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This extract is taken from Australia Visited and Revisited. A Narrative of Recent Travels and Old Experiences in Victoria and New South Wales, by Samuel Mossman and Thomas Bannister, Addey and Co., London, 1853.
pp. 269-275.
“To Wollongong from Appin there are three roads: first, the old one by Jordan’s Creek; second, the old Bulli road; and third, the Richmond new line. We took the first road, as it commenced nearest to the town, passing by several farms on the way, where much had been done in the shape of improvements. Passing along for several miles over a rough country, we arrived at Jordan’s Creek, the descent to which is not difficult; and the ascent from it more so, and not free from danger. It might be possible to get a light cart across the ravine by the assistance of manual labour; but a dray with horses or bullocks it would be impossible to get over safely. At times the water rushes down in a mountain-torrent through its rocky channel, when neither man nor beast can cross. The sides of this stream are very rugged and precipitous; and its waters, clear, sweet, and most refreshing. From this creek for nearly twenty miles the road is over a barren and mountainous country, leading you to Mount Keera [Mount Keira], which overlooks the famed district of Illawarra, distinguished among the other districts of the colony by the appropriate term of the ‘Garden of New South Wales.’
“From this eminence you command a magnificent prospect of the Illawarra country. This district - sometimes called the Five Islands, from a group of islets off the coast - is a truly beautiful, picturesque tract of land, containing 150,000 acres, measuring about eighteen miles along the coast, and extending several miles back, where it is bounded by the Illawarra range of mountains. This range is formed of stupendous mural precipices trending north and south parallel with the coast-line, and rising into high table-land to the westward. Of the northern section of the district you have a commanding prospect as far as the eye can reach from the spot where the view first bursts upon you.
“Mount Keera [Mount Keira] is 1500 feet above the level of the sea, and Illawarra lies at its base; therefore the road which winds down the mountain-side is pretty steep in descending. As you proceed, the change from sterility in the vegetation to the greatest luxuriance is very remarkable. In a few minutes almost you are transported from a barren wilderness to green and luxuriant groves; and water, of which we could not find a drop from the time we left the Jordan until we reached Mount Keera [Mount Keira], was here found near its summit in a trickling stream. The country we had traversed between was a sterile region of sand, on which alone grew dwarf Bottle-brush (Banksia ericifolia), stunted gum-trees (Eucalyptus obliqua), and occasionally small tufts of the dry yet beautiful heaths of Australia (Epacris impressa and E. speciosissima), with a few specimens of what is called the native pear-tree of New Holland, from the exact shape its seed-vessel bears to that fruit, only it is inserted on the stalk the reverse way. Here, at every step, on descending the mountain towards Wollongong, the trees are of great magnitude, consisting of the box, the turpentine, and the fig-tree (Ficus Australis). The wattle-tree (Acacia dealbata) also scented the air with its yellow blossoms as we brushed past them; and the tall and slender cabbage-palms (Corypha Australis) were gracefully festooned by the vines and creepers which entwined their stems. As we looked down on the dense masses of foliage which grew in these ‘scrubs,’ we were reminded of a tropical forest’s vegetation; and the idea was heightened by the palm-like fronds of the arborescent fern-trees (Dicksonia antarctica), and the giant trunks of the magnificent gum-trees (Eucalypti). These were all clustered together in dense thickets, which the rays of the sun could but feebly penetrate. In places where the sun-light had shone upon the earth from the falling of timber, or where it was cleared by fire, the most luxuriant grass had sprung up.
“Directing your attention from these objects to the distant scenery as you descend, it is very striking, most romantic and interesting, - so different from any thing we had seen before in New South Wales or Victoria. On your right Mount Keebla [Mount Kembla] rises magnificently, and towers above the range of mountains to the west; before you, on the plains below, commence the fertile lands of Illawarra; and on your left, to the eastward, is the boundless Pacific Ocean, studded with the Five Islands a short distance from the shore. At the time we descended Mount Keera [Mount Keira] it was in some respects unfortunate for us that the weather was hazy, with heavy, threatening clouds hanging over the mountains, - at the same time they threw a grander aspect over the whole scene.
“As you continue to descend you find that cultivation has gradually crept up Mount Keera [Mount Keira], and then you come to patches of the most luxuriant Indian corn. From the aspect of this mount we are of opinion that it would grow excellent grapes for wine and raisins. We were informed that coal had been found at its base of sufficiently good quality to fetch a fair remunerating price in the Sydney market. Arriving at the foot of the mountain, if you are proceeding to Wollongong, you must turn to the left: that place, however was not yet our destination; we were on our way to Dapto, a small inland village to the south-west. Lake Illawarra is between this place and the sea; it is not deep, but it abounds in fish, - and they are said to be very fine when in season. There is the mullet, the bream, blackfish, whiting, schnapper, flathead, tailor-fish, guard-fish, jew-fish, and some others. In the tributary creeks to the lake - which are very numerous - there are abundance of eels and small fish. From the turning off at the road which led down from the mountain, we passed through a cultivated enclosed country for seven miles. Good roads, good bridges - one of them an excellent one - good houses, in fact, every thing you saw had the appearance of there being plenty in the land, and there was an expression of content in every face we passed.
