When my father, Clive Emery, passed away, I was tasked with sorting through his historical treasures. Among these was an article from the Kiama Independent from 1951 which was entitled ‘Cricket in the Nineties’, meaning, of course, the 1890s. It outlined matches played by Gerringong against other teams. The author had based his research on some scorebooks he had borrowed from Athol Noble, who is arguably the greatest sporting official in the Kiama district, let alone just Gerringong.I spent my time thinking these scorebooks must surely be one of the most valuable historical artefacts in Gerringong cricket history, if not all Gerringong history.Athol had long since passed away and I was wondering if they still existed. Luckily, Michael Tierney came to the rescue. He was in possession of a wonderful collection from Athol. As well as the scorebooks there was a large scrapbook of articles about Paul Quinn, who must challenge Michael Cronin as the best Rugby League player Gerringong has ever produced.  Michael kindly donated these scorebooks as well as the other priceless artefacts and they are now the most prized possession of the Gerringong Cricket Club. At this moment I want to digress a while to set the scene for the tale.Firstly, 100 years ago, give or take 50 years, sporting clubs from Sydney would venture out into the country to play matches in various sports against country towns or Groups. They may have been playing a challenge match for a competition, playing promotional games to foster the particular sport or just having a relaxing weekend away bonding with their teammates. For example, in 1934 South Sydney Rugby League team played a match against Group 7 in Kiama. Incidentally Group 7 contained a Gerringong boy whose name was Eric Langton, a wonderful rugby league player, who was an excellent cricketer as well. Secondly, the Sydney area around Redfern Oval is very built up these days. However, in the 1890s this was not the case. A large open space existed in the form of Albert Park. In the late 1800s there was the premier sporting ground that went by the name of Albert Oval. Many great games of cricket were played there up to the 1870s. A very powerful cricket club, Albert Club, was based at that oval. The ground was closed in 1880 but the Redfern Albert CC played their games at what is now known as Redfern Oval. The old Albert Ground is now a public housing tower building behind the oval. Maybe the open parkland that used to exist there is where they got the rabbits from for the ‘rabbitohs ‘ to sell.Back to the tale. There is not a lot of information on the match unfortunately, other than the priceless scorebook. However, it is assumed that the Redfern Albert Club decided to take a trip down the coast to Kiama. I am imagining the team trooping out to Central Station to catch a steam train for a picturesque trip down the coast. After establishing themselves in one of the local hotels the team challenged Gerringong CC to a match. And therefore, on 7th November 1895 Redfern Albert CC played Gerringong CC at what is now known as Micheal Cronin Oval. Gerringong batted first and scored a very respectable 229. P. Deitz top scored with 57. Other significant scorers were R. Bell with 49 and J.M. Miller 48. Redfern Albert responded with 148. N. Camps was the best bowler for Gerringong with 4 for 34. No doubt the game was played in great spirit and Redfern Albert returned by train to Sydney after a very relaxing weekend. Maybe they had a celebration with the Gerringong club in the School of Arts hall (which is now the museum).Redfern Albert was not the only Sydney team to make the trip. The scorebook has scores from matches against MacDonaldtown and Strathfield Cricket Clubs.One interesting point is that the Gerringong team has a ‘J. Dixon’ mentioned. This is Joe Dixon, who, I hazard to guess, was the first Wodi Wodi sportsperson to play cricket, or indeed for any sporting team, in the Gerringong district.  He was fondly remembered by my father who met him as a little boy living in Gerroa, when Joe was a much older man. Athol also spoke very highly of him when asked to recall great Gerringong identities in the first newsletter of the newly formed Gerringong and District Historical society in 1982.Joe came to the attention of the Gerringong Cricket Club for his skilled performances while playing for the Crooked River/Wodi Wodi Cricket Club. This club was formed from Dharawal men and boys living in what is now called Gerroa by Mickey Weston, a tribal elder and, presumably, cricket fanatic. The team toured the South Coast for a time. But that’s another story.As I said, there is little or no information about the game or the trip undertaken by the Redfern Albert club in 1895. If it was not for Athol’s love of collecting artefacts the game and the players would be lost in the mists of time. These scorebooks show the love affair that the Gerringong District has with cricket for many, many years.Author: Mark Emery

