Variety An Attraction
Newcastle Herald
Friday July 4, 2008
AMPLE fresh water and abundant food resources made Stockton an important place for the traditional owners, the Worimi.
Records show that European interest dates back to 1797. In that year Lieutenant John Shortland aboard the HMS Reliance discovered the area while hunting for runaway convicts. Seeking shelter from bad weather on Saturday, September 16, the Reliance entered a river south of Port Stephens. Shortland made note of three landing sites in the northern peninsula, the area now known as Stockton. He also took note of quantities of good quality coal on the southern side. Close to the water's edge, it was convenient for ship loading. Between 1798 and 1800 a number of ships were sent to collect the coal. It was those traders who recognised the potential profit in the cedar trees that were abundant. In the early 1800s a sawmill was built at an anchorage near what was then known as Pirate Point but was later to become known as Stockton. The development meant that, in effect, Stockton was Newcastle's first suburb. Diversification continued. Using the vast reserves of oyster shells along the beach, a lime-burning industry was the next to be developed. Then came salt works, which were followed by the establishment in 1835 of a tweed mill. The suburb continued to grow but, over time, its significance was more that of a dormitory suburb for the industrial city of Newcastle than that of a productive powerhouse in its own right. Today, Stockton is enjoying a resurgence in popularity as a clean, convenient place to live.
© 2008 Newcastle Herald