Seaham, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Seaham is a suburb of the Port Stephens Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales
, Australia
. It is located on the Williams River
which flows into the Hunter River 14.6 kilometres (9.1 mi) downstream from Seaham village
at Raymond Terrace
.
It is a rural community supporting a small but expanding population. While the actual village of Seaham, which is located in the north-eastern corner of the suburb, is relatively compact and composed of only a handful of streets, the suburb itself covers an area of approximately 46.3 square kilometres (17.9 sq mi). Greater Seaham covers an even larger area and incorporates East Seaham
, Brandy Hill
, Eagleton and Eskdale Estate.
.
began surveying the Hunter Valley for settlement. Dangar divided the land into counties and parishes, reserving land for a township where the village of Seaham is now situated. About this time, a military station existed at Seaham in the vicinity of what is now Wighton Street. The village at Seaham was proclaimed in the Government Gazette on 26 July 1838. In the ensuing years, the village became a crossroads between neighbouring centres such as Raymond Terrace
and Maitland
.
In 1838, Dr. Henry Carmichael established a vineyard at "Porphyry Point", north of the village. In the ensuing decades the vineyard proved prosperous, winning numerous awards in Australia and Europe. The last vintage at Porphyry was in 1915, after which the name and trade mark was sold to Lindemans
.
In 1893 homes near the Williams River at Seaham were inundated during a disastrous flood that caused considerable damage and loss of livestock. Another flood in 1913 caused similar damage, destroying crops and drowning livestock. Although the impact of the 1955 Hunter Valley floods on Seaham was not documented, photographs indicate that a flood of that magnitude during the nineteenth-century (when many residents lived and worked near the river), would have been catastrophic.
and Paterson
in 1911, a line through Seaham was one of three alternative routes for the North Coast Railway
. The proposed line would have connected Morpeth
and Clarence Town
, via Seaham. The surveyed line is visible on an 1887 map of Seaham, indicating a railway crossing over the Williams River
between the township and Brandon House. At a public meeting in Clarence Town during October 1882 it was argued that the line through Seaham would present "more facilities and less engineering difficulties [than the proposed Maitland to Paterson route]". In 1903, the Seaham Hotel opened at the intersection of Dixon and Vine Streets. Thomas McDonald was publican until 1920, at which point Alfred Moore acquired the license. A decrease in traffic and population forced a later licensee, Jack Laurie, to close the hotel in December 1932 and leave the district. In September 1935, the two-storey brick building was completely destroyed by fire.
of St. Andrew's Anglican Church. These celebrations were unified as "Seaham Celebrates" and included events that were similar to those held at the 1938 Seaham centenary celebrations.
. At "Porphyry", the circa 1839 home of Mr and Mrs Gavin Ralston was completely destroyed, along with outbuildings and stables. At neighbouring "Felspar", the Graham family escaped "with the utmost difficulty" after the roof of a kitchen had collapsed in their burning home. Three automobiles went in the destruction at "Felspar", in addition to the period relics and furniture inside the homestead. In Seaham village, the efforts of firefighters were concentrated on extinguishing flames around the post office and School of Arts (1902). Although both public buildings were saved, the Seaham Presbyterian Church, Seaham Public School and several homes were lost. A "desperate battle" was fought at "Brandon", south of the town proper, where two homes were lost. A "good save was effected" at the circa 1884 homestead, where the fire was extinguished at the backdoor.
. The fire was blocked on Clarence Town Road near the Glen Oak School of Arts. At Seaham, the fire was reported to have jumped the Williams River at "Felspar", the same estate where a house of historical importance was lost in the 1939 bushfires.
The town proper came under threat from bushfires again in 1951 from a fire in the Wallaroo State Forest. This bushfire, which also threatened Karuah
, was reported to be "out of control" on the night of 15 November 1951, prompting the residents of Seaham to evacuate.
, who discovered signs of late Palaeozoic glaciation in the Seaham area during 1914. The deposits at the quarry, identified as 'varve
shale' in 1919, have been considered by geologists as the 'finest [example] in the world'.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service
manage the site, which can be visited by everyone interested in geology and geological history of the Seaham area.
to prevent the windows shattering in the case of an air raid. Other important homesteads included "Porphyry" (established 1838) and "Felspar" (circa 1878) - both of which were destroyed in the 1939 bushfire.
