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“THE FIRST EXPEDITION TO THE PIGEON HOUSE.
“Although Captain Cook made so many references to this remarkable peak in 1770, fifty-two years elapsed before the locality was reached by a white man.
“It is not generally known, however, that the Pigeon House was visited by white men before there was any settlement at Ulladulla, Murramarang or Croobyar. In Barron Field’s ‘New South Wales,’ published in 1825, is a paper by Alexander Berry on the Geology of the Coast [Read this Paper], which was read in 1822 before the Philosophical Society of Australia, the first scientific society in Australia and the forerunner of the present Royal Society of New South Wales. This paper makes it clear that in January, 1822, the Pigeon House was ascended by Alexander Berry, Hume, and Thomas Davidson. Alexander Berry, a gentleman of considerable scientific knowledge and attainments, as judged by the educational standard of a century ago, was the founder of the well-known Berry Estate. He mentions being accompanied by Mr. Hume, and this was probably young Hamilton Hume, who, with Hovell, in 1824, made the first overland journey from Lake George to Port Phillip, and who visited Coolangatta after Berry settled there. Hume was born in 1797 and died in 1873.
“Berry’s narrative shows that he arrived at Shoalhaven in January, 1822, in a small vessel which was apparently in charge of Lieutenant Johnston. They were unable to enter the river owing to a chain of breakers across the entrance, but entered ‘the little haven three miles to the southward.’ From this, across an isthmus not two hundred and fifty yards broad, they hauled the boat to examine the river, as Oxley had done in 1819.
“Within about six months a canal had been cut across this land by Berry, being the first canal in Australia. He records that they went up the river more than twenty miles and were stopped by a long rapid. He writes:- ‘At a distance of about eight miles from the sea, the shores of the river become high, and consist of perpendicular sandstone.’
“He mentions calling at Jervis Bay for fresh water, and anchoring under the shelter of Bowen Island, where they readily supplied themselves. They ‘entered with their small boat a small opening beyond the deep bay, south of St. George’s Head, and which extended about five miles in a northerly direction.’ From his further remarks it is that this is Sussex Haven, the narrow channel leading into St. George’s Basin, which he refers to as a large salt lagoon.
“He writes:- ‘The same afternoon we attempted to enter an opening to the north of a point of land, lying nearly east of the Pigeon House, and which was described to us by the natives as the entrance of a river. We were glad, however, to return in safety, without effecting our purpose, after having the boat nearly filled in attempting to cross the bar. After this we proceeded direct to Bateman Bay, which we entered in the evening, and came to anchor late at night under Snapper Island. Next day I proceeded up the river Clyde, in company with Lieutenant Johnston, its discoverer.’
“The stream which they attempted to enter would appear to be Narrawalle Creek, especially in view of statements made by Berry when returning.
“Berry states that they followed the Clyde river to where navigation ceases, and could only proceed a few miles further in the boat at high water; also that ‘the freshwater run comes chiefly from the southward.’ Those who are acquainted with the upper Clyde will at once see that this latter statement is was made under a misapprehension, and it is remarkable that the party finally left the locality without discovering the mistake, although three of them twice crossed the upper portion of the main Clyde near Yadboro, but failed to identify it with the river they had left lower down,
“The paper states that the hills are moderately wooded, chiefly with with gum. ‘Generally the soil is rather barren, and is covered with low ferns, prickly shrubs, and a kind of dwarf palm, called burrawang by the natives.’
“Berry also writes:- ‘At the spot where the river ceases to be navigable (accompanied by Mr. Hume and Thomas Davison), I took a journey of four days into the interior, with a view to examine the country. Generally we found it very hilly, consisting of steep ridges, divided by narrow valleys or rather ravines, very rich and generally well watered, overgrown with fern trees, palms, stately mimosas, and magnificent flooded gums. The sides of the hills are too steep for the plough, but the soil is well adapted to the culture of the vine. We did not find a piece of good pasture or what is called good forest land in the whole district.’
“They appear to have first gone westward, probably crossing Bimberamala Creek, and afterwards to have travelled towards the northern portion of the Budawang Range, for, after commenting upon the slate formation over which they passed, Berry says:- ‘On travelling towards the westward, we found the ridges gradually to ascend, and at length the summits were topt with sandstone.’ The summits in this locality are capped with Devonian quartzite or altered sandstone. They eventually reached ‘a small river ten or twelve miles east of the Pigeon House.’
“The small river referred to is undoubtedly what is now known as Yadboro Creek. He writes:- ‘This river led us to the foot of the Pigeon House, which we ascended. There is first a steep ridge, at the top of which is a lofty terrace of pudding-stone. The country upon this assumes the form of table-land and the soil is a poor clay, covered with stunted bushes. The cone of the Pigeon House rises upon this plain. It consists of horizontal sandstone, and the dome, which crowns the whole, consists of enormous masses of the same material. At the foot of the cone we found a run of water. Actual observation can alone determine the point, but I considered from appearances that we had here attained the level of Argyleshire. On descending from the Pigeon House, we again crossed the river I have before mentioned, now become a considerable stream, and flowing slowly to the eastward through a rich valley, but at this place seemed affected by the tides. From here we regained the Clyde and rejoined our vessel.’
“The accuracy of Mr. Berry’s description of the Pigeon House will be apparent to all who have visited this interesting mountain. The tabl-land rocks and the sandstone are of the same geological age as the coal measures of New South Wales, viz.:- Permo-Carboniferous. His assumption that the summit was at about the same level as Argyleshire, the Goulburn district, is correct, the height of the Pigeon House being 2,358 feet above sea-level, while the Goulburn Plains range from about 2,100 to 2,300 feet.
