Page sections: Land Grants | Early Residents | Early Industry | Early Transport | Historic Buildings | Environment | Timeline | Bibliography

Fairy Meadow - History

Fairy Meadow is located approximately 4 kilometres north of Wollongong along the Princes Highway. It is a thriving business centre.

Connor Bowlen was authorised to occupy three hundred acres at a place called Ferrah Meadow on 13 February 1824. In 1841 two village lots from the Balgownie Estate were advertised for sale. The Village thus established became known as Fairy Meadow. The name Fairy Meadow can be attributed to the nature of the land in the area. The grassed open meadow lands, with the stream of fresh water running through, were noted from the early days for their "fairy-like" beauty.

Para Meadow

Parish of Woonona County of Camden

'Para' is an aboriginal word meaning river or creek. Para Meadow was the original name of the Fairy Meadow district. It was named after Para Creek which is known as Fairy Creek. Para Creek ran through the Paulsgove Estate, property of J S Spearing. Mr Spearing used Para Creek to drive the first flour mills of the Illawarra.

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)

Fairy Meadow - Historic buildings

Residential dwelling
Location: 37 Ellengowan Crescent, Fairy Meadow

This house is set amongst a streetscape of standard brick and tile houses. It is a medium sized single storey rendered brick building painted white with curved corners and parapets to the roof. It is an unusual building with a good level of integrity in the Inter-War functionalist style. The architectural style is uncommon in the Illawarra and the building is a good example of its type. (City of Wollongong Heritage Study Vol. 3/5, 1991)

Fairy Meadow - Environment

Fairy Meadow - Timeline

Date Event 1839 John Buckland's Balgownie Estate was subdivided into 32 lots, forming the village of Fairy Meadow 1856 Fairy Meadow Hotel and Cabbage Tree Inn opened 1858 Fairy Meadow Public School opened 1867 Fairy Meadow became the Headquarters of the North Illawarra Municipality 1868 North Illawarra Municipality was formd on 26 October and included the area from Fairy Creek to Bellambi 1880 Post Office opens - to be named Cabbage Tree 1883 Name of Cabbage Tree Post Office to change to Fairy Meadow Post Office 1885 Brookers Farm at Fairy Meadow sold - to be divided into building sites 1888 Fairy Meadow railway platform at Elliotts Lane ready for use 1891 New school and residence built to replace the original building 1892 New Fairy Meadow Public School opened by Hon F B Suttor, Minister for Education 1908 Meeting held on 1 June to form a Parents and Citizens Association at Para Meadow 1910 Coke ovens being erected at Fairy Meadow 1917 Cabbage Tree Creek in flood - woman drowned 1918 The town's water supply was connected. 1925 Electric light switched on by Mrs H G Pettingell, Mayoress, at North Illawarra Council Chambers, Fairy Meadow on Friday 17 July 1927 Foundation stone for new Church of England church laid by Rev. G A D'Arcy on Saturday 5 November 1928 New Church of England opened by Archbishop Wright on 10 March 1932 Fairy Meadow School of Arts officially opened 1946 George Lockett built a large factory and opened business - Lockett's Food Products 1946 North Illawarra Council asked to resume 19 acres adjoining Fairy Meadow Public School for playing fields 1950 Two hostels to be built to accommodate British migrants on 116 acres of "Collaerys" 1952 Licence granted to Fairy Meadow Hotel on Princes Highway 1952 St John Vianney's Roman Catholic Church opened by Bishop T McCabe on Sunday 2 November 1953 Cabbage Tree Creek straightened between the highway and the railway line to prevent flooding 1955 New Congregational Church opened in Vereker St by Dr H Maynard Rennie 1955 Balgownie Railway Station to be re-named Fairy Meadow 1958 Official opening of new Methodist Church in Daisy St, Fairy Meadow 1960 George Lockett sold out to Davis and Penney 1962 Bridge on Squires Rd, over Fairy Creek, completed 1963 St John Vianney's Primary School opened in April 1963 Cabbage Tree Hotel-Motel opened in May 1969 St Paul's Church of England celebrates 110th anniversary 1984 Southline Drive-In Theatre closes 1992 Fairy Meadow Library closes (Illawarra Index) 1999 New Anglican Church at Fairy Meadow opened by Archbishop Harry Goodhew 2001 Commonwealth Bank - the last remaining bank in Fairy Meadow - closes 2003 Opening of Fairy Meadow Community Bank 2007 Flashing light technology installed outside Fairy Meadow Public School in January  (Illawarra Index)

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