. It was built by Walter Scott, who also built Wallalong House.
and numerous other bird species. In addition to this, the reserve also protects a historic quarry, in which scientifically important sediments from ancient glacial thaw water have been found.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is located on the Williams River
Williams River (New South Wales)
The Williams River is a river that flows through Dungog, Clarence Town and Seaham in New South Wales, Australia. The river flows generally south east and south for about to its confluence with the Hunter River, just to the west of the Fitzgerald Bridge at Raymond Terrace. Previously it was known...
which flows into the Hunter River 14.6 kilometres (9.1 mi) downstream from Seaham village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
at Raymond Terrace
Raymond Terrace, New South Wales
Raymond Terrace is a town in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, about by road north of Newcastle on the Pacific Highway. Established in 1837 it is situated at the confluence of the Hunter and Williams rivers and has about 12,600 residents. It is the administrative centre of the Port...
.
It is a rural community supporting a small but expanding population. While the actual village of Seaham, which is located in the north-eastern corner of the suburb, is relatively compact and composed of only a handful of streets, the suburb itself covers an area of approximately 46.3 square kilometres (17.9 sq mi). Greater Seaham covers an even larger area and incorporates East Seaham
East Seaham, New South Wales
East Seaham is a primarily rural suburb of the Port Stephens Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is situated on the east bank of the Williams River, opposite Glen Oak and Seaham. The Greswick Public School operated in East Seaham between 1895 and 1937,...
, Brandy Hill
Brandy Hill, New South Wales
Brandy Hill is a suburb of the Port Stephens Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It was originally farmland but was subdivided in the 1980s and now supports a population of almost 1,000 people living on large, primarily residential, blocks...
, Eagleton and Eskdale Estate.
Aboriginal settlement
Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the area now known as Seaham was home to the Garewagal clan of the Worimi peopleWorimi people
Worimi people are Indigenous Australians from the eastern Port Stephens and Great Lakes regions of coastal New South Wales, Australia. Before contact with settlers, their people extended from Port Stephens in the south to Forster/Tuncurry in the north and as far west as Gloucester...
.
Beginnings through the 19th century
In 1822, Henry DangarHenry Dangar
Henry Dangar was a surveyor and explorer of Australia in the early period of British colonisation. He became a successful pastoralist and businessman, and also served as a magistrate and politician...
began surveying the Hunter Valley for settlement. Dangar divided the land into counties and parishes, reserving land for a township where the village of Seaham is now situated. About this time, a military station existed at Seaham in the vicinity of what is now Wighton Street. The village at Seaham was proclaimed in the Government Gazette on 26 July 1838. In the ensuing years, the village became a crossroads between neighbouring centres such as Raymond Terrace
Raymond Terrace, New South Wales
Raymond Terrace is a town in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, about by road north of Newcastle on the Pacific Highway. Established in 1837 it is situated at the confluence of the Hunter and Williams rivers and has about 12,600 residents. It is the administrative centre of the Port...
and Maitland
Maitland, New South Wales
Maitland is a city in the Lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Maitland City Council, situated on the Hunter River approximately by road north of Sydney and north-west of Newcastle...
.
In 1838, Dr. Henry Carmichael established a vineyard at "Porphyry Point", north of the village. In the ensuing decades the vineyard proved prosperous, winning numerous awards in Australia and Europe. The last vintage at Porphyry was in 1915, after which the name and trade mark was sold to Lindemans
Lindemans (wine)
Lindeman's is an Australian winery, owned by Treasury Wine Estates. It was founded in 1843 by Henry Lindeman who planted its first vines in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales. This original vineyard no longer exists, and the winery now has vineyards in South Australia , in Padthaway and at...
.
In 1893 homes near the Williams River at Seaham were inundated during a disastrous flood that caused considerable damage and loss of livestock. Another flood in 1913 caused similar damage, destroying crops and drowning livestock. Although the impact of the 1955 Hunter Valley floods on Seaham was not documented, photographs indicate that a flood of that magnitude during the nineteenth-century (when many residents lived and worked near the river), would have been catastrophic.
20th century
Prior to the establishment of the railway line between MaitlandMaitland, New South Wales
Maitland is a city in the Lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Maitland City Council, situated on the Hunter River approximately by road north of Sydney and north-west of Newcastle...
and Paterson
Paterson, New South Wales
Paterson is a small township in the lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia. Located within Dungog Shire it is situated on the Paterson River. At the 2006 census, Paterson had a population of 345 people...
in 1911, a line through Seaham was one of three alternative routes for the North Coast Railway
North Coast railway line, New South Wales
The North Coast Line is the primary rail route in the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers regions of New South Wales, and forms a major part of the Sydney-Brisbane rail corridor....
