“East Kurrajong” a name whispered on the wind. What stories does this place hold? East Kurrajong in New South Wales is more than just a location. It’s a scattered settlement with a rich past. It stretches along The Bull Ridge. This ridge runs from the Comleroy Road and East Kurrajong Road intersection near Kurrajong toward Sackville.
Howes Creek meanders along the ridge’s southern side. Roberts Creek flows in the valley to the north. The earliest European settlements in East Kurrajong clustered near these creeks. Roberts, Howes, and Buttsworths Creeks provided essential water. Land was also claimed along established roads and tracks. Grants near Comleroy Road are older than those further east on The Bull Ridge.
William John received Portion 19 in 1840. This was 100 acres. He got another 30 acres in 1852. Peter Hornery was granted 60 acres in 1831. Settlement spread north from Wilberforce through Glossodia. This included areas along Buttsworth and Howe’s Creeks. Henry Buttsworth received two large grants in 1837. One was 1000 acres. The other was 500 acres. William Nowland received 50 acres in 1840. Daniel Rawson got 30 acres further along the ridge in 1823. But large settlements did not boom until the late 1800s.
The 1878 electoral roll shows most residents lived near Howe’s Creek, Buttsworth Swamp, or Ryan’s Swamp. By 1901, 50% of voters listed their address as Bullridge. Much of the land along Bull Ridge was settled due to the Crown Lands Alienation Act of 1861. It was also known as the Robertson Land Act. This act allowed free selection of Crown Land before surveying. Land could be 40 to 320 acres at £1 per acre. Selectors had to pay a quarter of the price upfront. The balance was due within three years. Later, only interest payments were required. Many years passed between conditional purchase and the first certificate of title.
Crown Land blocks were also sold at public auctions. These auctions were advertised in The Windsor & Richmond Gazette. Land was surveyed before auction. Some Bull Ridge blocks were conditional purchases from the 1870s. Many date from the 1890s. By the early 1900s, almost all productive land between Roberts Creek and Howe’s Creek was selected. These small farms and orchards thrived. Poor productivity hindered development along Blaxland’s Ridge until recently.
The track along Bull Ridge was an established stock route. This encouraged settlement. From the 1850s, the track became the main route for droving stock. It ran from Sackville to Richmond. The tracks followed ridges. They cut through private land. Side tracks led to water sources. The Bull Ridge earned its reputation as a stock route. Stanley Park occupies part of a Camping and Watering Reserve. It was designated for travelling stock in 1889.
Older residents remember slip rails along Bull Ridge into the 1930s. People had to open them. This was necessary whether traveling by car or horse. East Kurrajong Road was tar-sealed in the late 1940s. Electricity arrived in December 1948.
Today, East Kurrajong Road still follows the Bull Ridge. It runs from Comleroy Road to Sackville. The road echoes with the history of droving stock and early settlers. East Kurrajong is a place where the past is always present.