All Kiama locals and visitors know the central park on the northside of Terralong Street between Collins and Shoalhaven Street in Kiama as Hindmarsh Park, but how well-known is the history of Hindmarsh Park? In 1967, Kiama Council renamed ‘part of Central Park’ to Hindmarsh Park to honour community services by Michael Nesbit Hindmarsh, Nesbit Evans Hindmarsh and Alfred Neil Hindmarsh, in addition to the role of Michael Hindmarsh and his siblings in the very early days of the settlement of Kiama, where Hindmarsh’s Store on Black Beach was one of the first structures and Micheal’s brother George was the first Postmaster.On Saturday 20 November 2010, a new plaque commemorating the ‘Founding Orphans’ was unveiled in Hindmarsh Park, Kiama, explaining the provenance of the name.It celebrates the central role that the Hindmarsh family played in establishing Kiama, as well as the strong civic role that family had made in all facets of Kiama over the next four generations.The Hindmarsh family got their land grant at Gerringong in 1822, and built Alne Bank in 1855 which has been lived in by ten generations of Hindmarshes to this day. The founding orphans of the plaque cover the history of Michael Hindmarsh who arrived in 1822, age 22. Michael Hindmarsh had 14 children and the extended family played many roles in Kiama’s life. Their fourth child was Kiama Mayor eight times. One of the first structures in Kiama was the Hindmarsh general store, which was supplied by boats landing on Black Beach before Kiama Harbour was built. Micheal’s sister, Hannah ran a school. In addition, later generations served on Kiama council, and played a variety of community roles. Nesbit Hindmarsh had the Kiama Motors, and lived in ‘Rosebank’ a Hardy Wilson-designed home sadly knocked down.Later his older brother George and his sister Hannah also emigrated to Kiama and Gerringong. George was Kiama’s first postmaster and Hannah established the first private school for girls called Rosebank School on her brother’s George’s property Rosebank in Collins Street. Rosebank House was demolished in 1982 for a block of units and a Jewel supermarket, and was the impetus for starting the Kiama and District Historical Society’s important role in preserving important heritage sites in Kiama and Jamberoo. As Kiama Library records, the central park was the main water supply during early settlement with a creek paralleling Terralong Street to enter the sea at Black Beach near School Flat. It is now underground and piped. The park was much lower than the current level of Terralong Street and was described in the Kiama Independent of the day as a ‘steep hollow.’In 1898, a petition was made to the Minister of Lands to turn the water reserve into a park. Water carters had previously taken and sold the water through the steep streets of Kiama. The water reserve was described in the Kiama Independent as ‘often unsanitary.’The well-known Norfolk Pines were planted in 1897 and the saplings can be seen in protective boxes in photos of the time during the two Great Fires of 1899 that completely destroyed the main shopping district of Kiama between Collins Street and Shoalhaven Street.From 1899 to 1906, the park was filled with rubbish (quite possibly from the recent fires across the road) and quarry spoil. In 1906, two tennis courts (now demolished) were built at the back of Central Park and the tennis club house (now demolished) was built in the park. The Memorial Arch was placed in 1925. The unstable nature of the fill below it was a factor in the arch needing stabilising work as it developed a lean over time. Both courts and clubhouse were demolished in 1988 and the Tennis Club moved to the Noorinan Street complex. The Kiama Rocket in Hindmarsh Park is a fond memory of many Kiama locals and visitors in the 70s, 80s and 90s and as a climbing structure in the shape of a rocket with a slide for children was both quite popular and quite unsafe. The year of the Kiama Rocket’s removal is uncertain in local history so any local with further details is welcome to contact The Bugle and add further detail.The most recent change to Hindmarsh Park was the demolition of the old Ambulance Residence fronting Shoalhaven Street which started on 20 July 2023 and was replaced by turf. On December 14, 2023  the giant blocks of basalt in Irvine street were relocated to this spot to create Kiama’s own Henge Stones.

This is an appeal to the community, especially around Gerringong, for any details or history of these gates. Quite close to the Gerringong Museum, and on the way to Cronin Cval are the remains of the Jubilee Park Gate on either side of Blackwood Street, north and south.The gate is now about 88 years old. No remains of the actual fate seem to exist, just the pillars on either side of the road.The Bugle is asking the local community if they have any details on the Jubilee Park Gates and the early history of Jubilee Park which was obviously bigger when created as the park must have included Blackwood Street where the gate was situated.The Silver Jubilee of King George V was held on 5 May 1935 and marked 25 years since he took the throne. He was succeeded a year later by his son Edward VIII, who abdicated within the year and was replaced by Queen Elizabeth II’s father, George VI.The Gerringong Museum is currently researching our question on the history of these gates, and would love to add more of the gate’s history for the Gerringong and wider community to their files.Apparently, the Kiama Independent covered the installation of the Gates in an article published 15 August, 1936. This can be found on a search on Trove, the free online research portal operated by the National Library of Australia in Canberra.Further notes via Trove say that the gates and the new sports pavilion were officially opened on Saturday 14 November, 1936 by H. J Bate MLA.The article stated the reconstruction of the sports ground was undertaken by Kiama Council with emergency relief work and much voluntary assistance by the citizen’s committee.One little known fact is the porcelain drinking fountain that was erected in 1939 was famous across Australia after being featured in the iconic Aussie film “Dad and Dave.”