Coolangatta Estate
Encyclopedia
The Coolangatta Estate was established in 1822 by Alexander Berry
. Born on St Andrew's Day 1783, the eldest child of a tenant farming family in Fife
, he studied at the University of St Andrews
and Edinburgh
and qualified as a surgeon. This led him to join the East India Company and started his travels to the Far East in 1802.
Coolangatta Estate is located on the northern bank of the Shoalhaven River
, in the foothills of a mountain called Coolangatta. The word 'Coolangatta' is from an aboriginal word which means either splendid view or good lookout. The estate today is in a picturesque setting overlooking the ocean and surrounded by vineyards.
Berry arrived by sea on 23 June 1822, and while Edward Wollstonecraft
looked after affairs in Sydney
, proceeded to establish the first Europe
an settlement on the south coast of New South Wales
, Australia
.
The initial grant on the north side of the river soon expanded to the north with the agreement of the partners to take charge and expense of one convict
for every 100 acres (40.5 ha) of land, and by purchases of the grants of Richardson, Hyndes and Burke. The property expanded to more than 40000 acres (16,187.4 ha) by 1863.
Berry, who married Wollstonecraft's sister in 1827, set up his headquarters at the foot of Mount Coolangatta, north of the river with tools, provisions and the people who were to make up the first community.
Wollstonecraft died in 1832, but in the years to come, Berry was to be joined by his three brothers and two of his sisters, none of whom had any children.
A self-supporting village began to develop around the homestead
. The partners used a combination of convict (referred to by Berry as 'Government Men') and free labour to drain the swamps, grow tobacco
, potatoes, maize
, barley
and wheat
and rear pig
s and cattle
, the latter kept for their hides and the production of milk
and cheese
. The estate also bred thoroughbred
horse
s which were exported to India
. These items were transported by means of a ship that they purchased and a sloop
which they had built.
Later, in 1822, Hamilton Hume
brought cattle to the district, and a primary industry was established. Mills and workshops were established with tradesmen engaged in cask-making, building refabrication, experimental leather treatment, the production of condensed milk
and gelatine, and shipbuilding
; the first vessel being completed and launched as early as 1824. The town of Coolangatta
in Queensland
is named after one of Berry's schooner
s which was wrecked there in August 1846.
However, it was the redcedar
in the area, much of it exported to Europe, that was their most profitable resource.
Berry had experienced tenant-farming in his native land of Scotland
, and by the 1850s and based on his experience developed the idea of "clearing leases", an arrangement whereby tenants were given five years rent-free to clear and fence their property, after which they became tenants of Berry. It was this which enabled the true development of the area and of the township of Broughton Creek to begin.
By 1868 the population had reached 300 and the area was declared a municipality
, much against Alexander Berry's wishes.
In 1873 Alexander Berry died and the estate passes to his younger brother David.
David Berry nurtured the development of Broughton Creek, and the town grew and flourished. David Berry set aside land for an agricultural showground, and on the four corners of the town which he had surveyed, he gave land to the Church of England
, Presbyterian, Wesleyan
and Roman Catholic churches.
David died in 1889 at the age of 94, and in 1890 the name of Broughton Creek was changed to Berry
to honor the Alexander and David's contribution to the region.
After David's death, the Coolangatta Estate passed to the control of his cousin, Sir John Hay. However because of the lack of cash to meet David's large bequests, the estate was gradually sold and by 1912 the whole of the outlying land of the Coolangatta Estate had been disposed of. Existing tenants were given first option to purchase their leased farms, with almost all of them doing so, often at prices less than would have been obtained at open auction.
The nearby cemetery (dedicated 1899), hosts a large granite monument and contains the graves of many members of the Berry and Hay families.
During 1946, the Coolangatta buildings were all-but destroyed when fire raged through the 19-room Coolangatta homestead. All that remained after the conflagration was the library, the billiard room, the hall and some outbuildings.
During the 1970s and 1980s the site of the homestead was redeveloped as a historic resort. A vineyard was started in the area surrounding it in 1988.
Alexander Berry
Alexander Berry was a Scottish-born surgeon, merchant and explorer who in 1822 was given a land grant of 10,000 acres and 100 convicts to establish the first European settlement on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia.This settlement became known as the Coolangatta Estate and later...
. Born on St Andrew's Day 1783, the eldest child of a tenant farming family in Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, he studied at the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
and Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
and qualified as a surgeon. This led him to join the East India Company and started his travels to the Far East in 1802.
Shoalhaven River
The Shoalhaven River is a river rising from the Southern Tablelands and flowing into the ocean near Nowra on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia.- History :...
, in the foothills of a mountain called Coolangatta. The word 'Coolangatta' is from an aboriginal word which means either splendid view or good lookout. The estate today is in a picturesque setting overlooking the ocean and surrounded by vineyards.
