Killalea State Park

DESCRIPTION

NameKillalea State ParkAlternative NameKillalea State Recreation Area Last edited by: Will Chittick

TypePark/ReserveRuinGeolocation^[1] Last edited by: Will Chittick

AddressKillalea Drive, Shell CoveDescriptionThe first land grants at Killalea were given to D’Arcy Wentworth and William Ralph. Ralph made no claim to his grant, and so Wentworth became owner of both portions.

These portions became part of the Bassett-Darley Estate. Wentworth’s daughter, Katherine, married Benjamin Darley in 1847 and according to the custom of that time handed her estate over to her husband, who administered the land until his death in 1864.
Katherine married William Thomas Bassett in 1867, hence the name ‘The Bassett- Darley Estate’.

Many leaseholders have farmed the estate over the years including Edward Killalea, for which the area is named.

Edward Killalea was born in Ireland c.1816. He was involved in a fight when he was 19 years old, which resulted in the death of two men. He was charged with manslaughter and sentenced to transport to Australia for the term of his natural life.

Edward married Maria Campbell in 1847 at Jamberoo and they had 12 children who were all born at Shellharbour.

Edward was an Alderman on Shellharbour City Council from 1870-1873, and was on the provisional committee to form the Shellharbour Steam Navigation Company. He was involved in gold mining on his property at Killalea with Thomas Henry, who had set up mining operations at Bass Point. Operations ceased until 1872, when Killalea and Thomas Alexander Reddall reopened the operation. Unfortunately Edward died the same year and operations once again stopped.

Killalea was later farmed by the Fraser family and eventually taken over by ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries), who planned to use the site for explosives testing. The testing never eventuated. ICI leased the farms 'Seaview' (near today's kiosk) and 'Sunnyvale' (Old Bass Point Road), and charged a fee to surfers and tourists, to access their land.

The park was officially assigned Killalea State Recreation Area 11 September, 1987.

Photograph