The Windellama Historical Society has plans underway to celebrate the area’s discovery 200 years ago.
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Governor Macquarie wanted to establish an overland route from Sydney to Jervis Bay. In 1818 he sent a party made up of Deputy Surveyor General James Meehan, Charles Throsby, Hamilton Hume and others to try to find a way there but the main obstacle was the Shoalhaven River, which they had to cross.
The party made several attempts to cross the river but failed. On March 26 they had progressed to Caarne in the Bungonia area and here it was decided that the party would divide.
Throsby and some men retraced their steps and made their way to Jervis Bay via Kangaroo Valley.
James Meehan, Hamilton Hume and some other men pressed on inland. On March 27 they passed near to what is known today as Inverary Park. From here Meehan could see the Shoalhaven River but it was still too rugged to cross. He wrote in his journal: “I am satisfied any effort of mine to head it would be ineffectual.”
By April 1, the party had reached Jacqua Creek and camped for the night near where Jacqua Homestead stands today. The next day they set out in a south by south westerly direction and crossed the Yarralaw area and came to Windellama Creek. They camped for the night of April 2 near to where Buburba Creek enters the Windellama Creek. This was the first time that Europeans had sighted the Windellama area.
On April 3 they set out from their camp site in a westerly direction and would have crossed the Windellama area close to where St Bartholomew’s Church stands today. From here they continued on to the west crossing several small creeks and came to a lake by the native name of Bundong. This was later named Bathurst Lake in honour of Earl Bathurst, Secretary of State of the Colonies.
Having fully explored the lake, the party headed north and discovered the Mulwaree Ponds River and camped on its banks on April 6. They camped near where the Gundary Creek joins the Mulwaree River. While they didn’t actually cross to where Goulburn would be established some years later, they would have been able to see the location.
From here they party headed east and picked up with their outward tracks near Jerrara Creek and headed back to Sydney.
To mark the 200th anniversary of the discovery of Windellama on April 2, 1818 the Windellama Historical Society has produced a book of some of the history of the area over the last 200 years.
At the Windellama Markets on March 18 next year the Historical Society will have a small celebration at the Museum in the grounds of the Windellama Hall. A large map will be unveiled of where James Meehan’s party crossed the area. There will be the cutting of a 200 year’s birthday cake and the book will go on sale as well as a morning tea.
The Historical Society was successful in gaining a grant from the Royal Australian Historical Society to publish the book. The grants were made available by Create NSW and the New South Wales Government.