Catherine Hill Bay

Name Origin

After the schooner “Catherine Hill” which ran aground on the beach area on the 21st June 1867.

Early Land Grants

As of April 1865, Jacob L. Montefiore, Thomas Hale, Robert Saddington and Charles Parbury. In 1888
their land passed into the ownership of the Wallarah Coal Company.

Early Subdivisions

Declared on the 5th April 1875, as the Village of Cowper. This makes Catherine Hill Bay the oldest
existing town in the City o Lake Macquarie. In the early 1890's a settlement developed about 4 kilometres north of the original town
and close to where the mines were then situated. This became known as “Mine Camp.” In December 1910 a plan was approved to
develop another settlement of just over 3 acres halfway between Mine Camp and the original town. This was called “Middle Camp.”

Early Settlers

Charles Albert Boult was the storekeeper and became the first Post Master in 1874. In 1875 Robert Talbot
became the keeper of the Wallarah Hotel. Two years later Mr. Trevillion established another hotel at the Bay. In 1876 Mr. Caldwell was a storekeeper, and Mr. Ah Hee was a Chinese gardener.

Early Industries

The New Wallsend Company began coal mining operations from a tunnel just above the beach near the jetty
during 1873 and the first shipment was made from the newly constructed jetty on 17th December 1873. The mine employed some 70 men in 1874, but was closed for economic reasons in March 1877, resulting in many people leaving the area. Another coal company, Pope, Hardie and Co. (later the Lake Macquarie Coal Co.) began to sink a shaft in July 1875, but this came to nothing. The London based Wallarah Coal Co. acquired 1200 acres in the area from Messrs. Parbury, Saddington and Lamb in September 1888. The first
coal was shipped from this mine in January 1890. A Saw Mill existed in 1897. Chinese gardens were situated at the end of Lindsay Street over the creek in 1898. A rutile plant operated in the 1960's. The modern day Wallarah mining operation belonged to Coal & Allied and ceased operations on 2004.

Early Transport

In the mid -1870's there were only two means of transport from the town to Newcastle. One was overland to
the Lake entrance at Swansea, which was crossed by boat. Horses swam across. The other route was via the Lake itself, and by the late 1870's a ferry called at Reece’s wharf, which was situated over the hills, some three miles from Catherine Hill Bay. The ferry disembarked at Cockle Creek or Speers Point and travellers then went overland to connect with Public Transport at Wallsend. Bullocks were used to transport goods from Reece’s wharf to the town. In 1874 the steamer “Susannah Cuthbert” carried mail and passengers to Sydney twice weekly but in 1875 the service was discontinued due to lack of patronage. A bus service to Broadmeadow began in 1931. In 1958 the government bus service was terminated and A & I Presland ran a private service.

Railway

The Wallarah Coal Co. built a four kilometre rail line from its first mine site, down to the coal loading jetty. It was built between 1889 and 1890. Steam trains delivered the coal to the jetty in large wooden hoppers.

First Post Office

Opened on the 15th October 1874, with Mr. Charles Albert Boult in charge. He was also the local store keeper. This office closed on the 30th November 1879, and was re-opened on the 1st September 1889. Mail was brought from Wallsend on horseback twice weekly. The “Mine Camp” Post Office opened on the 16th January 1903, and closed 31st March 1952.

First School 

During the few flourishing years of the New Wallsend Coal Co. operations, 1873 to 1877, a petition was presented to the Government to establish a school there, but on grounds of uncertainty of the coal trade,
the request was refused. However, some thirteen years later in January 1890 the first school commenced. It was housed in the original Church of England building, located behind the Wallarah hotel. At the start of the school year of 1892, the school occupied the larger premises of the United Free Methodist Church, located on the Montifiores street hill, looking south to Moonee Beach. The enrolment for that year was seventy five children. A purpose built public school was opened in 1895 on the hill between the villages of Middle Camp and
the Bay. In 1915 a larger school and teachers residence was opened at the Middle Camp site. Enrolments for 1920 were one hundred and forty five children. By 1946 there were only eighty seven children enrolled. With
enrolments down to only seven students, the Catherine Hill Bay Public School closed in 1985.