Historic cheese town in the verdant valley between Candelo and Bega
There was a time when Kameruka was a thriving community driven by the fame of Kameruka cheese (now produced in Bega) and the elegance of both the Kameruka Homestead and the solitary grace of the Holy Trinity Church. Today it is a tiny village on Candelo Creek between Candelo and Bega.
Location
Kameruka is located 443 km south of Sydney via the Princes Highway; 497 km via the Hume Highway, Canberra and Cooma; and 21 km south-west of Bega.
^ TOPOrigin of Name
It is claimed that "kameruka" is a Yuin word for "wait until I return".
^ TOPThings to See and Do
Kameruka Homestead
Kameruka Homestead was built in 1845 by the Walker Brothers who had taken over the 200,000 acre property from the Imlay Brothers who had fallen on difficult times. By 1857 it was owned by the Tooth family (of beer fame) who continued to own and operate the farm until they sold it in 2007. It had remained in the family for 150 years and during that time it could claim that it was the oldest dairy stud in Australia.
Its early history is a bizarre mixture of Australian ingenuity and a desire to maintain English traditions in the Australian countryside. The Walker Brothers were known to keep a pack of hounds and, instead of foxes, to set the hounds free onto the local dingo population. The Walkers sold the property to the Twofold Bay Pastoral Association. Two members of the Association were members of the Tooth brewing family.
In 1854 James Manning was appointed as manager of the property and he introduced cheese making which saw the property prosper. He also encouraged the migration of German settlers who quickly involved themselves in the production of cheese.
By 1864 the property had been greatly reduced in size but the arrival of Robert Lucas-Tooth saw the property developed as a large rural estate. The Kameruka Homestead website explains: "Robert Tooth took on an enormous building programme, most of which can still be seen today: Holy Trinity Church, three Cheese factories, the Clock Tower, Village Store and Butcher’s shop, Village Hall, dairies and some thirty houses for the employees as well as schools for the children, golf course and cricket oval for the enjoyment of staff. With the planting of English and European trees the surrounding land around the 'village' was also designed in an English parkland style which included a truly tranquil oriental lake." Effectively Robert Tooth created the village of Kameruka.
When it was sold in 2007 the owner, Frank Foster a relative of the Tooth family, could proudly write: "Kameruka is without doubt one of the best known rural names on the eastern seaboard and the property itself a major historical landmark of Australia. The ground breaking plans and vision of the early settlers of Kameruka are preserved for all to see. This is a significant part of Australia's living heritage. The estate's private village scene is complete with cricket oval, village hall, clock tower and resident's cottages, all preserved and maintained in near original condition. The front gate entrance leads you past the classic gatehouse, down the oak lined avenue to the 1845 homestead and gardens. The famous clock tower has stood nearby chiming every quarter hour since 1911. Here is truly unsurpassed beauty. Even the village main street's commercial buildings survive; carpenter and blacksmith shops, village store, butcher's shop and the estate office all bear testament to the grand plan of one man, brewery magnate Robert Tooth. The surrounding landscaped farmland is home to the oldest and one of Australia's finest dairy studs. The very best genetics from 1880 to the present day ensure the Kameruka Jersey herd's ongoing excellent production as well as the stud achieving Royal Sydney Show Supreme Champion Dairy Cow, of all breeds, in 1981, 1983 and 1992. No other stud has ever or probably will ever achieve this record ... Kameruka Estate today stands testament to the tenacity and success of 150 years of unbroken ownership by the Tooth family and it is with great regret that the property is being offered for sale for the first time since 1857. The fact remains, however, that Kameruka will continue and will amply reward a new owner with its agricultural diversity, its intrinsic historic soul, ideal unspoilt position and the estate's stunning natural beauty. Unique is a loosely used word today but it probably is the one word that truly captures this very special place." At the time of its sale it covered 3,337 acres.
Holy Trinity Church
The Tooth family have been described as Edmund Blacket's "great Sydney patrons". It was therefore quite natural that they would employ him to design a church for the Kameruka estate. Holy Trinity Church was consecrated in 1869. It is an impressive church which was effectively a private church for the Tooth family. The church's most impressive feature is its high-pitched roof. It contains memorials to the Tooth family and members of the family are buried in the cemetery which can be found behind the building. The high clock tower and gatehouse were erected in 1911. There is a war memorial to the local people who died in the World Wars near the church.
History
* Prior to the arrival of Europeans the rich Candelo Valley had been home to members of the Yuin Aboriginal language group for over 20,000 years.
* The first settlers in the Kameruka district were the Imlay Brothers who arrived in 1834 and occupied a 200,000 acre cattle run.
* By the 1840s the Imlays were experiencing major financial problems and they handed their land over to Sydney merchants, the Walker Brothers, in 1844.
* In 1845 the Walkers built the four-roomed Georgian mansion known as Kameruka Homestead and engaged in dingo hunting with a pack of hounds and an Aborigine named Tom Doolin who became the master of the hounds.
