Tahlee, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Tahlee is a suburb of the Great Lakes Council Local Government Area in the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales
, Australia
, located on the northern shores of Port Stephens
. The suburb is sparsely populated with the only significant population centre being the property of Tahlee
, from which the suburb got its name. The remainder of the suburb is primarily undeveloped bushland.
tribe. Tahlee comes from the local Aboriginal word, Tarlee, meaning "sheltered from the wind and above water". Early relationships between the original inhabitants and white settlers were relatively harmonious. In fact, the Australian Agricultural Company
(AA Co) would not have succeeded without their help. Tahlee's history since the AA Co's first settlers arrived in 1826 has been inextricably linked to the property of Tahlee, which is located at the southeastern corner of the suburb, adjacent to Port Stephens.
, with the right to select 1000000 acres (4,047 km²) of land in the colony of New South Wales, for agricultural development. After initial criticism's of the company's Sydney
committee over their lack of enthusiasm in finding a suitable location to use as the company's base the Port Stephens area was decided on after Robert Dawson, the company's first commissioner, arrived in Sydney on 23 December 1825 with stock, plant and equipment for the new settlement. Port Stephens had been recommended by John Oxley
, the Surveyor General of New South Wales
, after the AA Co's committee had insisted on a base near the coast, where shipping facilities were available. On 1 January 1826 Dawson set out to explore Port Stephens, eventually deciding on the present site of Tahlee and Carrington as a suitable place for his headquarters.
During his time as commissioner, Dawson began work on Tahlee House, the home of the AA Co's first four commissioners. Nearby, a site was chosen for a township, which Mr Dawson re-named Carrington. Robert Dawson led the AA Co until 1828 when the committee replaced him with his assistant, Mr. James Ebsworth, in an interim capacity.
Sir William Edward Parry
, the Arctic explorer and hydrographer, became the next commissioner of the AA Co in 1829 and arrived at Tahlee in March 1830. His five-year tenure was marked by progress and social reformation. Parry was a devout Christian. When he discovered that the settlement lacked a church, he conducted his own Sunday service in the carpenter's shop at Carrington.
Lt-Colonel Henry Dumaresq, who had been Governor Darling's assistant, became the next commissioner in 1834. He served until his death in 1838, when Mr James Ebsworth took over again as interim commissioner. Mr Ebsworth opposed a proposal by the company's English directors to subdivide the land into small parcels. Port Stephens would be a different place today if the plan had succeeded.
Captain Phillip Parker King was the final AA Co commissioner to live in Tahlee House. By then, the Company's directors had realised the land was unsuitable for grazing and chose to the relocate its headquarters to Stroud. The Australian Agricultural Company’s chapter of Tahlee’s history closed with the end of his appointment in 1849.
Considerable development took place during this period. Improvements and extensions were added to Tahlee House. Twelve full-time gardeners were employed to maintain a number of terraced gardens. Mr White was well known for bringing guests from Sydney on his steam yacht, "Kingfisher." A horse-drawn tram would then transport them to their rooms from the harbour below the house.
On his death, the estate was held in trust for his widow and then passed to their son, Alfrey Beecher Stewart White, who lived primarily in Sydney. He used Tahlee House as a country retreat.
, visited Tahlee for a picnic. Over the next year, applications were forwarded to Mr White to rent the property to the mission. In June 1949, the Theobold family moved into the Waterfront Cottage and began using the ballroom and billiard room at Tahlee. In 1951, the ministry established a missionary training camp under the supervision of Mr Frank Biggs. Mr White continued to visit Tahlee House but, in 1959, he offered the property to the Mission, which accepted after a large donation made it possible for the purchase to take place.
commenced on 10 June 1959 and the public opening held on 31 October 1959 attracted 400 people. More than 1,000 students have trained at the college and many of these are now in Christian service in Australia and in countries all over the world.
Tahlee Bible College officially discontinued operations at Tahlee in 2009 (no students were enrolled in 2008 or 2009). However several other ministries such as camps and events for children, young people and families continue to be held on site. Tours of Tahlee House and other historic buildings form part of the present activities.
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...
, located on the northern shores of Port Stephens
Port Stephens
Port Stephens is a large natural harbour located about north-east of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. It lies wholly within the Port Stephens Local Government Area although its northern shoreline forms the boundary between the Port Stephens and Great Lakes LGAs...
. The suburb is sparsely populated with the only significant population centre being the property of Tahlee
Tahlee
Tahlee is a historic Australian property of situated on the north side of Port Stephens near Karuah in New South Wales in the suburb of Tahlee. It is the current location for Tahlee Bible College and the original site of the Australian Agricultural Company....
, from which the suburb got its name. The remainder of the suburb is primarily undeveloped bushland.
Earliest inhabitants
The earliest inhabitants of this area were 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...
tribe. Tahlee comes from the local Aboriginal word, Tarlee, meaning "sheltered from the wind and above water". Early relationships between the original inhabitants and white settlers were relatively harmonious. In fact, the Australian Agricultural Company
Australian Agricultural Company
The Australian Agricultural Company is a company which serves to improve beef cattle production through responsible natural resource and land use...
