Places

Shellharbour

Shellharbour Village was part of a grant of over 13,000 acres to D’Arcy Wentworth, named Peterborough. The grant included all the land from the Minnamurra River in the south to Lake Illawarra in the north.

Five of Wentworth’s children, Martha, Sophia, MaryAnn, Catherine, and Robert inherited the estate in 1827. Captains Towns, Addison and Darley married three of Wentworth’s daughters, and the main streets in Peterborough (now Shellharbour Village) are named after them

In 1843, Caroline Chisholm brought 23 families to settle at Peterborough on clearing leases. Captain Robert Towns allowed settlers to live on his part of the estate, rent-free for six to seven years, on the condition they clear the land of all trees and scrub. Each family was given a lease to clear the land, and set up a self-sufficient farm. The families were dropped off at the beach in the afternoon and spent the night under the roots of a large fig tree near the harbour. The next morning, they were picked up by bullock and dray, and transported to the site of their farm.

On 22 September 1851, the private town of Peterborough was laid out and registered. It was predicted that the town would become an important shipping port on the coast.  In 1856, the Illawarra Mercury reported that Shellharbour was beginning to assume the appearance of a ‘hamlet or little town’. Eleven families lived in eleven houses and farmers came and went with drays, horseback or on foot, carrying the produce of the Peterborough Estate, Macquarie River and Stoney Creek to be shipped to Sydney. By 1857, many of the families had secured or leased homes and properties. They turned mainly to dairying.                                                                 

Opening hours

Monday  9.30am–8pm
Tuesday 9:30am–8pm
Wednesday 9:30am–8pm
Thursday 9:30am–8pm

Friday 9.30am–5pm
Saturday 9am–3pm
Sunday 12pm–3pm

Shellharbour City Council acknowledges the traditional custodians of Dharawal Country and recognises their continued connection to the land. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and the contribution they make to the life of this city.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images or names of people who have since passed.