Silver Hill

‘Silver Hill’ was originally a dairy farm on the southwest edge of Kiama, established in 1871 by brothers Hugh and Thomas Love. The house was possibly constructed by the renowned John Simmons, who did his apprenticeship in London with the firm that worked on the reconstruction of the Palace of Westminster. John designed and built a number of buildings during his life in Kiama, many of which are still standing.

The name ‘Silver Hill’ possibly came from a spring on the property that ran over rocks, giving the water a silver appearance. Thomas Love (Mayor of Kiama from 1898-99 and 1909-15), lived at ‘Silver Hill’ with his wife Margaret until a couple of years before he died, in 1926.

‘Silver Hill’ was sold out of the Love family in 1936, to William James Walker of Dapto and his wife, Mary (both originally from Jamberoo). The farm continued to operate as a dairy farm during this time, and Mary made and sold butter for the locals during the Depression years. The Walker children grew up on ‘Silver Hill’.

William Walker retired in 1950 and sold the farm to Robert (Bob) Hampden Borthistle. Bob let the dairy farming licence expire, and then, in 1954, sold the farm to Frank West Herbert, who owned a sawmill in Jamberoo. In 1977, Frank sold ‘Silver Hill’ to his daughter, Roslyn, who was married to Trevor Jones (of Jones Beach). The Joneses reapplied for the dairy licence and ran it as a dairy farm. The Joneses did not live on ‘Silver Hill’ for long before they retired and moved into Kiama. They leased out the farm and the house separately, and Cameron Boyd (of Boyd’s Beach, Kiama Downs) rented the house for a number of years, as the Jones and Boyd families were good friends.

‘Silver Hill’ farm was sold by the Joneses in 1986 to a developer. The house with 2 acres was sold off to John and Norma Cornwell, and the remainder of the farm was subdivided and developed into a housing estate at the top of Bland Street, Kiama. The Cornwells (living in Sydney) used the house as a weekender for a time and eventually retired there. The Cornwells sold the house in 2001 to a developer, who subdivided the 2 acres into four lots and then sold the cottage block again in 2003.

The cottage has since continued to be loved by various owners, and the current owner has researched the history and recorded it for future generations (a copy can be viewed at the library).

Kiama Library and Family History Centre recently launched a project about the old houses in our area. In conjunction with research already undertaken by the Kiama District Historical Society, we will be compiling an index of names of houses, and some history about them, too. If you have any information you'd like to contribute, please get in touch.

Thomas and Margaret Love with their two sons, Thomas and Hugh, c.1893.

'Silver Hill' house during the period the Loves owned it.

The 'Silver Hill' nameplate on the verandah of the home, c.1950s.

Back yard of 'Silver Hill', 2019.