Kembla Grange - Timeline
| 1829 | First land grant promised to John Dunlop Vale who names it 'Dunlop Vale' |
| 1829 | Governor Darling instructs Surveyor Knapp survey 10 lots of 100 acres to War Veterans |
| 1834 | Illawarra Turf Club established |
| 1840 | Dunlop Vale' taken up by Andrew Lang and Gerard Gerard. |
| 1840 | Gerard Gerard names his parcel of 1000 acres 'Kembla Grange' |
| 1844 | Illawarra District Council establishes with Gerard Gerard a founding member |
| 1840's | Kembla Grange area a leading dairy farm area |
| 1880 | Government railway line built in Illawarra |
| 1882 | West Dapto public school established (Kembla Grange). Mr Campbell first teacher |
| 1890 | Kembla Grange railway platform first mentioned in train timetables |
| 1912 | Private rail loop & loading bank for horses built & opened at Kembla Grange railway station |
| 1927 | Construction of Unanderra - Moss Vale railway line commences. |
| 1930 | 'Old Grandstand' Kembla Grange racecourse moved to site (built in 1887- W'Gong showground) |
| 1932 | Unanderra - Moss Vale line opens - marks northern boundary of Kembla Grange |
| 1942 | Loading bank for horses at Kembla Grange railway station removed |
| 1948 | Kembla Grange Race Club formed |
| 1960's | Diesel trains replace steam engines on Illawarra line |
| 1967 | Wollongong Hot Rod Club formed and commences racing at track at Kembla Grange Speedway |
| 1973 | Kembla Grange Race Club ceases to exist |
| 1973 | Wollongong Racing & Trotting Club forms but is short lived |
| 1973 | Wollongong City Council announces plans to establish 13 acre lawn cemetery at Kembla Grange |
| 1975 | South Coast Speedway Club formed |
| 1976 | Dept. Sports & Recreation purchases Kembla Grange Racecourse |
| 1976 | Group local sportsmen, headed by Keith Nolan form Illawarra Turf Club to run racecourse |
| 1976 | Racecourse named changes to Wollongong Race Course |
| 1979 | Kembla Grange Speedway renamed Wollongong City Speedway |
| 1980's | Reconstruction of main track course Kembla Grange racecourse |
| 1984 | Kembla Grange Speedway closes - moves operations to Albion Park |
| 1986 | Trains on Illawarra line electrified |
| 1987 | Old Grandstand, Kembla Grange Racecourse condemned |
| 1987 | NSW Gov't grants fund $5 million to build new grandstand |
| 1990 | New Grandstand at Kembla Grange Racecourse opens (cost of $6.5 million) |
| 1992 | Illawarra Motoring Museum opens |
| 1992 | Mausoleum at Kembla Grange Lawn Cemetery constructed and blessed |
| 1997 | A.J. 'BERT' Lillye Lounge, Kembla Grange Racecourse opens |
| 2001 | Wollongong Waste Education & Visitor Centre opens, Glengarry Cottage - education centre |
| 2003 | Illawarra Turf Club changes name to Kembla Grange Racecourse, but trades as 'Ill. Turf Club' |
Last Modified: 18/11/2008
Return to Top
See also
Community atlasCommunity profile
Illawarra Images
Illawarra index
Museums & Heritage Wollongong
Population forecasts
Tourism Wollongong
Weblinks - Local
Contact us
Local History Librarian
Phone:
4227 7418
Email:
Fax:
4227 7553
Visit us:
Level 1, 41 Burelli Street, Wollongong
Mail:
Locked Bag 8821, Wollongong, NSW 2500