Obelisk

Ever wondered where the centre of town is in Kiama? The obelisk on Terralong Street, at the Manning Street roundabout opposite the Post Office, marks the spot - or does it?

Originally erected in 1861 by James Colley, first mayor of Kiama, the obelisk is made of local sandstone and is the official survey point for measuring distance within the Kiama LGA.

However, this is not always where the obelisk stood. Originally, it was on the opposite corner, at the Post Office. It resided there for almost a century, until 1959, when a runaway truck crashed into it. It was subsequently decided the obelisk should be moved to a safer place, directly across the road on the harbour side of Terralong Street, away from the turning traffic. 

The obelisk is 6 feet tall and made from sandstone quarried from the ‘Riversdale’ Estate just outside of Kiama on the way to Jamberoo, then owned by James Robb, Esq. Being made of sandstone, the engraving on the obelisk has weathered over time and has become illegible.

Obelisks symbolise rays of sunlight and were popular in Victorian times, particularly as monuments in non-conformist cemeteries where geometric forms were preferred to religious symbols such as crosses and angels.