Berry arrived by sea on 23 June 1822, and while Edward Wollstonecraft
Edward Wollstonecraft
Edward Wollstonecraft was a successful businessman in early colonial Australia. He was the nephew of the early feminist Mary Wollstonecraft and cousin to Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, the author of Frankenstein....
looked after affairs in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, proceeded to establish the first Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an settlement on the south coast of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
The initial grant on the north side of the river soon expanded to the north with the agreement of the partners to take charge and expense of one convict
Convict
A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison", sometimes referred to in slang as simply a "con". Convicts are often called prisoners or inmates. Persons convicted and sentenced to non-custodial sentences often are not termed...
for every 100 acres (40.5 ha) of land, and by purchases of the grants of Richardson, Hyndes and Burke. The property expanded to more than 40000 acres (16,187.4 ha) by 1863.
Berry, who married Wollstonecraft's sister in 1827, set up his headquarters at the foot of Mount Coolangatta, north of the river with tools, provisions and the people who were to make up the first community.
Wollstonecraft died in 1832, but in the years to come, Berry was to be joined by his three brothers and two of his sisters, none of whom had any children.
A self-supporting village began to develop around the homestead
Homesteading
Broadly defined, homesteading is a lifestyle of simple self-sufficiency.-Current practice:The term may apply to anyone who follows the back-to-the-land movement by adopting a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle. While land is no longer freely available in most areas of the world, homesteading...
. The partners used a combination of convict (referred to by Berry as 'Government Men') and free labour to drain the swamps, grow tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, potatoes, maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
and wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
and rear pig
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
s and cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, the latter kept for their hides and the production of milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
and cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
. The estate also bred thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s which were exported to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. These items were transported by means of a ship that they purchased and a sloop
Sloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
which they had built.
Later, in 1822, Hamilton Hume
Hamilton Hume
Hamilton Hume was the first Australian born explorer. Along with Hovell in 1824, Hume was part of an expedition that first took an overland route from Sydney to Port Phillip near the site of present day Melbourne...
brought cattle to the district, and a primary industry was established. Mills and workshops were established with tradesmen engaged in cask-making, building refabrication, experimental leather treatment, the production of condensed milk
Condensed milk
Condensed milk, also known as sweetened condensed milk, is cow's milk from which water has been removed and to which sugar has been added, yielding a very thick, sweet product which when canned can last for years without refrigeration if unopened. The two terms, condensed milk and sweetened...
and gelatine, and shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
; the first vessel being completed and launched as early as 1824. The town of Coolangatta
Coolangatta, Queensland
Coolangatta is the southernmost suburb of the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It has a population of 4,869 and is named after the schooner Coolangatta which was wrecked there in 1846....
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
is named after one of Berry's schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
s which was wrecked there in August 1846.
However, it was the redcedar
Toona
Toona is a genus of five species of trees in the mahogany family, Meliaceae, native from Afghanistan south to India, and east to North Korea, Papua New Guinea and eastern Australia...
in the area, much of it exported to Europe, that was their most profitable resource.
Berry had experienced tenant-farming in his native land of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and by the 1850s and based on his experience developed the idea of "clearing leases", an arrangement whereby tenants were given five years rent-free to clear and fence their property, after which they became tenants of Berry. It was this which enabled the true development of the area and of the township of Broughton Creek to begin.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
, much against Alexander Berry's wishes.
In 1873 Alexander Berry died and the estate passes to his younger brother David.
David Berry nurtured the development of Broughton Creek, and the town grew and flourished. David Berry set aside land for an agricultural showground, and on the four corners of the town which he had surveyed, he gave land to the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, Presbyterian, Wesleyan
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
and Roman Catholic churches.
David died in 1889 at the age of 94, and in 1890 the name of Broughton Creek was changed to Berry
Berry, New South Wales
Berry is a small Australian town in the Shoalhaven region of the NSW South Coast in the state of New South Wales, located south of the state capital, Sydney. The indigenous people of the area were the Wodi Wodi people. In the 1810s, George William Evans, Government Surveyor, reported on the Berry...
to honor the Alexander and David's contribution to the region.
After David's death, the Coolangatta Estate passed to the control of his cousin, Sir John Hay. However because of the lack of cash to meet David's large bequests, the estate was gradually sold and by 1912 the whole of the outlying land of the Coolangatta Estate had been disposed of. Existing tenants were given first option to purchase their leased farms, with almost all of them doing so, often at prices less than would have been obtained at open auction.
The nearby cemetery (dedicated 1899), hosts a large granite monument and contains the graves of many members of the Berry and Hay families.
During 1946, the Coolangatta buildings were all-but destroyed when fire raged through the 19-room Coolangatta homestead. All that remained after the conflagration was the library, the billiard room, the hall and some outbuildings.
During the 1970s and 1980s the site of the homestead was redeveloped as a historic resort. A vineyard was started in the area surrounding it in 1988.
External links
- Coolangatta Estate Winery website
- The Coolangatta Estate by Malcolm Sealy http://yamhd.blogspot.com/