Kembla Vista Estate

DESCRIPTION

NameKembla Vista EstateTypeEstateGeolocation^[1] Last edited by: Will Chittick

AddressOak FlatsDescriptionThe Oak Flats Estate Subdivision was auctioned in 1921 by Sir George Warburton Fuller, comprising of farms and residential allotments in the general area of Albion Park Rail, Green Meadows and Oak Flats.

The auction was held at Albion Park on Tuesday 15 March 1921 by Stewart and Morton Auctioneers of Nowra and Berry. Lots 9,10 & 11 were farms that were later to become the Oak Flats Township.

Lot 11, a farm of 266 acres was sold at the 1921 auction to Bernard Kirton, a saw miller from Thirroul. Bernard had a contract to supply pit props for the coal mines and this was his purpose of buying the farm to get access to the swamp oak casuarina glauca saplings for the pit props. The oaks were growing on the flat between the railway line and Nob Hill. The oak wood was also favoured by the local bakers for their bread ovens due to its burning quality.

Beatrice Slater’s husband who settled on the west side of Horsley Creek, was one of these timber getters. He built the first bridge across the creek which was washed away in a flood. The replacement was named Slaters Bridge.

Bernard Kirton sold Lot 11 to Mathus Hickey and his wife, who were known to have farmed the property. The farmhouse was in Wooroo Street Albion Park Rail, backing onto Horsley Creek.

Hickey sold 130 acres of Lot 11 to Sydney developer, C.R. Staples & Co. prior to 1928. Hickey carried on farming, on the remaining 136 acres on the flat by the railway known to local residents as Hickey’s paddock and to-day is the Industrial Road Industrial Estate.

C.R. Staples & Co. had their part of Lot 11 surveyed, and streets set out to become Kembla Vista Estate. The Council Clerks certificate No. 7 was signed by Gabriel Timbs Town Clerk, and Thomas James the Mayor Municipality of Shellharbour on 17th August 1928 to approve the Estate.

The names of the streets Deakin, Barton, Parkes, Wentworth, Griffiths and Fisher were extended westward across The Boulevarde [now Moore Street] from the already established Lake Illawarra Township Estate.

The section of Kembla Vista Estate around Nob Hill was laid out in circular design, circled by Bridge Avenue with Nob Hill Drive at its highest point.

This concept is thought to be influenced by Walter Burley Griffin’s design for Capital Hill Canberra.
Although extensive research has been unable to prove Griffin having any involvement in the survey.

Information - Gillis, Kevin, 2014, 'Oak Flats Garden Suburb', Tongarra Heritage Society.

External LinkCouncil Correspondence 1927

Map or Plan