Huskisson, New South Wales

Huskisson is a village in

Etymology

Huskisson was named by Governor Sir George Gipps, after the British statesman William Huskisson.^[4]

Geography

Situated alongside Currambene Creek which also serves as an anchorage and fishing port. Huskisson is a prime

The land to the north of Moona Moona Creek was a ‘government reserve”. When South Huskisson was planned, it was envisaged that the land north of Moona Moona Creek would become a ‘government township’.[18] Allotments were sold both in South Huskisson (in 1841)^[19][20] and in the new 'government township' of Huskisson (in Feb.1843).^[21]

South Huskisson was not a success and was in rapid decline by 1850. Consequently, the 'government township' of Huskisson failed to develop. By the mid-1850s, town allotments in both Huskisson and South Huskisson were essentially worthless.^[22]

Huskisson only began to grow, when it became the site of shipbuilding in the early 1860s. In its early years, Huskisson was often referred to as ‘North Huskisson’ reverting to Huskisson, once the ruins of its privately-owned southern twin town—by then referred to as ‘the Old Township’—had all but disappeared.

Shipbuilding

From 1864 to 1977, at least 131 registered wooden-hulled vessels^[23] were built in Huskisson, in shipyards along Currumbene Creek. That number does not include the many unregistered wooden-hulled vessels—such as small boats, punts, barges, and timber lighters—that were also built there during that period.^[24]

The shipyards built sailing vessels and steamships, including schooners, tug-boats, island-trading ships—for the firm of

Up to the late 1940s, vessels were built using the ‘work frame’ method in which frames were created using timber from natural crooks in trees (not bent using steam as is more common now). Until 1940, the town had no electricity; all vessels were built without power tools, other than a steam-operated saw-mill used to make planks. Timber was locally sourced, generally from within a few miles of the town.[25]

During the Second World War, the Huskisson shipyard built four wooden-hulled vessels for the American Army, for use in the New Guinea campaign. After the war, the old shipbuilding techniques gave way to more modern methods and in later years most vessels built were wooden-hulled fishing trawlers.

The main shipyard owners were, in earlier years, the Dent family,^[26] and later the Setree family.^[27][28]

Services & Facilities

During the early days of the settlement, a post office operated at 'Huskisson', from January 1843 up to the end of December 1855.^[29] A post office opened 'North Huskisson' in November 1875, and its first post master was Andrew Mackenzie,^[30][31] eldest son of John Mackenzie. By 1875, the ‘North Huskisson’ school was in operation.^[32] A telephone exchange opened in November 1912.^[33] In 1940, the town was connected to electricity.^[34]

There was a ‘Government Wharf used by the Illawarra Steam Navigation Company.

Tourism

By the 1890s, Huskisson began to be a holiday destination. The Dent family opened the Jervis Bay Hotel in 1893 and operated guesthouses on the beachfront.^[35]

Demographics

At the 2016 census, the population of the State Suburb of Huskisson was 786. 74.3% of people were born in Australia and 87.9% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 34.0%, Anglican 24.7% and Catholic 17.7%.^[1]

Heritage listings

Huskisson has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• Dent Street: MV Lady Denman^[36]

Notable people from Huskisson

• John Storey, Premier of New South Wales, born in Huskisson
• Olyroos goalkeeper Adam Federici
• Musician and athlete Paul Greene^[37]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Huskisson, New South Wales.

• Lady Denman Heritage Complex Archived 24 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine
• VISITNSW.com - Huskisson