Berkeley - History

Land grants

Robert Jenkins

Robert Jenkins was granted 1000 acres of land in January 1817 and this was one of the first five land grants in the Illawarra area. The grant was called 'Berkeley Estate' and is found on parish of Wollongong maps as portion 52. It fronted the north-east end of Lake Illawarra and adjoined David Allan's land grant 'Illawarra Farm'.(Barwick, 1978)

Early residents

Robert Jenkins

Jenkins came to NSW in about 1808. He became a prominent business man in Sydney, working as a shipping merchant and auctioneer. Robert married his wife Jemima in 1813 and they had two sons, William and Robert. He died in May 1822, at the age of forty-five, after a fall from his horse.

After Jenkin's death, Jemima made purchases of Crown Land that increased the size of the Berkeley Estate increased to 3,280 acres.

William Warren Jenkins

Was born in July 1816, the son of Robert Jenkins. He was six years old when his father was killed. He married his cousin Matilda Pitt in 1838 and built Berkeley Mansion on the estate. He became a resident of the Estate in 1839.

William Jenkins divided the Estate and let it to tenants under the clearing lease system. The Estate was developed by convicts and settlers.

William was a respected citizen and he donated land for the building of the first school and church in the area. William died in May 1884 at the age of sixty six. After his death the estate was sub-divided into farms and sold.(Barwick, 1978)

Early industry

The major primary industry among the white settlers was dairy farming, grazing and cattle raising. Wheat, potatoes and small amounts of maize were grown.

Fishing

Fishing on Lake Illawarra was also an industry in the early settlement days, and supplied fish to the aborigines and white settlers. 'Fishtown' was a fishing village which is now part of Berkeley. It was a small collection of houses on the northern shore of Lake Illawarra previously known as 'Home Shore' (this area was located south of where the Berkeley Primary School now stands).

In the early days of the fishing industry, only rowing and sailing boats were used. The fish had to be sent to the markets in Sydney by steamer. There was no ice so the fish were washed, packed in boxes and covered with ferns and branches to keep them cool.

In 1887 the railway was extended through Unanderra and this made it possible to transport fish to the markets in Sydney much faster. (Barwick, 1978; Illawarra Mercury 18 October 1984. p.21)

Dairy Farming

Dairy cattle were raised on the 'Berkeley Estate' between 1817-1887. In December 1887 a co-operative factory was opened in Factory Street, Unanderra and the farmers took their milk to the factory to be made into butter. Prior to this, in 1856, milk was being sent to Sydney by steamer. The daily milk train began running in 1889 from Unanderra station. (Barwick, 1978)

Early transport

Pioneers walked or rode on horseback or in horse drawn vehicles because the roads that existed were more like bush tracks. In 1834 Governor Burke sent the Surveyor General to the area to inspect the roads and they were reported to be in very bad condition.

The first road in the Illawarra, the Wollongong-Dapto Road, went through the Berkeley Estate. The road ran near to the coke works at Unanderra, to the right of Charcoal Creek, through the Berkeley Estate and across Charcoal Creek near Unanderra railway station.

Northcliffe Drive was extended from Lake Heights to the former Fishing Village in 1956. The F6 Freeway was connected to Berkeley in the mid 1970's.(Barwick, 1978)