Heritage and history
of Otford Cottage
The beginning
Wollongong City Council Deposited Plan 817562, 16th July 1992. I purchased Lot 5 in 1992, and Barbie and I purchased Lot 4 in 1997 and we still own both. The initial part Reserve 7327 proclaimed on 6th October 1888 by the Public Transport Corporation for rail use. Lot and DP numbers still remain, but street/house numbers were changed by council in about 2000. Street numbers are now 1, 3, 5 and 7 from left to right. DP 817562 took almost 2 years to finalise as the road reserve had never been fully resolved. DP 82308, below was required to be finalised to confirm legal access to the properties.
Land titles
Current DP 82308, WCC. Sorting out easements for Lady Carrington Road due to sale of the 4 employee cottages in 1992 and 1997. Initial railway land titles 6-10-1888.
Site Plan
Site plan. Dated 28th October 1909.
Meanwhile back in the 1880’s, a potted history from documents found online, generally via Trove.
NSW Government Gazette
NSW Government Gazette Tuesday 19th June 1888. Call for tenders to supply and erect Engine Tanks at Otford 4 July 1888.
Completion of Pumpers House
NSW Government Gazette Tuesday 16th September 1890. Call for tenders for erection and completion of Pumpers House at Otford 29th September 1890.
Construction of Ventilation Shaft
NSW Government Gazette Friday 3rd July 1891, page 5016. Call for tenders for construction of Ventilation Shaft for the Otford Tunnel 8th July 1891.
Construction of Night Officers House
NSW Government Gazette Friday 18th December 1896, Page 9103. Call for Tenders for construction of Night Officers House, Otford.
Residence for Officer in Charge
Residence for Officer in Charge, Otford. NSW Government Gazette Tuesday 14th June 1889. Page 3929. I do also have a copy of a plan of this house.
Permission to pump water
NSW Government Gazette Friday 31st August 1900. Dept of Public Works, permission to pump water from the Hacking River at Otford for railway purposes. Hence the ford and low dam wall just below the station, and the foundations and slab on ground of the pump house remain.
Call for employees houses
Tenders called for employees houses at Waterfall. NSW Government Gazette Friday 9th June 1905, Page 3873. Semi-detached cottages have only been built at Waterfall and Otford. Due to their similarity, probably off the same plan.
Building plans
New South Wales Railways, Employees Cottages. Building Plans. Dated 28th October 1909. Note no window hoods and no window in side of kitchen. Now known these houses were built during mid-1910. Sourced from colleagues in then State Rail, about year 2000.
Tenders for Brick residences
NSW Government Gazette Wednesday 22nd Dec 1909, page 6815. Tenders for the erection of brick residences in Otford.
Erection of Otford residences
South Coast Times, Friday 28th January 1910. Erection of Otford residences for employees of the fan, contract estimated to be £1750.
Additions to the residences
South Coast Times, Friday 29th April 1910. Report of completion of extensive additions to the buildings at the Ventilation Fan and good progress on the four brick cottages at Otford for employees of the fan.
View of Otford Road causeway
Courtesy of Helensburgh Historical Society. View of Otford Road causeway and beginning of Lady Carrington Road, circa 1920. Includes house on corner, and Nightwatchmen’s residence and the back corner of the first two of the four employees brick cottages (note no kitchen window and no window hoods).
Otford Station
Otford Station, 22 June 1925, source from “The Staff”. Shows the platform level water tanks and pedestrian crossing at track level at the Wollongong end of the platform.
World War II
Frank Rooney at rear steps leading down to air raid shelter. 1941, source unknown.
World War II
Frank Rooney and unknown on side of then number 6 (now number 3) with profile of Night Watchmens house on the other side of Lady Carrington Road in the background. 1941, source unknown.
Vertical air photo
Circa 1948 vertical air photo from Wollongong City Council of the properties.
View to the east
View to the east along Lady Carrington Road, from the intersection with Otford Road, 1981.