. The proposed line would have connected Morpeth
Morpeth, New South Wales
Morpeth is a suburb of the City of Maitland Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the southern banks of the Hunter River at the border between the City of Maitland and Port Stephens Council LGAs...
and Clarence Town
Clarence Town, New South Wales
Clarence Town is a both a primarily rural locality and a township in the Dungog Shire Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is north of Sydney, north-north-west of Newcastle, and from the Pacific Highway at Raymond Terrace. The locality is bisected by the...
, via Seaham. The surveyed line is visible on an 1887 map of Seaham, indicating a railway crossing over the Williams River
Williams River (New South Wales)
The Williams River is a river that flows through Dungog, Clarence Town and Seaham in New South Wales, Australia. The river flows generally south east and south for about to its confluence with the Hunter River, just to the west of the Fitzgerald Bridge at Raymond Terrace. Previously it was known...
between the township and Brandon House. At a public meeting in Clarence Town during October 1882 it was argued that the line through Seaham would present "more facilities and less engineering difficulties [than the proposed Maitland to Paterson route]". In 1903, the Seaham Hotel opened at the intersection of Dixon and Vine Streets. Thomas McDonald was publican until 1920, at which point Alfred Moore acquired the license. A decrease in traffic and population forced a later licensee, Jack Laurie, to close the hotel in December 1932 and leave the district. In September 1935, the two-storey brick building was completely destroyed by fire.
21st century
In 2002 celebrations were held in Seaham to commemorate the sesquicentenary of Seaham Public School, the centenary of the Seaham School of Arts and the centenary of the consecrationConsecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
of St. Andrew's Anglican Church. These celebrations were unified as "Seaham Celebrates" and included events that were similar to those held at the 1938 Seaham centenary celebrations.
Bushfires
Since European settlement, there have been a number of reported bushfires in the Seaham district. In June 1888 a bushfire, which did not threaten the town proper, almost engulfed the home of Henrietta Carmichael at "Felspar". On 18 February 1926 Seaham came under direct threat from serious bushfires that almost destroyed the Seaham School of Arts and the Seaham Hotel. Another fire on 9 November 1928 destroyed a house on the "Brandon" estate.1939 bushfires
Seaham was partially destroyed by bushfires on 14 January 1939, the smoke of which could be seen as far north as ForsterForster, New South Wales
Forster is a large coastal town in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, in the Great Lakes Council LGA, about north-north-east of Sydney. It is immediately adjacent to its twin, Tuncurry, which is the smaller of the two towns...
. At "Porphyry", the circa 1839 home of Mr and Mrs Gavin Ralston was completely destroyed, along with outbuildings and stables. At neighbouring "Felspar", the Graham family escaped "with the utmost difficulty" after the roof of a kitchen had collapsed in their burning home. Three automobiles went in the destruction at "Felspar", in addition to the period relics and furniture inside the homestead. In Seaham village, the efforts of firefighters were concentrated on extinguishing flames around the post office and School of Arts (1902). Although both public buildings were saved, the Seaham Presbyterian Church, Seaham Public School and several homes were lost. A "desperate battle" was fought at "Brandon", south of the town proper, where two homes were lost. A "good save was effected" at the circa 1884 homestead, where the fire was extinguished at the backdoor.
1944 and 1951 bushfires
In 1944, another bushfire swept down on Seaham and nearby Glen OakGlen Oak, New South Wales
Glen Oak is a small community in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, shared between the Port Stephens and Dungog Local Government Areas...
. The fire was blocked on Clarence Town Road near the Glen Oak School of Arts. At Seaham, the fire was reported to have jumped the Williams River at "Felspar", the same estate where a house of historical importance was lost in the 1939 bushfires.
The town proper came under threat from bushfires again in 1951 from a fire in the Wallaroo State Forest. This bushfire, which also threatened Karuah
Karuah, New South Wales
Karuah is a predominantly rural locality of both the Port Stephens and Great Lakes Councils in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is thought that the name means 'native plum tree' in the local Aboriginal dialect.-Geography:...
, was reported to be "out of control" on the night of 15 November 1951, prompting the residents of Seaham to evacuate.
