Fairy Meadow - History

Land grants

Connor Bowlen was authorized to occupy three hundred acres at a place called 'Ferrah Meadow' on 13 February, 1824. (Shaw, 1970)

John Buckland

John Buckland's "Balgownie Estate" of 1920 acres was promised to him on 11 April 1829. He received his deed of grant on 11 June 1835. In 1839 the land was subdivided into 32 lots of 10 and 80 acres each. Advertisements for the sale of the land mentioned two important facts - its proximity to the Great South Coast Road (then under construction) and the presence of coal. "Balgownie Estate" was one of the first subdivisions in the Illawarra and it formed the village of Fairy Meadow.

In 1838 Grant No. 33 was issued to Andrew Lysaght covering 60 acres on the western side of the Princes Highway and south of Mt Ousley Road. In 1858 the Lysaght's Red House Hotel was built. (Cousins, 1994)

Early residents

Guest Family

Joseph Guest, a Yorkshire miner, arrived in Australia in 1885. Two years later he married Sarah Dean. They purchased a parcel of land in Fairy Meadow from the person who was given the original grant. They reared a family of 6 children and transformed what was virgin bush into a dairy farm.

The Guest family farm, 40 acres, ran from Ellengowan, opposite Daisy Street, to Cabbage Tree Lane. Milk was delivered twice a day to customers in Wollongong and sent to Sydney each day by the Milk Train.

In the 1920's two sons, George and Fred, started a hire-car service carrying passengers between Balgownie and Wollongong. They had three cars, a Buick 6, a Buick 4 and a Mitchell. With the advent of buses, Hire Cars went out of business and Fred and George purchased the Popular Café in Crown Street. They obtained the agency for George Adams Rich Cakes, a well known firm based in Sydney.

The business outgrew the cafe kitchen and in 1928 a bakery was built at Fairy Meadow on a block that was part of the farm property. It was the only commercial building between Fairy Meadow School and Cabbage Tree Lane.

The Guest Cake business started in the midst of the Great Depression and the work was hard and the hours long. Cakes and pies had to be cheap so that people could afford to buy them. Fred's three sons, Frank, Fred and Herb, followed him into the business and worked together for 55 years. (Voice of the Seniors, Issue No.11, Feb 1992; Ryan, 1986)

George Beadle

George Beadle was Librarian of the North Illawarra free library and custodian of the council chambers. He lived opposite the council chambers and kept a small wine shop in his house.

Beadle was appointed in charge of the office for receiving mail in 1880. The office was opened and named Cabbage Tree on 16 November, 1880. It was named Cabbage Tree because it was adjacent to the Cabbage Tree Bridge.

In 1881 Beadle asked that the receiving office be made a Post Office as "besides being in attendance all day the same as a regular post officer … I am obliged to be in attendance at 9pm and 2am daily to exchange bags with the mailman. For this I only receive five pounds per annum".

About 125 letters were being posted weekly so approval was given for the office to become a Post Office on 1 April 1881. In 1883 the name was changed to Fairy Meadow Post Office. George Beadle died in 1886 and his stepson Edward Henry Gibbons succeeded him as postmaster. (Local Studies Cuttings File)

Early industry

The well grassed open meadow lands of the area attracted cattlemen to the district and there were some excellent farms on the "Balgownie Estate". Coal was also found on the property.

Mr James Spearing used Para Creek to drive the first flour mills in the Illawarra. Nearby he erected a windmill and later a steam flour mill was built at Fairy Meadow.

The opening of the Mt Pleasant Coal Mine in 1861 brought an influx of miners looking for work and homes. The mine operated a private railway line for the conveyance of coal to Wollongong harbour until 1888. The opening of the Government railway allowed coal to be transported directly to Sydney.

In the 1800's a brickyard was opened on the northern side of Mt Ousley Road by W K Bate. It was the largest brickyard south of Sydney. All the machinery was driven by steam. The brickyard closed down when the supply of suitable clay in the area was exhausted. (Cousins, 1994; Wolindex)

Early transport

Rail

Fairy Meadow railway station was opened as Para Meadow on 3 October 1888. A goods siding was added on 6 May 1891. It was renamed Balgownie on 13 December 1909 and renamed again on 22 January 1956 to Fairy Meadow. (Singleton, 1964)

Road

In the 1880s the latest road into the Illawarra was the Military Road leading from Fairy Meadow. The road cut along the mountain side and was free from the sharp corners of other roads in the area.

A bus service was started in the 1920's by the Dion boys. The vehicle used was a Ford with solid tyres. Passengers sat on seats round the bus and faced inwards. (Ryan, 1986)