Celebrate Kiama’s amazing heritage
Visit the Pilots Cottage Museum, Blowhole Point
Treat yourself to a fascinating trip down memory lane. Learn how Aboriginal people and white settlers have made their mark on the local area. Find out more about the marks left by cedar gatherers, farmers and miners.
Discover Kiama’s leading history society
See how local people are fighting to defend the area’s heritage buildings and places, and celebrating the history of the area. Why not join up and become part of a growing movement that cares about our neighbourhoods?
Find out more about our local history
Find helpful hints on where to look for more information on the history of the area now known as the Kiama local government area. This includes on the Internet, and names of helpful organisations.
Events
Our popular monthly speaker events are held at the Kiama Library auditorium and attract a good crowd. After the presentation is a chance for questions, then afternoon tea
Lorraine Neate: Ebenezer Hamilton’s cashbook 1897-1913
Lorraine is currently President of the Illawarra Historical Society and has published a number of books including Scandal Slander and Interfering with Our Neighbours in 2016. She also presents a monthly ABC Radio spot with Mark Matthews.
Ebenezer was Lorraine’s great grandfather. His farm was Seaview Croom, Shellharbour-Jamberoo borders. The farm was part of a purchase by Ebenezer Russell in 1852. Ebenezer Hamilton was the grandson of Ebenezer Russell. Some of our members may remember Lorraine’s grandfather Cressy Hamilton (son of Ebenezer) who owned Seaview which was sold out of the family in 1991.
The cashbook records items purchased for the farm and for family personally as well as stock and produce sold. They include transactions for the building of the home in 1903 and show prizes received, sales of cattle and horses, and clothing made and purchased for family members.
Saturday 20 April 2024 at 2.00pm Kiama Library Auditorium. $3 Members / $5 Non-Members
Malcolm Bedford: An afternoon of films
We will start with a brief Annual General Meeting, led by Sue Eggins and Tony Gilmour.
Malcolm Bedford’s film afternoon last year was so warmly received that we decided to have another film afternoon! We will be repeating The Kiama Film from the 1940's, continuing with more of the BBC Series - Coasts of Australia and also showing the Sinking of the Boston. Malcolm Bedford is a Life Member and Volunteer of Kiama Historical Society.
A fun afternoon for all that will entertain, inform and bring back some fond memories
Saturday 18 May 2024 at 2.00pm Kiama Library Auditorium. $3 Members / $5 Non-Members
Nadia Wheatley: The end of the morning
Charmian Clift fans will be excited to learn that The End of the Morning, a previously unpublished autobiographical work, has been edited by Nadia Wheatley and will be published in May.
Clift described her work: “The End of the Morning is about a girl called Cressida Morley, who has appeared already in My Brother Jack, but I invented her first and her eccentric family who live in a weatherboard cottage on the edge of a beach. It is a book about young dreams and young longings and filled with sand and sea and sun and wind and seaweed draped on the front picket fence after a storm.” Of course, that front picket fence and weatherboard cottage are in Clift’s hometown, Kiama, by Bombo Beach.
This is a joint event with Friends of Kiama Library. Tickets will go on sale 1 May and will be available at the library, online via the Kiama Library website, or call 02 4233 1133.
Saturday 1 June 2024 at 2.00pm Kiama Library Auditorium. $8 Members of Kiama Historical Society or Friends of Kiama Library/ $10 Non-Members
