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= History of Windellama =

The modern history of Windellama began when a group headed by James Meehan (including Hamilton Hume) was tasked with the exploration of a communication route from Sydney to Jervis Bay. The date of the European discovery of Windellama is commonly held to be the 2nd of April 1818 as the group had stopped there for the night after crossing Windellama Creek. Although it had been discovered by Europeans some years prior, it was not until the 1820's that the surrounding areas became a home to European settlers. The 1832 Postal Directory lists the earliest known landholder (although not a resident), Joseph Inch.

Windellama and its surrounding areas enjoyed a steady growth in population from then onward, this was enforced by the variety of inns, churches and schools that were established during the 19th century . The second half of the 19th century saw a further increase of settlers to the area as miners discovered the variety and richness of resources that could be extracted in the region including gold, silver, copper, lead and more recently silica and marble.

Over the decades, a sense of community and a Windellama culture has been established through the creation of societies and clubs such as the Mutual Improvement Society est. 1882, the Progress Association est.1903, the Windellama Country Women’s Association est. 1951, as well as various sporting clubs etc. In order to house these clubs and societies, the 20th century saw the construction of the Windellama Hall which opened in 1926. 'The Hall' remains a central part of the community and, its grounds also contain the Windellama community first response (the State Emergency Service) unit base and the Windellama Museum. It was also historically the site of the Windellama Country Fair & Community Auction, the Windellama Small Farms Field Day, the Windellama School Auction and Fireworks and many other notable events that aimed to raise funds and foster comradery within the community.

the 20th and 21st centuries have also seen the establishment of various institutions which are still in operation. The Windellama Bush Fire Brigade was established in 1940 and is now part of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service. The Windellama News, a newspaper which disseminates information of local goings-on, and a site for small holders to advertise at reasonable prices, published its first article in 1997 and The Windellama Historical Society was established in 1999 and its museum in 2000. On Sunday 18th of March 2018 Windellama celebrated its 200th birthday with the erection of a map of Meehan's journey. In attendance were key members of the Windellama community, inter-state visitors and the local member for the Goulburn District, Pru Goward.

En Route to Jervis Bay
In 1814 the county of Argyle, encompassing the Goulburn and Lake Bathurst areas was discovered. Four years later in 1818, a group headed by the surveyor James Meehan was contracted to find a cross-land route to Jervis Bay. The group consisted of Meehan, Charles Throsby, who brought with him Joseph Wild, John Glynn, John Thomas, Charles Gilliver, prisoners and natives as well as Hamilton Hume, after which the Hume Highway is named. As the surveyors pushed South East, Meehan split the group in two, deciding that the terrain would be better surveyed by smaller teams. When Meehan was to discover Windellama, it was only Hume, and four other men that accompanied him. On the 2nd of April 1818 Meehan and Hume camped overnight at Windellama. This is now commonly attributed as the date that Windellama was first discovered by Europeans. Although it is likely that the Shoalhaven River was of importance to the Dharawal, Dhurga, Gundungurra and Ngununawal groups of native Australians who may all have passed through the area before European contact.

Early Settlement
Up until the 1860's, when farmers discovered area, The land was mostly held or settled by notable and well-to-do Sydneysiders. The earliest known land holder can be seen listed in the postal directory of 1832 and the NSW census of 1828. Joseph Inch started his life in Australia in 1790 after travelling here on the surprize (ship), as a convict for having stolen cotton. After having married Ann Grant in 1801, they were granted 100 acres of land in the Argyle county. after his death, His daughter Ann and her husband James Richard Styles oversaw the maintenance of this land. Another notable landholder at Windellama is Thomas Braidwood Wilson who was a surgeon on 9 convict ships to New South Wales. Although he is most known for the land he was granted at Braidwood (named after him), he was also granted land in Windellama named 'Windellama Farm', that was used as an outpost for Braidwood from 1837 onward.

Some of today's residents of Windellama find their descendants in the early settlers of the region. One of which is the Hockey family who were brought to the area in 1878 by Samuel Hockey, a gold miner come farmer. Another notable, long standing family is the Muffet family that found their home in Windellama thanks to another convict, Charles Robert Muffet who was convicted of stealing from a residence and sentenced to life in prison which he had served 10 years of in Australia when his life sentence was reduced. After becoming a free man, he married Louisa Green and moved to a property called Rose Vale in Windellama where they had 17 children and many more grandchildren.

