Lake Macquarie History

Bolton Point

Name Origin:

In 1833 John Herring Boughton purchased 149 acres at Lake Macquarie, a peninsula called Boughton Point. In 1850 Richard Fennell and family were renting the property. Various names were used to identify the area, Bolton Point was a misnaming for what was once Boughton Point and then Broughton Point and eventually Boyce's Point. Reverend L.E. Threlkeld gave the name Broughton Point to the area after William Grant Broughton who was appointed Bishop of Australia in 1836. John and Henry Boyce were known to be in the area before Jonathan Warner died, having, along with William Brooks, witnessed Warner's will in 1843. Landowner Dr James Mitchell purchased 560 acres, which extended from Marmong Creek to Bolton Point. After his death in 1869, this became part of Quigley's Estate. The first sawmill in Lake Macquarie at Cardiff Point, Valentine commenced in 1872, with the main source of logs being the Bolton Point peninsula. In those days, much of Bolton Point belonged to the extensive estate of William Quigley.

It seems likely that the name Bolton Point was introduced in the early Quigley period. Bolton is a county borough in the UK. Bolton Point Road was named in 1915 in the first subdivision held on the peninsula

European History

Early Industries:

A market garden run by Chinese residents was said to be at Bolton Point. Large boats from Sydney came to get stone from a quarry near where the Returned Soldiers Home now stands.

It is alleged that seven small shops have come and gone over the years.

Early Transport:

Lake Macquarie Council constructed the road from Marmong Point to Bolton Point. Dole workers are believed to have performed this work, possibly as part of an NES scheme. A park on this road, next to the former Bolton Point School, was given to LM Council by the Perpetual Trustee Company (Administrators of Quigley's Estate) as a gesture of recompense for the Council's work (Source: Interview with Kilday, LMCC Library).

After the war, Amos Fogg operated a bus service to Bolton Point using ex RAAF buses.

First School:

In 1943 the Bolton Point School was built, closing in 1966.

Organisations:

Owned by RSL Care, the Macquarie Shores Retirement Community began as Bolton Point Returned Soldiers Home, and officially opened in 1955.

Water Supply:

Reticulated water came to Bolton Point in 1938.

There were many fishermen's huts and boatsheds along the waterfront, mostly owned by miners.

During WWII almost all boats were removed from the lake under wartime security regulations. Small boats were impounded at Bolton Point where they were stacked up on the lake's shore.

When the Housing Commission developed Quigley's Estate, the town increased considerably. In the Parish of Awaba the locality of Bolton Point was assigned the status of suburb and the boundaries shown on Map GNB 3506, were defined on 31 May 1991. (Source: GNB of NSW).

Reference

Armstrong, John W & Hunter District Water Board (N.S.W.) 1967, Pipelines and people, Hunter District Water Board, [Newcastle, N.S.W.]

Clack, E. W & Lake Macquarie and District Historical Society 1990, Early history of Toronto, 3rd ed. 1990, Lake Macquarie & District Historical Society, [Toronto, N.S.W.]

Clouten, Keith 1967, Reid's mistake : the story of Lake Macquarie from its discovery until 1890, Lake Macquarie Shire Council, [Speers Point, N.S.W.]

Jepson, P & Clouten, Keith & Lake Macquarie (N.S.W.). Council & Lake Macquarie and District Historical Society 1967, Teralba : some notes on its early history, Lake Macquarie Shire Council for the Lake Macquarie and District Historical Society, Speer's Point

Murray, Peter 2010, In these desert wilds, [Peter Murray?], [Newcastle, N.S.W.?}

Murray, Peter & Lake Macquarie (N.S.W.). Council. Bicentennial Community Committee 1988, Warners Bay, the early years, Lake Macquarie City Bicentennial Community Committee, [Warners Bay, N.S.W

Nilson, Laurie & Leis, Susan & Noble, Rodney & Lake Macquarie (N.S.W.). Council 1985, Lake Macquarie : past and present, Lake Macquarie City Council, [Boolaroo, N.S.W.]

Streets in Bolton Point

Acknowledgement of Country

We remember and respect the Ancestors who cared for and nurtured this Country. It is in their footsteps that we travel these lands and waters. Lake Macquarie City Council acknowledges the Awabakal people and Elders past, present and future.

Council acknowledges traditional custodians throughout Australia. We commit to listening deeply to and collaborating with First Peoples in our work.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website and Council's cultural collections may contain images, voices or names of deceased persons in photographs, film, audio recordings or printed material.

This website may contain place names, opinions and terms that reflect authors' views or those of the period in which the item was written or recorded. These may not be considered appropriate today.

If you experience any issues with the website or its content please contact us [email protected]