Murrun Murrun
Also Known As:
Parish: Prospect
Parish Lot No.: Portions 11, 18 and 26
Initial Grant Holder: Richard Thomas Smith, John H. Sydenham
Details of Grant: First granted 1894
Street Address: Wilmaria Road
Suburb: Telegraph Point
Coordinates: -31.3161, 152.8178
Known Owners: Rose Elizabeth Smith, William Joseph Munday
Land Usage: Timber, Transport
Notes
History
Johns Plains was surveyed by Flynn in 1893 and opened for private settlement. The first Land Grant at Johns Plains was Portion 26, a parcel of 100 acres on the bend of the river, was granted to John H. Sydenham on the 13th October 1894. Richard Thomas Smith (a relative of Sydenham) was granted Portion 11, a parcel of 45 acres, on 19th August 1895, and Portion 18, 135 acres on 8th August 1896 (1895 Dept of Lands Plan 3405.666; 1896 Dept of Lands 3435.666). Sydenham forfeited his grant on the 27th April 1898, and it was taken on by Smith on the 22nd August 1898 giving him ownership of the entire portion known as Murrun Murrun.
Portion 18 was located on the main road between Port Macquarie and Kempsey. A timber carting track ran through the northern part to Portion 26 and the timber wharf (built prior to 1894) on the river. The location of the wharf was shown on the Parish Map for 1936. The area was originally heavily timbered with the surveyor marking on the Crown Plan the areas of felling. The "Value of Improvements" on Portion 18 was listed as a Cottage (possibly Crown owned) as costing 20 pounds, the felling timber 12 pounds. The Smith's cottage was located in Portion 11.[1]
In 1906, Richard Thomas Smith died aged 39 years of age. His death notices appeared in the Sydney Herald: "dearly beloved husband of Rose Elizabeth Smith, of Murrun Murrun, Telegraph Point" (SMH 9th July 1906 p6). "THOMAS SMITH late of Murrun Murrun Telegraph Point" (SMH 9th July 1906 p12).
The Crown Grants were transferred to his widow, Rose Elizabeth Smith as a "Grant of Land Purchased By Conditional Sale" (Vol.4424 Fol.26; Vol.4424 Fol.27; Vol.2821 Fol. 91). Rose Smith soon remarried to Charles Oscar Smith, a postmaster from Coonabarabran (Land and Property Titles Vol:2829 Fol:91). To make way for the construction of the railway, the land portions were reduced in size when transferred to Rose Smith. Portion 26 became 96 acres, Portion 11 became 41 acres and Portion 18 became 131 acres.
This section of the railway was gazetted 22nd April 1914. At this time, E. Fisher was the occupier of the property. The land continued to be used for felling timber and wharf access up until at least 1936 with the road through the property used to access the Johns Plains Timber Depot. The south western track was widened and gazetted as a public highway in 1923.
On the 16th September 1948 Rose Smith sold the three portions of land to William Joseph Munday a farmer from Telegraph Point (Vol.6476 Fol.133; Vol.4424 Fol.27; Vol.2821 Fol.91). On the 27th December 1951 Munday sold portion 18 to Noel Bertram O'Dell (Vol.4424 Fol.26) but then bought it back on the 7th April 1952 (Vol. 6476 Fol. 133). Munday then sold the properties to Henry Erin May, and Allan James Cain and his wife Marie Elizabeth Cain on the 11th July 1963. Henry May and James Cain were both farmers at Telegraph Point (Vol.4424 Fol.26; Vol.4424 Fol.27; Vol.2821 Fol. 91). After this last sale the deed was cancelled and new certificates of title were issued for Lots 1 to 3.
Archaeological Excavation
In preparation for the highway bypass, the site was excavated in 2014. The excavations found no evidence of the 19th century hut which is believed to have been built over by the later, 1970s brick home. The excavations did uncover the remains of the mid twentieth century cow bails/small milking shed, and earlier timber post holes.
Files and External Links
References
- ↑ Fiona Leslie, Lydia Sivaraman & Jamie Reeves, Historical Archaeological Assessment and Research Design Site OHK11, for NSW Roads and Maritime Services.
