine Jones gives us a glimpse inside her new book, The Decade After World War II in Helensburgh, Otford, Stanwell Park, Stanwell Tops, Coalcliff and Darkes Forest. 

This publication is a sequel to Civilian Life During World War II. It takes the reader from the end of WWII into the modern era of industrialisation and the production and use of consumer goods within Australia. What an exciting time. Full work for all! No youth unemployment! There were advertisements in the local newspaper offering apprenticeships and work for 15-year-olds
leaving school. 

The need for workers was so great that Arthur Caldwell, the federal politician, introduced the migration scheme in 1947. This scheme saw British and European migrants move into Helensburgh and Stanwell Park. The Nissen Huts (igloos), which formerly lined Walker Street, were used to provide housing for these New Australians. The teacher at Stanwell Park School set up English classes at night for the newcomers.

The clothing factory in Helensburgh provided work for the local women. Mushroom farming was established in disused railway tunnels. 

Coal miners strikes caused major disruption of people’s lives throughout the East Coast. The women in Helensburgh and down the coast compensated for the hardship from the strike by setting up soccer competitions, which continued for about three years.

These and more exciting stories are contained in this easily readable book. It is lavishly illustrated with over 100 local photographs. The book will entertain you during these troubled times.

Buy the book

The Decade After World War II is published by Helensburgh and District Historical Society, available now for $15 (plus P&P) by Paypal on the merchandise tab of our website or email info@historichelensburgh.org.au or contact Jan on 0418 681 384 for local pick-up or postal sales.

Join the Historical Society

By Helensburgh and District Historical Society vice-president Dr Lorraine Jones

The Helensburgh and District Historical Society was formed in 1979. It is now 42 years old. 

Over the years, the society has done extensive research and published many books on a diverse range of historical topics. It has developed a pioneer register of early settlers in the area. A detailed book of all the local men who served in the First World War – Our Boys Not Forgotten – provides individual details of these brave men.

Books by Michael Adams cover such topics as the settlement of Stanwell Park (Little Bulli). His most recent book, The Big History of Little Stanwell Park, is a detailed history of the area up to the end of 2018, including geology and Aboriginal history.

A history of Helensburgh was published for its centenary. We have also marked the centenaries of the Metropolitan Coal Mine, Helensburgh Railway Station and Stanwell Park Public School. 

Jesus Light and Power Company, The History of Helensburgh & Stanwell Park Anglican Churches celebrates 130 years of ministry in 2022.

An important publication in 2019 was a history of the 1919 influenza epidemic in Helensburgh. An epidemiologist sent this publication to various major centres, such as Harvard, as it contained hard-to-obtain details of that epidemic. It has sold out. 

A series of books on Helensburgh district pioneers are available – Dr Frederick Cox, Mine Doctor; The Gill Family of Helensburgh; George Rickett, Master Builder (revised edition). Coming soon is a book about sawmill owner James Foster called Timber Rolled Out and Money Rolled In.

The society’s most recent publication is The Decade After World War II, a sequel to Civilian Life During World War II.

A thoroughly enjoyable production is Stanwell Park the Gem of the Australian Coast. This was a 35mm film from 1913 advertising land for sale at Stanwell Park. It was donated to the Historical Society by Warren Halloran. It has been remastered and made into a DVD. It shows a family in clothing of the era getting into a car and driving to the railway station to catch the steam train to Stanwell Park. There they explore the area. A staged beach rescue by a woman life saver, wearing the life-saving belt, is of interest as women in real life were not allowed to do this until the 1980s. This DVD can be bought from the society for $15.

Let us hope the society continues to flourish into the future. 

The Historical Society has a Facebook page and a website where you can order merchandise. We welcome new members – only $10 per year for emailed newsletters or $15 for posted newsletters. 

Email info@historichelensburgh.org.au or contact Jan on 0418 681 384.