Page "Wollongong" Paragraph 25

The area was originally inhabited by the Dharwal ( or Turuwal ) Indigenous Australians.

The first Europeans to visit the area were the navigators George Bass and Matthew Flinders, who landed at Lake Illawarra in 1796.

The first settlers in the region were cedar cutters in the early nineteenth century, followed by graziers in 1812.

Charles Throsby established a stockman's hut in the area in 1815.

The first land grants were made in 1816.

In 1830, a military barracks was constructed near the harbour.

Further settlers arrived and in 1834 a town was planned.

On 26 November 1834, the town was first gazetted and George Brown erected the first court house.

The main road down the Escarpment through Bulli Pass was built by convict labour in 1835-6, although other passes were built during the 1800s as well, such as O ' Briens Road and Rixons Pass.

By 1856 Wollongong had a population of 864.