Windang - History

Land grants

The area now described as the suburb of Windang appears to have been designated as a Township Reserve on an 1834 map of the Illawarra drawn by the Surveyor H F White . This land is adjacent to the Five Islands Farm originally known as Illawarra Farm which was granted to David Allan. The name was changed to Five Islands Estate upon purchase by William Charles Wentworth. (McDonald c1988)

In 1896 a certain part of the peninsula was gazetted for defence purposes and in 1920 other parts for public recreation. Timber Licenses were granted on a timber reserve at the end of Perkins Beach. (Parish of Wollongong map 12th ed.)

Early residents

William Turnbull

In 1920 William Turnbull established his Belwarra Estate at the northern point of the Lake entrance. Windang House was built by Mr Turnbull in 1920 as a family home and guest house.

Early industry

Tourism and recreational fishing have always been of major importance in the area. Guest houses sprung up in the 1930's to cater for the tourist and the Windang Camping Reserves have never ceased to be popular (Picturesque Illawarra: the garden of NSW [1940])

Preparations for the construction of a breakwater on the northern side of Windang Island and a dredged channel commenced in 1890 to enable ocean going vessels to access the lake entrance. The scheme was abandoned in the early 1900s. (Barwick-Hooke, c1988)

Early transport

No matter what the costs of motoring were, touring and…..picnicking brought growth and commerce to more dispersed areas. In 1927 over 2000 holiday-makers reportedly camped at the northern side of the entrance to Lake Illawarra (Urban Illawarra c1977)