Timber terraces for stone workers

Dating from 1886, the terrace houses in Collins Street were built for quarry workers and their families. The burgeoning demand for blue metal for roads, railways and trams saw a rapid influx of quarry workers to the area.

The work done by quarrymen was arduous and dangerous. Accidents were common and their living conditions did not help their recovery.

Oh yeah people got sick from the dust. I swallowed a fair bit of it. I used to wash it down with a few beers after work! The blokes got paid by the bag in the old days. They used knapping hammers to break up the [blue] metal. They'd knap all day.

Wal Carson, Kiama 2007

By the 1960s the terraces were in such a state of disrepair they were almost demolished. Since then they have been classified by the National Trust and placed under a permanent conservation order.

This plaque is 1 of many found around the district. The plaques describe the history of their locations. They were commissioned by Kiama Council in 2009.

If you had seen them around, you are welcome to have a look at the collection of plaques in the district.

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(JPG, 187KB)