Woy Woy - Venice of Australia

Five weeks after the first fleet sailed into Port Jackson, Captain Arthur Phillip and a party of officers and men made a voyage of discovery in small boats to what is now known as Brisbane Water.

This first British exploration in March 1788 was followed by another in June 1789.

On both trips, the boats either passed near to, or landed at, modern-day Pearl Beach, Umina, Ettalong, Booker Bay, Blackwall-Orange Grove, Woy Woy and St Huberts Island.

Governor Phillip considered the land he saw unsuitable for farming, so it was not until 35 years later, in 1823, that the first land grant was made on the Peninsula.

The grant was made to James Webb, and the land was described as being at the "North East Arm of Broken Bay".

Known as "Mulbong", the grant was of 100 acres.

Webb was a soldier who arrived in the colony in 1790 on the "Scarborough" and his grant was in the area of Blackwall-Orange Grove.

Webb later purchased two more parcels of land on the northern part of the Peninsula.

This area became known as Webb’s Flat, but was also referred to as "Wye Wye".

In the 1828 census, the population of the Peninsula was three: James Webb "farmer", and Michael Kirk and Patrick Sheridan, two ex-convicts living at Webb’s.

Kirk and Sheridan were described as "labourers".

Webb had cleared 30 of his 100 acres, was farming on 20 acres, and had over 100 head of cattle.

In an 1840 map, the farm at "Mulbong" was still the only area on the Peninsula that was inhabited by white settlers.

In the 1841 census, there were six males and one female at the Webb farm.

Gradually, other settlers purchased land on the Peninsula.

Edward Coulter, a former worker for Webb, settled on land near the present township.

In 1855, the Reverend Alfred Glennie recorded in his journal that he paid a visit to Coulter’s family at "Wye Wye Bay".

Apart from farming and cattle raising, early settlers were engaged in boat building, timber-getting, and shell gathering.

The busy Blackwall area grew, but the uninviting flats to the north were virtually ignored.

It was not until the coming of the railway in the late 1880s that the northern part of the Peninsula and the surrounding districts became settled areas.

Woy Woy was the closest point to Sydney on the Great Northern Railway, and was a popular choice for holiday-makers.

The area was advertised as "The Venice of Australia", offering fishing, bathing and shooting.

Guest houses were built near the railway station, and those wishing to visit nearby areas were conveyed by horse and cart or small ferries.

Residential development was hampered by a lack of roads, both within the Peninsula, and connecting to other areas of Brisbane Water.

Building activity was mainly involved with providing amenities and small cottages suitable for holiday-makers.

With the provision of better internal roads and an access road to Gosford in the 1920s, the area boomed with new subdivisions attracting purchasers of home sites predominantly for holiday homes.

The first official post office building was erected in Blackwall Rd in 1922.

Also in 1922, a cinema capable of seating 1100 was built in Blackwall Rd.

There was a police presence at Woy Woy from 1883, when it was found necessary to station two foot constables here

In 1888, the police station closed and was not re-opened until 1907, when a constable was sent from Gosford police station.

Various buildings were leased for police accommodation until 1946, when a permanent brick police station was finally built at 49 Blackwall Rd. The site had been resumed for a police station in 1911.

Electricity came to Woy Woy in 1929 and was connected to about 100 consumers.

The Shire of Woy Woy was formally constituted on August 1, 1928.

Cr C.J. Staples was the first Shire President.

In 1931, Woy Woy Shire Council erected a building to accommodate the Shire officers and records and to be used as Council Chambers.

On December 31, 1946, Woy Woy Shire Council was dissolved.

The former Shire building continued to serve as a community facility, housing Gosford Shire Council offices and in 1948, the first library in Gosford Shire was officially opened, accommodated in two rooms of the building.

Space in the Shire building was used as a bank and, for many years, the main part of the building was used as a court house.

The Woy Woy branch of Gosford City Library now wholly occupies the building.

Joan Fenton, Woy Woy