Brandy Hill
Adjacent to Brandy Hill, a 180 metres (591 ft) high hill located approximately 4.7 km (2.9 mi) to the west of Seaham township is the Brandy Hill Quarry.1:100000 map 9232 NEWCASTLE Travelling between the quarry and Raymond Terrace meant travelling a circuitous route through the Seaham township so Brandy Hill Drive was constructed to provide a shorter and more direct route. In the 1980s the land around Brandy Hill Drive was subdivided and the estate was named "Brandy Hill". On 7 April 2000 the subdivision was formally approved as a locality and became a suburb in its own right. The suburb is almost surrounded by Seaham, while the hill itself remains within the suburb.Cemetery
Seaham Cemetery, which is located on the outskirts of the Seaham township, has a traditional layout with headstones dating back to the 1850s. The cemetery is still in use and is maintained by Port Stephens Council.Deadman's Creek
Between Seaham and Brandy Hill Quarry, the Clarence Town Road crosses a small watercourse named Deadman's Creek. The creek gained this sinister name after 1844 when a man from Clarence Town was found brutally murdered on the road, close to the modern-day crossing. Mr. Robert Campbell was found with his throat cut in such a way that his head was almost severed from his body. Closer inspection of the body revealed a gunshot wound on the deadman's jaw. Several hundred metres away, (in the Maitland direction), a large pool of blood was found. Police at the time took this as an indication that the deceased had been dumped near the creek after he was killed.Edgeworth David quarry
The Edgeworth David quarry is an historic quarry that was gazetted for preservation for scientific purposes in 1925. It is named after the Australian geologist Edgeworth DavidEdgeworth David
Sir Tannatt William Edgeworth David KBE, DSO, FRS, was a Welsh Australian geologist and Antarctic explorer. A household name in his lifetime, David's most significant achievements were discovering the major Hunter Valley coalfield in New South Wales and leading the first expedition to reach the...
, who discovered signs of late Palaeozoic glaciation in the Seaham area during 1914. The deposits at the quarry, identified as 'varve
Varve
A varve is an annual layer of sediment or sedimentary rock.The word 'varve' is derived from the Swedish word varv whose meanings and connotations include 'revolution', 'in layers', and 'circle'. The term first appeared as Hvarfig lera on the first map produced by the Geological Survey of Sweden in...
shale' in 1919, have been considered by geologists as the 'finest [example] in the world'.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service
National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales)
The National Parks and Wildlife Service is part of the Office of Environment and Heritage - the main government conservation agency in New South Wales, Australia....
manage the site, which can be visited by everyone interested in geology and geological history of the Seaham area.
Historic properties
Only a handful of Seaham's historic homes are still standing. These include "Brandon" (established 1884), "Burnbrae", and "Eskdale". Brandon house still has thick, black tape over its internal windows. The tape was used during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to prevent the windows shattering in the case of an air raid. Other important homesteads included "Porphyry" (established 1838) and "Felspar" (circa 1878) - both of which were destroyed in the 1939 bushfire.
Brandon House
"Brandon", established in 1884 on the site of Alexander Warren's "Brandon Hall", is one of the last original homesteads in Seaham. The house has remained in the Fisher family for over 130 years and is the only example of Victorian architecture in the town.Eskdale House
"Eskdale", built in the 1830s, is one the oldest homesteads in the district and is located on the outskirts of Seaham near Brandy HillBrandy Hill, New South Wales
Brandy Hill is a suburb of the Port Stephens Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It was originally farmland but was subdivided in the 1980s and now supports a population of almost 1,000 people living on large, primarily residential, blocks...
. It was built by Walter Scott, who also built Wallalong House.
Seaham Public School
Although a school has operated at Seaham since 1844, the existing public school began in an iron schoolhouse near the river in 1852. The school moved to the current site after a new schoolhouse and teacher's residence were constructed in 1885. Although both of these buildings were lost in the 1939 bushfire, the school continued to operate on this site in the former Grewsick School. This school, opened in 1895, had served the East Seaham district until 1937 and remained in use at Seaham until a new schoolhouse was built in 1968.Seaham Swamp Nature Reserve
Seaham Swamp is recognised as an important habitat for the Cattle EgretCattle Egret
The Cattle Egret is a cosmopolitan species of heron found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Bubulcus, although some authorities regard its two subspecies as full species, the Western Cattle Egret and the Eastern Cattle Egret...
and numerous other bird species. In addition to this, the reserve also protects a historic quarry, in which scientifically important sediments from ancient glacial thaw water have been found.