(AA Co) would not have succeeded without their help. Tahlee's history since the AA Co's first settlers arrived in 1826 has been inextricably linked to the property of Tahlee, which is located at the southeastern corner of the suburb, adjacent to Port Stephens.
The Australian Agricultural Company
The Australian Agricultural Company was founded in 1824, through an Act of the British ParliamentParliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, with the right to select 1000000 acres (4,047 km²) of land in the colony of New South Wales, for agricultural development. After initial criticism's of the company's Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
committee over their lack of enthusiasm in finding a suitable location to use as the company's base the Port Stephens area was decided on after Robert Dawson, the company's first commissioner, arrived in Sydney on 23 December 1825 with stock, plant and equipment for the new settlement. Port Stephens had been recommended by John Oxley
John Oxley
John Joseph William Molesworth Oxley was an explorer and surveyor of Australia in the early period of English colonisation.October 1802 he was engaged in coastal survey work including an expedition to Western Port in 1804-05...
, the Surveyor General of New South Wales
Surveyor General of New South Wales
The Surveyor General of New South Wales is the person nominally responsible for government surveying in New South Wales. The original duties for the Surveyor General was to measure and determine land grants for settlers in New South Wales...
, after the AA Co's committee had insisted on a base near the coast, where shipping facilities were available. On 1 January 1826 Dawson set out to explore Port Stephens, eventually deciding on the present site of Tahlee and Carrington as a suitable place for his headquarters.
During his time as commissioner, Dawson began work on Tahlee House, the home of the AA Co's first four commissioners. Nearby, a site was chosen for a township, which Mr Dawson re-named Carrington. Robert Dawson led the AA Co until 1828 when the committee replaced him with his assistant, Mr. James Ebsworth, in an interim capacity.
Sir William Edward Parry
William Edward Parry
Sir William Edward Parry was an English rear-admiral and Arctic explorer, who in 1827 attempted one of the earliest expeditions to the North Pole...
, the Arctic explorer and hydrographer, became the next commissioner of the AA Co in 1829 and arrived at Tahlee in March 1830. His five-year tenure was marked by progress and social reformation. Parry was a devout Christian. When he discovered that the settlement lacked a church, he conducted his own Sunday service in the carpenter's shop at Carrington.
Lt-Colonel Henry Dumaresq, who had been Governor Darling's assistant, became the next commissioner in 1834. He served until his death in 1838, when Mr James Ebsworth took over again as interim commissioner. Mr Ebsworth opposed a proposal by the company's English directors to subdivide the land into small parcels. Port Stephens would be a different place today if the plan had succeeded.
After the Australian Agricultural Company
Mr Frederick Manton, from Sydney, purchased the Tahlee property from the AA Co in 1854 for ₤2,500. However, the house burned down in 1860, leaving only the walls.The White era
In 1880 Robert Hoddle Driberg White discovered he had come into a fortune when his grandmother left him considerable property in Melbourne. However, the matter had been kept a secret from him for 13 years. The subsequent court case brought him enormous wealth and notoriety. On returning to Port Stephens, Mr White was invited to stand for Parliament and was elected for the seat of Gloucester. It was during this time that he purchased Tahlee for ₤850.Considerable development took place during this period. Improvements and extensions were added to Tahlee House. Twelve full-time gardeners were employed to maintain a number of terraced gardens. Mr White was well known for bringing guests from Sydney on his steam yacht, "Kingfisher." A horse-drawn tram would then transport them to their rooms from the harbour below the house.
On his death, the estate was held in trust for his widow and then passed to their son, Alfrey Beecher Stewart White, who lived primarily in Sydney. He used Tahlee House as a country retreat.
The Gospel Fishermen
In 1948 the staff of the Gospel Fishermen Mission, which was located on the southern shores of Port Stephens in Tanilba BayTanilba Bay, New South Wales
Tanilba Bay is a suburb of the Port Stephens Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the Tilligerry Peninsula adjacent to the bay from which it got its name...
, visited Tahlee for a picnic. Over the next year, applications were forwarded to Mr White to rent the property to the mission. In June 1949, the Theobold family moved into the Waterfront Cottage and began using the ballroom and billiard room at Tahlee. In 1951, the ministry established a missionary training camp under the supervision of Mr Frank Biggs. Mr White continued to visit Tahlee House but, in 1959, he offered the property to the Mission, which accepted after a large donation made it possible for the purchase to take place.
Tahlee Bible College and other activities on the site
The first lectures at the new Tahlee Bible CollegeTahlee Bible College
For nearly 60 years functioned as an interdenominational training centre situated at Tahlee, a property on the shores of Port Stephens, less than one hour north of Newcastle and less than three hours north of Sydney....
commenced on 10 June 1959 and the public opening held on 31 October 1959 attracted 400 people. More than 1,000 students have trained at the college and many of these are now in Christian service in Australia and in countries all over the world.
Tahlee Bible College officially discontinued operations at Tahlee in 2009 (no students were enrolled in 2008 or 2009). However several other ministries such as camps and events for children, young people and families continue to be held on site. Tours of Tahlee House and other historic buildings form part of the present activities.