Government Farm,
Government Cottage
Newcomers to Newcastle in the convict era (1801 to 1822) found a large lagoon at the western end
of the settlement. A tidal creek connected the lagoon to the river estuary.
In penal settlement days, the Commandant ordered that a garden be developed beside
the creek to grow fresh vegetables and fruit, and a cottage built for government purposes
on the eastern side of the creek. Military men were stationed there to keep watch
over the convict farm workers and others who used the road to Maitland.
The creek was named Cottage Creek and the bridge, built for horsemen
and foot travellers, was called Cottage Bridge.
Cottage Creek stormwater drain under construction c1897
(source: Newcastle Region Library)
Some land with the cottage
thereon was sold in the 1830s
and in 1848 the Dangar
family’s meat canning factory
occupied the site. This industry
included workshops,
slaughterhouse, butchering,
stables, stockyards and
cottages. The canned meat was
intended for ships’ crews and
overseas sales. The factory
closed in 1855 and the site was
taken for railway purposes.
Land that had formerly been
the government farm was, in
about 1840, used as
Presbyterian and Catholic
cemeteries.
By the 1840s other land west
of Cottage Creek and along
Throsby Creek, still covered
in bush and scrub, was sold
in farm blocks of 20 acres or
more.
Early map c1816 by Lt. Jeffries showing government farm
(source: Dr John Turners Collection Uni of Newcastle Library)
Newcastle Ice and Refrigerating Company Freezing Works c1904
Cottage Creek cemetery and Elite Skating Rink
(source: Newcastle Region Library)
(source: Newcastle Region Library)
East of Cottage Creek
When the railway line was constructed in the 1850s, land on the eastern side of Cottage Creek
had new value because of its proximity to road, rail and riverfront. This was enhanced when the
Honeysuckle Point Station was moved westward in 1872.
The Presbyterian and Catholic cemeteries, which were east of Cottage Creek, closed in the early
1880s but it was not until 1916 that human remains and surviving memorial stones were moved
out to Sandgate Cemetery, enabling other uses to be made of the site.
Sewerage treatment works at Cottage Creek c1911
(source: Newcastle Region Library)
Newcastle Municipal Council proposed to
extend Union Street to provide better access
to the Denison Street Bridge to Carrington.
However, the railway department allowed
visiting circuses to use the site for many
years, preventing establishment of the road.
Circuses came by ship, set up their tents and
performed at the Honeysuckle site, then
transferred to special circus trains provided
by the railway department to go travelling to
inland towns.
The Newcastle Ice and Refrigerating
Company had premises adjoining the railway
station at Honeysuckle, and had their own
siding into the works. The plant used two large
Hercules machines, capable of turning out
over 50 tons of ice per week, while the cooling
chambers had a capacity of about 30,000 cubic
feet for the storage of meat, fish, eggs, etc.
A site facing Hunter Street was taken for
a small police station in 1908 and after the
bridge to Carrington was dismantled the small
length of road leading to the bridge was
renamed Worth Place.
“Looking towards Prospect Hill” by Joseph Lycett (c 1816-1818) Newcastle, New South Wales.
White dot on right of image reputed to be government farm cottage
(source: Collection of Newcastle Region Art Gallery
gift of port waratah coal services through the nrag foundation 1991)
Former govt farm as it had become in 1916
(town plan of Newcastle edit 1 sheet 1
before construction of Civic Station)
(source: NSW Department of Lands)
Location of former government cottage and note original shore line
(source: NSW Department of Lands)
Industrial conflicts of the
early 1890s. Overview
Local strikes involving miners, waterfront workers and others had been occurring
since the 1850s. However, the labour disturbances that began in the late 1880s
led to the growth of the union movement, its organisation on a national scale
and its legal power due to affiliation with the Australian Labour Federation (ALF).
The ALF not only combined the industrial strength of the separate unions
and encouraged inter-union co-operation but was also a political organisation
with its own newspaper. Thus local strikes by one group of workers began
to concern the whole trade union movement.
The Port of Newcastle was one stage on which the social and economic struggles
of this era were played out. The outcomes contributed to the present
industrial arbitration system.
Fleet of vessels awaiting loading at Newcastle Harbour during Miner’s Strike c1896
(source: Newcastle Region Library)
Significant far-reaching events were the
attempts in 1888 by unionised shearers to win
better pay and conditions from Queensland
pastoralists. In one large Darling Downs wool
shed a satisfactory agreement was reached
between employers and employees, which
encouraged other workers to seek claims by
negotiation. However marine officers on
coastal steamships were denied longstanding
pay claim negotiations by their employers
(shipowners and agents) because of their
union affiliation. Their strike began in August
1890 and quickly spread to waterfront workers,
coal miners, transport and agricultural workers.
By October the strike had become ineffective
due to the ready availability of non-union
labour and the difficulties in maintaining a
strike wage for thousands of striking workers.
In November the strike was called off.
A further shearers strike in 1891, largely in
Queensland and northern NSW also spread
to other workers and resulted in a boycott of
non-union shorn wool by stevedore and
transport industry workers and hence involved
wool export ports such as Newcastle. The
strike lasted six months ending in June when
again the unions could no longer afford to
support the union camps and ready availability
of non-union labour made the strike fruitless.
Industrial conflicts of the
early 1890s. Further details
Australia’s economy was heavily dependent on agricultural exports and interruptions
to trade contributed to the local severity of the world-wide economic depression
of the early 1890s.
During these disputes armed troops, police and special constables were deployed
to several ports around Australia including Newcastle, to arrest unionists
and control any scenes of violence due to the bringing in of non-union labour.
Employer associations such as those formed by coal masters and ship owners were determined
to crush out trade unionism. Apparently, on the Newcastle wharves, they offered non-union
labour much higher wages during the strike. Three weeks after the strike commenced
it was said that “With empty pockets and wives and children to provide for men require
very strong principles to sustain them in idleness when at every turn they are greeted
by employers willing and anxious to engage them at a wage of nearly 50% in advance
of their ordinary earnings”.
Fleet of vessels awaiting loading at Newcastle Harbour during Miner’s Strike c1896
(source: Newcastle Region Library)
Despite the unrest that began in August
1890, at Newcastle coal loading and
wool stowing into coastal steamers
continued. The shipping companies
hired non-union labour, some brought
in from Sydney, to transfer bales of
wool between rail trucks, store sheds
and ships. Shipping agents operated the
Dyke cranes and their crews did the
stowing although at a slower rate than if
experienced men were working.
The coastal ships took the wool to
Sydney for transfer to other ships bound
for London. Strikers watched from the
wharf at Newcastle, occasionally
heckling the ‘black legs’ but otherwise
showing restraint.
Coal continued to be brought to the port
by rail. Some pits held large stockpiles
that lasted many weeks. Colliery
managers, office workers and agents
joined in coal loading and trimming.
Coal exported from Newcastle was
essential for Sydney gas production,
use of harbour and river steam vessels,
domestic heating and public transport
including the railway systems in NSW
and Victoria, thereby involving the
government in securing supplies for
essential services. Much coal was taken
to Sydney by rail.
Ships at buoys in Newcastle Harbour
(source: Newcastle Region Library)