Brief
History of District
Shipwrecks
Ulladulla
Lighthouse
Ulladulla
Harbour
Milton Ulladulla district is on
the NSW South Coast, being part of the city of Shoalhaven. Captain
Cook first saw Aboriginals on our beaches in 1770. The first white
Settler was Rev Thomas Kendall in 1828 who started cedar cutting
at Narrawallee Creek near Milton. Ulladulla was known as
Nulladulla - meaning safe harbour.
The Boat Harbour of Ulladulla was used for shipping of timbers and
farm produce etc for trade to Sydney. The Post Office was
established in 1842 with the mail arriving by steamer. The first
hotel was the George Inn at Ulladulla in 1841, it was followed by
the Royal in 1860 then the Harbour view in late
1880's. Many
farms were established around the Settlement which became Milton.
This historic private township was established in 1860 and became
the commercial centre for the entire district by
1875.
Milton is listed with the
National Trust. Today one can walk around the streets of Milton
and see home and buildings dating back to 1870. Tours of the many
pioneer cemeteries and historic walks around the Milton township
and Ulladulla Harbour are conducted by historian Cathy Dunn
Enquires
oday Ulladulla is a major
tourist area with its beautiful beaches. The harbour today plays
host to the largest commercial fishing fleet on the South
Coast. The
Blessing of Fleet Festival is a major attraction every Easter
Sunday along with the Tabula Rasa Arts Festival and the Ulladulla
Food and Wine Festival. Whilst Milton is fast becoming an area
known for new and unusual craft and antique shops.
Even though Ulladulla has one of the safest harbours on the south coast, it still has played havoc for some ships sailing the coastline. The North and South reefs (bomborras) and Wardens Head (South headland) were the location of ship wrecks in the 19th century. The 13 ton schooner Susan was carrying tallows and hides, travelling from Bermagui to Sydney. She struck the Ulladulla Reef (South Bomboora) on 3 July 1849, there were seven passengers on board with no lives lost from this accident.
Then on 15 May 1851, the 21 ton Ketch Currency Lass was thrown up onto the Ulladulla beach, no lives were lost. John Russell of Sydney lost his 12 ton schooner Medina the following year sometime in June, in the Ulladulla Bight during a storm.
The last wreck of Ulladulla Harbour was the 34 ton ketch Alfred Edward, belonging to James Conway of Newcastle. During a storm on 9 December 1882 she struck the channels below Warden’s Head and went ashore, losing no lives.
 Ulladulla Harbour c1880. |
Tragedy at Sea: Shipbuilding and Shipwrecks - Ulladulla
ULLADULLA
LIGHTHOUSE
Ulladulla's lighthouse is part
of a network of navigational aids maintained around Australia's
20,000 kilometre coastline for the safety of ships and other
crafts. The iron lighthouse was built in 1871 and was originally
located at the entrance to Ulladulla harbour. The first
Lighthouse keeper was William Gambell, an ex-sea captain who
lived with his wife and family in a slab house on the beach. The
lighthouse was re-erected to Ulladulla's south headland - Warden's
Head in 1889.
At Wardens Head the lighthouse first had a fixed light of 800
candles operating. This was replaced with acetylene gas for a
flashing light operating automatically. In 1922 the lighthouse
keepers cottage was re-erected from Warden Head to Milton, where
it still stands today.
Ulladulla
Lighthouse Warden Head.
Photograph courtesy of Lighthouses of Australia Project.
Current operational Data. Character : Group flashing 2 every 10 seconds.
Intensity: 28,000 candelas. Range: 17 nautical miles.
Elevation of Lighthouse: 34 metres.
