Austinmer - Place names

Austinmer

Parish of Southend County of Cumberland

The name Austinmer came into official being in 1895. Originally this area was called Sidmouth. By the 1860's a small rural settlement had developed in the area and was called North Bulli. The name changed to Austermere with the opening of the North Illawarra Coal Company's mine. As Sir John Leckey's estate at Moss Vale was also known by this name, the spelling Austinmere was adopted by the local newspapers in 1887. The name linked to Henry Austin, one of the three Directors of the Board of the Illawarra Mining Company. When the railway platform was built in September 1887 the name Austinmer was placed upon it, omitting the final 'e'.

Sidmouth

Parish of Southend County of Cumberland

Sidmouth was the original name of Austinmer. It was called Sidmouth after the name of the house built there by Robert Marsh Westmacott 1837. Sidmouth was the name of Robert Marsh Westmacott's hometown, in Devon, on the Channel coast of England. The area became a seaside resort just as its counter part in England.