Dr Robert Menzies

Dr Robert Menzies and his wife Margaret (nee Tindall) arrived in Sydney from Scotland in 1839. They entered the country as free immigrants and they came to the country in the hope of settling down on a farm and raising a family, making their fortune and returning to their families in Scotland after about 10 years here. However, this scenario didn't ever eventuate.

The Menzies ended up on 600 acres at Jamberoo shortly after arriving in Australia. They named their property Minnamurra after the Aboriginal term for the stream which flowed through it. Minnamurra House was built in the early 1840s and it still stands today, making it one of the oldest homes in the Illawarra. It was constructed by local tradesmen under the supervision of Dr Menzies and Charles James Tindall (Margaret's brother), who also travelled with the Menzies to Australia.

At the time of the Menzies settling in Jamberoo, there was no village of Jamberoo. The village came about during 1841, when Michael Hyam gave part of his property for the purpose of a village. Before the village, Michael Hyam had the Harp Inn and a tannery on his property, and there was Woodstock which had the flour and timber mills (on the Albion Park side of the Minnamurra stream).

In 1842 a Presbyterian church school was built in Jamberoo. It was the first building of its kind in this area. During the week it housed the school and on the weekends it became the church and Sunday school. Other denominations also used the building sometimes. Dr Menzies would sometimes conduct the church service if there was no minister available.

In 1844 Dr Menzies was appointed as one of the first Justice of the Peace in the Southern Illawarra region and he presided over the Kiama Court as the first Magistrate, many years before the present day Court House was built. Dr Menzies was also the first Coroner in the region and he was on the first Illawarra Agricultural Society in 1844 due to his interest in farming.

Dr Menzies was not a strong man and died at an early age of 49 in 1860 after a long illness. Margaret Menzies's mother (who had come out to Australia to join the family) also died in 1860. Margaret died the following year, possibly from a broken heart! They were all buried in a private cemetery on the property, now called Kinross Private Cemetery, along with two infant sons and a daughter who had also died. There were still four daughters that survived and married to have their own families.

Dr Robert Menzies (1812-1859)

Minnamurra House, Jamberoo. Home of Dr Robert and Margaret Menzies.

Minnamurra House, Jamberoo.

Kinross Cemetery 2018, where the Menzies and Tindell's are buried. This is a private cemetery on private property today.