“Before we could get under shelter at our destination the rain fell in torrents the clouds, which had looked so threatening all the afternoon, now burst over the district. We were informed that these rains are of frequent occurrence; and to them, no doubt, is to be attributed the great fertility of the land we saw around us. Night had set in as we arrived at Dapto, where we took up our quarters at the hostelry [ The Illawarra Hotel] of Mr. Brown, under whose roof the traveller is certain to meet with the best accommodation. The inn is situated on Mullet Creek, which derives its name from the abundance and goodness of that fish caught in its waters. We were informed by Mr. Brown that his house was thirty miles from Appin; which added to the twenty miles from Narellan to that town, from whence we had started in the morning, made our day’s journey fifty miles, - which is considered good travelling over such a mountainous country. But we must inform the reader that it was our good fortune to meet with an Illawarra farmer, Mr. Evan Evans - a native of Devonshire, a very intelligent, and, we heard, a successful man - who accompanied us from there; and travelling with one so accustomed to the road, we escaped all difficulty in finding our way over the ranges. Fatigued, wet, and hungry, we required refreshment and rest; so after taking what was necessary for the inner man, we soon retired for the night, and slept, as only travellers can sleep, until morning.
“Partaking of an early breakfast, we proceeded on our journey throught the district. Four miles from Dapto, not far from Terry’s River [Terry’s Meadows, named after Samuel Terry, was the original name for Albion Park] we turned off the road to visit Mr. Evans’ farm. Passing through good enclosures, we saw plenty of fat cattle and milch cows; and although the buildings were none of the most elegant, yet the thatching was very neat; in fact, every thing around, though rough, shewed substance and prosperity. The property, we understood from him was not his own; and this circumstance was very probably the reason of the homestead being but that of a rough working farmer, such as is seen in some parts of the Weald of Sussex, where they look more to utility than ornament. However, he was building a better residence and premises on his own ground, on the opposite side of the road, nearer the mountains, where the land, he told us, was of richer quality still.
“In an hour we returned to the road along a different path; and after fording Terry’s River, we ascended a high and steep hill. Surmounting this, the road leads over a succession of hills, with here and there some commencement of cultivation. These hills are covered with the same luxuriant vegetation as that seen on the eastern flank of Mount Keera [Mount Keira]; the timber is of the same gigantic growth; and the ravines and valleys display the same beautiful flowering shrubs; while the soil is equally good; and wherever cultivation had begun, there were great promises of an abundant crop. This description of country continues until you enter upon the low ands again, after travelling twelve miles from Dapto, where you descend into a valley watered by the Minumurra Creek [Minnamurra River], on the banks of which is situated the township of Jamberoo. This valley is a very pretty spot; and not only does it measure a considerable breadth of arable land, but the surrounding hills are covered with a fertile soil, all more or less enclosed and under cultivation. At the bottom of the valley there is an extensive swamp, said to contain more than two thousand acres, which in the dry season is covered with nutritious verdure, attracting the cattle far and near to it. From the inquiries we made, we do not hesitate to give an opinion that this marsh land could be drained, there being a fall of some few feet. Once reclaimed, it would be as fine an agricultural property, for its extent, as any in New South Wales. We saw that European grasses and clovers thrive very well in this humid district, and the cattle depasturing on them were in the finest condition.
“Notwithstanding the heavy rain which continued to fall, we made no stay at Jamberoo, but proceeded over the hills to the township of Kiama, eight miles distant in an easterly direction, on the sea-coast. These hills have been broken up into farms in every direction; and the country is cleared of timber to a great extent, shewing its undulating character. When you reach the highest part of them, you command a view of what appears not unlike a lake at the end of a valley; but on nearer approach, you find it to be the little bay of Kiama, where small coasting-vessels find an anchorage; though it is far from safe, being open to the north-east. The town of Kiama is on this bay, eighty-eight miles from Sydney, and very beautifully situated. It is a rising place, surrounded by land of the finest quality, to the water’s edge and the scenery of the country behind strikingly picturesque. And now that there is a small steamboat to touch at it from Sydney, it may become a place of resort for those who seek relief from illness, or repose from the toils of business. The climate is peculiarly mild for a winter residence, if we may judge from the great height to which the Australian palm-tree grows; and the ranges towards the west promise shelter from the hot winds of the Australian summer, from which it is difficult to escape.
“Leaving Kiama, we journeyed onwards due south, intending, if possible, to reach Coolangatta, the residence of Mr. Berry, distant sixteen miles, before night. The road was very bad, and cut up by the heavy rain, which still fell: on your left is the sea, and on your right the country is hilly. It is pleasing to pass the number of small farms you see on either side of the road; the possessors of them appear independent men, made so by being industrious, and expending their labour upon a fertile soil. Many of them had horses and cattle, beside their farm-steadings; and those who had been any length of time on the land possessed all that was useful and comfortable in conducting the operations of a dairy-farm. About four miles on the way you come to an extensive flat covered with the most verdant pasture; formerly it was a swamp, and at times overflowed with water. No one thought of reclaiming it, until fortune brought a Mr. Richard Millar there; he saw that something could be made of it he drained it; and now it is the richest of pasture-lands, supporting many cows for his extensive dairy, and fattening a number of oxen, which he sends to the Sydney market. The rain still falling heavily, and our destination nearly twelve miles off, we reached within two miles a part of a road where you have to travel along the sea-beach[Seven Mile Beach], and were told that the tide was unfavourable for us to proceed; so we made the best of it, and accepted the invitation of a small farmer to remain for the night under shelter of his hut. He is a tenant under the landowner, on a clearing lease; a system that has been acted upon with success by many landed proprietors in the district of Illawarra. The house was a poor tenement, but its inmates were rich in kindness they gave us what they had with welcome, and we were thankful. His name is John Stapleton of Geringong [Gerringong].”
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