“After descending, the members of the party appear to have travelled south-westerly to cut their tracks, and to have crossed the Clyde River in the locality, where for some miles it has an easterly course. They considered the stream, however, to have no connection withthe Clyde; and on a map published in the same journal, and illustrating some exploratory work by Captain Currie and Major Ovens in the Lake George to Monaro district in 1823, this stream is shown as the Pigeon House River, flowing easterly, though the portion between Pigeon House and the coast is omitted, its course not being known. The position of this river was evidently obtained from Mr. Berry. On this early map the Pigeon House is shown too far to the north, and appears to lie westerly from Conjola.
“After proceeding southward from Bateman Bay for about twenty miles, the party returned to the entrance of the Bay.
“The record says:- ‘We passed a night at anchor under the small island at the entrance of Bateman Bay, which is capable of affording shelter to small vessels from easterly winds. The outer island of Bateman Bay is of the same formation as Snapper Island, consisting of an imperfect clay-slate of a blue colour with white layers. These white layers are generally in a state of decomposition, but the blue part is high indurated, and the strata are twisted an all directions......A few miles to the northward of Bateman Bay the vertical strata disappear, and are succeeded by horizontal sandstone , which continues with interruptions to Jervis Bay. These interruptions consist of long sandy branches (? beaches) and projecting points of whin. I landed on several places, under the shelter of these points, and walked for miles along the shore.’
“Berry comments on the northerly direction of part of the course of several rivers, and raises the question whether these vertical slate rocks of the Clyde River and Bateman Bay (the former of which are probably Silurian, and the latter perhaps as old as Ordovician) have given rise to the direction of these water-courses.
“When returning to Jervis Bay, Mr. Berry Writes:- ‘We now succeeded in entering the mouth of the river which we had crossed at the foot of the Pigeon House. The banks are alluvial, beyond which there is some tolerable forest-land. We could only proceed upwards for about four or five miles, when our further progress was stopped by large trees lying across the bed of the river. Were these impediments removed, I think it would be navigable for boats to the foot of the mountain.’
“The latter remark, of course, seems humorous in the light of present-day knowledge. The identity of the stream which they entered may be considered open to some doubt, bu the bulk of the evidence favours its being Narrawallee Creek. It is apparently the same stream ‘to the north of a point of land,’ which they tried to enter when going south, for in the opening remarks the author uses the expression: ‘We now succeeded, etc.,’ thereby implying that a previous attempt had failed. The only other stream which is nearby which nearly answers to the conditions is Burrill.
“Either stream might have been regarded as nearly east of the Pigeon House, considering that no survey was being made. Moreover, the map published with the paper shows Conjola as about east of the Pigeon House. The distance travelled up the stream, ‘about four or five miles,’ would rather indicate Narrawallee as the stream entered.
“By following the windings of the stream, the distance from Narrawallee mouth to the bridge is just over four miles, while the extent of tidal water in Burrill is over five miles. The distance quoted by Berry is only an approximation, but, in view of the the attendant difficulties, would probably be over, rather than under-estimated.
“In the forties the natives often spoke to the settlers of a boat which came up Narrawallee Creek many years before. Possibly Berry’s boat was referred to, though there is some reason to suppose it may have been that of the Rev. Thomas Kendall, who was the earliest settler in that district, or perhaps that of Surveyor Florance.
The paper goes on to say, however:- ‘Almost four miles to the northward we entered another opening. Most of the prominent inlets along the coast are on the north side of rocky points. This, however, was on the south side of a point of whinstone. The entrance was very shallow; but at a distance of several miles, we found deep water surrounded by high land.’ Now this undoubtedly refers to Conjola, which lies about three miles north of Narrawallee and about twelve miles north of Burrill. It may, therefore, be considered that Alexander Berry and party were in Narrawallee and Conjola Creeks towards the end of January 1822, or some years before any settlement had commenced in the Milton district.
“The result of this expedition was that Berry and his partner, Edward Wollstonecraft, secured land on both sides of the Shoalhaven River, the grants being on the southern side, and Berry left Sydney for the locality in a small cutter called the ‘Blanche’ in May, 1822.
“In trying to effect a landing in a boat at the mouth of the Shoalhaven River, two men lost their lives, one being Thomas Davison, who ascended the Pigeon House with Berry.
“Mr. C.J.B. Watson, in Woodhill’s Shoalhaven and Hawkesbury Calendar (1905), records that Wollstonecraft was a cousin of the famous Mary Wollstonecraft, whose daughter married the poet Shelley in 1816.
“Berry was visited in October, 1823, by Mr. Justice Field, who subsequently wrote:- ‘Although I am afraid that these grants of land will hardly ever repay Messrs. Berry and Wollstonecraft for their out-lay on them, yet whoever extends the settling of New South Wales further than any body has gone before is a benefactor to the colony.’ Subsequent years showed most conclusively that Justice Field need have no misgivings as to the future success of the venture.”
Cambage, R.H., Captain Cook’s Pigeon House and Early South Coast Explorers, Samuel Lee, Sydney, 1911. pp. 10-14.
As can be readily appreciated Cambage based this article on solely on Berry’s published paper, without reference to his journal of the trip. In this paper the Clyde - Pigeon House land expedition is covered in some two and a half pages of a nineteen page paper, the route described being vague in the extreme. Follow this link for an analysis of the Expedition’s Route.
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