Cordeaux Heights - History

Land Grants
The area was first settled by Martin Robert Cole (Captain Cole), George Waples, John Graham, Robert Jenkins, Jemima Jenkins and George Lindsay, amongst others.  For more information on Land Grants in this area, see Farmborough Heights, Mount Kembla and Unanderra pages.
Early residents
For information on early residents of the Cordeaux Heights area, see the Farmborough Heights, Mount Kembla and Unanderra pages.

Early industry

Dairy and general Farming

For more information on early farming and dairy farming in the area, see the Farmborough Heights and Kembla Grange pages.

The Pioneer Kerosene Mine
For more information on the Pioneer Kerosene Mine, see the Mount Kembla pages.
Coal Mining
For more information on coal mining in this area, see the Mount Kembla pages.

Early transport

For more information on early transport in this area see Unanderra and Mount Kembla and Kembla Grange pages.

Development of Cordeaux Heights

Up to 1973, the area which today is the site of Cordeaux Heights, was made up of 3 dairy farms, and had been grazed extensively.  At this time, the farms were purchased by R. W. Sheargold Pty. Ltd., for the potential development of a new suburb.  (R.W. Sheargold, 197?)
In 1974, a feasibility study was carried out by the company Golder, Moss Associates, Consulting Geotechnical Engineers.  In April, 1979, Wollongong City Council formulated a Development Strategy – Cordeaux Heights Estate, to be put to a Special Meeting of council held on 9th April, 1979.  The area of land released was sufficient to proved housing and amenities for up to 5,000 people.  (Structure Plan for Cordeaux Heights, 1978; Development Strategy – Cordeaux Heights Estate, 1979)
The plan was based on road and allotment layout being primarily dictated by pedestrian movement within the neighbourhood.  The suburb was to include dedicated open space of not less than 3 hectares per 1,000 head of population, to cater for active and passive recreational activities.  The developer was also required to construct a new section of road to facilitate access to and within the new suburb.  The road layout and design was based on a hierarchical function of roads, conforming to the road strategy in the Unanderra area, with main distributors (Central Road and Cordeaux Road), and minor collector roads to service the area.  Such things as bus routes, services (schools), accessibility around the suburb by both cars and pedestrians, and protection of the environment, were all factored into the development. (Development strategy – Cordeaux Heights Estate, 1979)