Community Buildings
St. Bartholomew’s church began its life as a church school in 1859 on dedicated burial ground which was assisted by the donation of 40 pounds by the Sydney Church Society. On the 27th of October 1859, the foundation stone was laid but it was not until 1862 that the church was opened. In 1871, Another church opened for the community of Windellama, St. Mark’s, Bronte which was funded mostly through the Goulburn church society as well as auctions. The opening ceremony drew large crowds with most attendees being forced to stand through the ceremony as there was a lack of seating. the service was followed by a luncheon and sporting activities as well as a meeting concerning the continued financing of church operations. Both St Bartholomew's and St Mark's, Bronte still hold services in alternating locations every second Sunday and hold extra services for Christmas and Easter.

To date, here have been many schools operating in the Windellama area including public, private and subsidised institutions. The first school at Windellama held classes in a bark hut at the back of St Bartholomew's church and held classes on and off from its conception. For a long time, the communities wish for a permanent site for a school was withheld as the inspector for schools argued that a single school would not accommodate for all children in Windellama as it would be too far for some to travel. The problem was settled by the creation of two half-time schools; Windellama East and Windellama West which both opened in 1880. Windellama East was closed in 1893 as there were not enough students to warrant two schools. Windellama West now enjoyed the same relationship with Cullulla (a nearby school) as it did with the old Windellama east school. In the 20th century Windellama school endured a shaky existence until after World War Two when it became a public school (a status which it still holds). Windellama's first postmaster was Richard Bull and was established in 1863. After Mr Bull's Death the Mrs Elizabeth Ann Cartwright took over the position of Postmistress. The service was conducted at Mrs. Cartwright's home called 'Windellama View'. After Windellama View had been sold, Mrs. Cartwright and the post office moved into her niece's property at Rose View. By 1891, demand for a more central location for a post office was growing and in 1893, just three months before her death, Mrs. Cartwright tendered her resignation. The Post office was then taken over by Postmistress Miss. Sarah Maria Moore whose brother set up a general store in the same building, still at Rose Hill. The Post office remained in Windellama passing through different ownership until 1952 when the Rural Automatic Exchange was installed and the Postmistress (Daphne Bryant) resigned in order to take over the position of switchboard operator.

Near Today's location of the Rural Fire Service Windellama division lies the historical site of Mr. and Mrs Brook's general store and later, a wine bar which they called Brooklyn. The Goulburn Herald 1886 references an article written by a passer-by who detailed their experience at Brooklyn. describing it as one of the most picturesque places in Argyle County, also mentioning Mrs. Cartwright, the postmistress. Multiple sources cite that throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, there have been both licensed and unlicensed Inns Some set up as resting places for travelers and others, specifically set for miners. An account of many Inns can be found in ' Rural Inns of the Goulburn District 1830-1900' .

Mining
The Yarralaw Creek area holds fertile land that has been utilised by farmers to this day. Indeed, There are Award winning wineries in operation today that specialise in cooler climate wines. But not only is the area rich in the nutrients needed for small holding farmers, it has historically been rich in mining resources especially where Yarralaw Creek meets the Shoalhaven river. The earliest accounts of mining activities that had taken place in the area were for gold mostly but also silver lead cooper, silica and marble. Early in the 1890's the 'Spa Proprietary Hydraulic Sluicing and Gold Mining Company' built a damn to accommodate mining in the Nadgigomar/ Windellama area. Another example of the result of mining in Windellama can be seen in the Great Hall at The University of Sydney which showcases a black and white marble floor, The black marble having found its origins in Windellama

Clubs and Associations

 * Progress association forms in 1903.
 * Windellama Country Women’s Association forms 1951.
 * Mutual improvement society (may not be included in this section, it was created in 1882).
 * Tennis & cricket clubs.

Windellama Hall

 * Building erected 1926.
 * An account of its grand opening.
 * Use during the remainder of the century.

Sporting Activities

 * Information on Windellama Racecourse (cricket, horse racing).
 * Windellama as the starting point for the first Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix (1924).
 * Hugh Legge represents Windellama in 1956 Olympic Games.

Windellama Historical Society
Windellama Historical Society

An account of the creation of the society in 1999 with its museum (replica of the 1880's schoolhouse) opening in 2000.

Windellama News
Windellama News


 * Creation of the newspaper in 1997.
 * Major news (e.g. ADFA bus roll over at Windellama) etc.

Windellama Literature
A list of important contributors to literature and a description of their works in the 20th and 21st century including that of:

o  Tom Bryant


 * 1) Joseph Peters, His Woolpack Inn & The Marian Vale Myth
 * 2) Gone but not forgotten
 * 3) The Diary of a Bush School Teacher, George Samuel Moore
 * 4) A History of the Windellama Post Office
 * 5) Some Windellama History

o  Rex Hockey


 * 1) Ballads and other verses from here and beyond

o  Carina Clarke


 * 1) Wild Windellama Vol. 1-2.

o  Joy Maguire


 * 1) A look at some of the History of Windellama