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Mount Ousley - History

A suburb about 1km S of Balgownie and about 2km west of Fairy Meadow

It is believed that Mount Ousley was named after Ousley Condell who owned land in the area from 1839-43.  It is also possible that Mount Ousley was named after an early Methodist preacher called Gideon Ouseley. The Kiama Reporter of 31/1/1900 mentions the death of a John Armstrong and states that he once lived on a government block of land "near Mount Keira" and "was wont to describe services in his father's house by that prince of early Methodist preachers, Gideon Ousley". There is a "Life of Gideon Ouseley" written by William Arthur and published by the Wesleyan Conference Office, London in 1976. A copy of this book is held in the Methodist Historical Society Library in Sydney.

Land grants

In 1839, five acres of William Wilson's 60 acre grant "at Keira Illawarra" was conveyed to Ousley Condell of Sydney. Wilson's 60 acres was an area immediately west of the Princes Highway at Fairy Meadow and extended from the southern boundary of the parish to Cabbage Tree Lane. The land conveyed to Ousley Condell was "apparently a long narrow block running back to the west of the highway just south of Mount Ousley Road". Ousley Condell owned this land from 1839-43 and it is believed that Mount Ousley was named after him. There is, however, another theory about the origin of the name Ousley.

Mount Ousley - Historic buildings

Residence - Dobinson Street, Mt Ousley

This house was originally built by Sidney Thorne who married Johanna Madden of Balgownie in 1901. The house was built of stone quarried behind Mount Pleasant Mine between 1880 and 1890. The house was later remodelled. The original house can be seen behind the ironwork on the lower level.