Commercial & Industrial Development
Many have passed through and played a part in building the Coast. Some have left a lasting impression on the pages of history while other stories have been left behind. We believe in celebrating all things big and small – acknowledging the contributions of everyone. Here are a few of the lesser known stories that have defined the Erina SawMill.
We invite you to join the journey of this historic site – and who knows, we may one day be reading about your adventures in the papers.
Erina Sawmill
Alan Henry and Grace Smith’s wedding announcement
Source: Gostalgia: local history from Gosford Library’s photos
SYDNEY, THU: Alan Henry is to marry attractive local lady, Grace Smith. Mr Henry will be missed as one of only several timber dealers responsible for the bullocks and transporting oversized logs along Peach Orchard Road, Ourimbah, to the Erina SawMill while he and his new bride wed.
The couple met when the local woman fell into Erina Creek near the Erina SawMill while Mr Henry was harnessing the bullocks to ready for a return journey uphill. The woman’s cries of distress alerted Mr Henry of the situation. He explained, “it was very well the bullocks were calm and quiet or I may not have heard Miss Smith. I rushed to the waterside and found Miss Smith in a precipitous situation being washed towards Caroline Bay.”
Mr Henry retold his heroics, “I jumped in the creek as soon as I saw what had happened – I even forgot to tie up the bulls! Getting out of the creek would have been difficult for many men I know – let alone a woman – so I knew the only way to save her was to go in myself.”
Miss Smith – who is soon to be Mrs Henry – suffered minimal injuries from her fall. While recovering at the local doctors, she saw her rescuer daily during visitations, during which romance fostered. The romance quickly flourished and within months the couple announced their wedding. This is sure to be a story to tell the grandchildren!
Terrigal welcomes the Sapphire
Source: Gostalgia: local history from Gosford Library’s photos
SYDNEY, MON: Brisbane Water Shipyards celebrated the launching of its latest ship in true tradition. Shipbuilder Timothy Elliot’s beautiful daughter, Margaret, was honoured to break a bottle of wine and cry out the ship’s name Sapphire to the cheers of the Brisbane Water shipbuilders, Erina SawMill timber workers, locals and several newspaper reporters.
Across the many workers, including carpenters, smiths and loggers, everyone was gay with pride as they had toiled for 16 long months to build the majestic water vessel. Mr Elliot expressed joy; “my men and I have been working hard day and night to reach this milestone.”
“There is nothing as satisfying as working with your hands to create something. From the men who have taken repeated journeys through all manners of weather to bring the logs to the Erina SawMill, to the dedicated sawmill workers who cut the logs into good-quality timber, to the carpenters at the shipyard who used the timber to build this vessel – we are all very proud of Sapphire.”
Mr Elliot continued, “Today, we are fortunate to witness the start of Sapphire’s long journey on the waters of Terrigal River.” The celebrations began in the early afternoon with the christening and launch, and continued for hours into the evening – filled with cheers, revelry, food and libations courtesy of the shipbuilders’ women folk.
Quarryman awarded £1,100 for libel
Source: Gostalgia: local history from Gosford Library’s photos
SYDNEY, TUE: A Supreme Court jury has awarded local sawmill worker Mr Anthony Taylor £1,200 for libel damages against chicken farmer Mr Wilson Brown. It was alleged that Mr Brown had written a letter suggesting that Mr Taylor had stolen chickens from his property which neighbours the Erina SawMill. As part of his employment, Mr Taylor is at the sawmill six days a week.
Mr Taylor claimed the letter – which was passed along to his fellow sawmill workers – damaged his reputation and standing within the community. The man and his family are known for their character within the timber trade – his late father worked for the Erina SawMill for many years before his passing, his brothers Adam and Paul are also employed at the same sawmill. “Mr Brown not only wrote a false letter but also shared it with the fine workers at the Erina Sawmill – tarnishing both my and my family’s reputation.”
When asked where the chickens could have gone, Mr Taylor said, “the machines we use at the sawmill are quite loud. I suspect the chickens would have been scared from the noise and taken flight. I can assure you there was no theft.” The court found the claims libellous as there was no evidence of a break-in at Mr Brown’s property.
John Booth – “Timber-man”
Source: https://nla.gov.au/
John booth arrived in NSW from London in 1838 and almost immediately became an apprentice shipwright under Johnathan Piper at Kincumber. His ambition led him to establish his own shipbuilding operation, probably adjacent to the Woodland lands. His first ship was the ketch ‘Prosperous’ in 1846 and over the next seven years he built a further eight vessels, the last of these being ‘Frolic’ in 1853. John’s business interests turned to the rapidly growing timber industry (much of which he had learned of while on the Central Coast especially the Erina Timber Yards), leading him to establish a timber mill in Balmain in 1854. The business thrived and he became a well-known identity in the area leading to his election as the first mayor of Balmain Council in 1867
Johnathan Piper – Father of shipbuilding
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Jonathan Piper’s shipyard was located in the Kincumber area. From 1844 to 1879 he built 24 known ships at these yards with all the timber being locally harvested at the Erina Timber Yards. The first of his ships was a ketch “Peacock” and the last was his namesake “Johnathan”. Piper was widely regarded as the father of Brisbane Water shipbuilding industry , as many of the local shipbuilders learned their trade in his yard, including the Davis brothers who went on to become the largest shipbuilders in the area and often purchased Timber from the Erina Timber yards.
James Dunlop - Astronomer
Source: https://hornsbyshire.recollect.net.au/
James arrived in NSW for the first time with Governor Brisbane in 1821 and worked on the establishment of the Paramatta Observatory. He was instrumental in developing comprehensive Southern Hemisphere star charts which were vital for the safe navigation of ships in the southern waters. James was appointed Astronomer Royal in recognition of his efforts. He then purchased a 50 acre farm in Kincumber ( which he called ‘Borra Borra’) adjoining the shipyard of Jonathan Piper. In the last years of his life he retired to ‘Boora Borra’ where he as able to watch the nearby shipbuilding activities. After his death the property passed to his brother John, the descendants of whom still live at the ‘Boora Boora’ Homestead. It is believed many of the timbers used in this (still standing original) homestead were originally cut at the Erina Timber Yards.