Addison Street, Shellharbour Village, 1927.

Friday 23 January 2015

Killalea Exhibition at Tongarra Museum

Tongarra Museum has a wide range of artefacts on display that were collected from Condon's Farm site during a recent archaeological excavation. Condon's farm was in an area of Shellharbour, once known as Clear Hills - just south west of Killalea State Park at Shell Cove.

John Condon leased the farm in 1883. Frank (Francis Patrick) Condon then leased it until 1925, when his son Francis took over the lease.

The Condon home ‘Fairview’ was built in 1903 just south of the hill over looking a swamp.

In 1951 the farm was sold together with surrounding properties including the Fraser family's farm 'Killalea' (at Killalea State Park) to Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) Ltd. ICI intended to use the area to test explosives, but thankfully the project never eventuated.

'Fariview' fell in to disprepair and was subject to vandalism. In 1959 the local fire bridage were given permission to burn the house down as part of a training exercise.

An exhibition featuring the artefacts uncovered from the 'Fariview' dairy farm site and informaion on the history of th surrounding Killalea State Park is now on exhibition at Tongarra Museum, Albion Park.

Pop in and have a look.

'Fairview', Condon's farm, Shellharbour
Fairview c.1980
Shellharbour Images, Shellharbour City Libraries.

Artefacts uncovered during the excavation at 'Fairview'.