Balgownie - Place names

Balgownie

Balgownie

Parish of Woonona County of Camden

A grant of 1920 acres, made to John Buckland on 11 July 1835, was named Balgownie in the Grant Records. In 1839 the property of John Buckland, called Balgownie Estate, was subdivided into 32 lots of 10 and 80 acres each. Four farms on the Balgownie Estate at Fairy Meadow were offered for sale in 1840, and two village lots were advertised in 1841. The village thus established became known as Fairy Meadow, while the name Balgownie was given to the coal centre nearby. Two explanations are given for the source of the name Balgownie. The first is that was named after the Scottish town of Balgownie, the second is that it was named after the bridge over the River Don in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Cramsville

Parish of Woonona County of Camden

James Cram purchased 60 acres of land at Balgownie in the 1860's. He subdivided part of his property into building lots and created a small subdivision which he called "Cramsville". He also built a number of small cottages nearby for rental by miners. The locality retained the name of "Cramsville" until the Balgownie School was opened in 1889.