History of Hurlstone Park
Officially white settlement began with two land grants. One grant went to John Homerson on 12 November 1799. The second was granted to Thomas Moore on 1 October 1803. John Homerson"s land was bought by William Cox, who in turn sold it to Roberrt Campbell. This land was renamed "Canterbury Estate". On 21 July 1830, Thomas Moore's property was sold to Dr John Wardell and became part of the "Robert Wardell Estate". It appears there was some confusion as to the boundaries of these properties as both claimed the other held part of their land.
Railway
The decision to establish a rail service to the area was delayed for many years with decisions regarding proposed routes, the resumption of property and the high expense of building a railway in lieu of extending tram services along existing routes all contributing. The launch of construction on an actual railway route through the Canterbury district form the city brought a boom to the area with the promise of work for some, and for others the attraction of improved accesss from jobs in the city to residences in the district. On 1 February 1895, the official opening ceremony for the completion of the section of railway from Sydenham to Belmore, including a platform at Fern Hill prompted another boom in the settlement of the area.
Fern Hill Estate
On September 21, 1895, the area surrounding Fern Hill Station was to be auctioned as the Fern Hill Station Estate. This land was brought by retailers, trades people and professionals. Some of the people were:
- Mrs E. Size - confectioner
- J. Armistead - fruiterer
- J. Sanders - butcher
- Walter Phillips - storekeeper
- Daniel R. Alderton - surveyor
- Benjamin W. Rablah - chemist
- Charles J. Merfield - astronomer
- Stephen Herford - solicitor
- W. W. Dunk - painter
- Richard T. Davies - builder
- Nurse Kennard
- J.W.E & E.J.I. Pople - music teachers
- Miss R. Burne - dressmaker
- Herbert E. Robertson - contractor
- and S. T. Davies - plumber.
In 1910, a new post office was planned in Fern Hill, but the Postal Department insisted that the name of the locality would need to be changed, because there were already two post offices with that name, one in Victoria and one in Queensland. A referendum was held in conjunction with a municipal election, and the electors, gven a choice of Fernboro, Garnett Hill or Hurlstone, chose Hurlstone, the name of the nearby Agricultural High School. The Railways Department agreed to the change in the area name , as well as the station, on condition that "Park" would be added to avoid confusion with Hillston in western New South Wales.
Prepared by Canterbury City Library
Brian Madden, Lesley Muir and Canterbury City Council.
Source
MADDEN, Brian J. and MUIR, Lesley. Canterbury Farm: 200 years. Earlwood, NSW: Canterbury & District Historical Society, 1993.