* The Kameruka Estate was sold by the Walkers in 1852 to the Twofold Bay Pastoral Association - a joint venture of the Manning brothers, the Tooth brothers (members of the renowned Tooth Brewery family) and Thomas Sutcliffe Mort.
* From 1852-1860 the estate was run by James Manning who acted as the resident manager. Manning encouraged German immigrants to settle in the district. They were instrumental in the early production of Kameruka cheese.
* James Manning bought Kameruka in 1861 but floods, disease and the Land Act broke up the holdings. He lost 7,000 cattle to pneumonia.
* Manning sold Kameruka in 1862 to Frederick Tooth who, in turn, sold it to his nephew Robert Tooth in 1864.
* It was Robert who began to develop a largely self-contained community based on the English agricultural estate system.
* In 1888 a touring English XI played a 22-strong local side on the estate's cricket oval. The English won.
* By the 21st century the Kameruka Estate was owned by Tooth's granddaughter and great grandson who ran it with the help of share farmers.
* In 2007 the 1,300 ha Kameruka Estate was sold to English shipping magnate, Giles Pritchard-Gordon.
* In 2014, after the death of Pritchard-Gordon, his widow put the property up for sale.
^ TOPVisitor Information
Kameruka does not have its own Visitor Information Centre. The closest is the Bega Visitor Information Centre which is located in the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre, Lagoon Street, Bega tel: (02) 6491 7645. It is open from 9.00 am - 5.00 pm every day.
^ TOPUseful Websites
There is no website for Kameruka.
^ TOP
Hi, I would like to find out more about John Burrell and Catherine McDonald /McDonnell who married in Holy Trinity Church Kameruka March 20th 1883. John Burrell is listed as a butcher and Catherine as a domestic servant. Our long term problem has been that Catherine was placed in an orphanage in Sydney in 1868 with older sister Margaret and brother John. All were apprenticed out to the South Coast with John and Catherine going to H. Carew at Moruya aged 12 years. The biggest issue we have is the confusion on several documents with the McDonald crossed to spell McDonnell. They were taken to the orphanage with the consent of the mother by a minister in Maitland. There are no details of the mother’s name yet it is their father’s name John which appears on nearly all records. Any assistance would be appreciated.
My grandmother was born on the Kameruka Estate in 1890 along with several brothers and sisters. Is there any photographs in existence so I can complete family history research. Her name was Ida May Doyle – the daughter of Peter Williams and Jane Doyle
Hoping you can help.
Many thanks
Hi, Dennis Ida May Williams is my husband Darryl Barrington Great Aunt His Grandfather was Ida’s little brother Samuel Erasmus William. I have been working on the Williams family tree for some years.
Hello Denise
My name is Alan Godfrey (formally from Bega).
I am doing a detailed tree which includes Godfrey, Doyle, Williams .. and others.
I am also trying to gather information on Samuel Josiah Williams and family.
Could you please email me and hopefully we can assist each other in family tree information
Hi Alan. I have researched the Williams family extensively and can help. Sam is my great great grandfather.
Hello Alan & Andrew. I too am a descendant of Samuel Josiah Williams. I believe that Samuel Josiah Williams is my 3rd or 4th great grandfather.
My name is Rebekah Chalmers, I am the daughter of Lynette Godfrey & the granddaughter of Selwyn Harold Godfrey. I would really love to get in contact & learn more about the Godfrey & Williams.
Hello Rebekah. I have just seen your message. I am still heavy in to my family tree esp Samuel Josiah Williams. It would be great if we can communicate and help in each others trees. My email is alanmich1@bigpond.com.
Absolutely fascinating Kameruka family history presented by Alexis Furner at Coolamon Rotary meeting Coolamon Sport & Recreation Club. Monday night.. Congratulations Kameruka and thank you Lexie and Coolamon Rotary.
One of my early ancestors “Yankee Joe Rolfe” is buried at Kameruka and if possible I would like to visit his grave site.
Is this possible ?
Hi, I’m with the Bega Heritage Motor Club and I’m organising a day tour of local historical sites on Saturday 29 May. Would it be possible for a group of people driving heritage cars (up to about 12 cars) to visit the estate and look at historic buildings, monuments and cemeteries? Phone me on 0419 984 014 if more convenient.
Regards,
is it possible to tour around kameruka i have relations which lived there in the late 1800s
The primary Kameruka source for research is the Bega Valley Genealogy Society Inc –
There is a Kameruka Display on this weekend – 29th 30th May 10am tto 4pm – at the
Old Courthouse, 42 Toallo St, Pambula NSW 2549
link tto websie .https://bvgenealogy.webhive.com.au
Hello. William Walker was my 3 times great grandfather so I read your article with interest. In the section “things to do” 2nd paragraph it says “when the Walkers failed” they sold to the Tooths. The Walkers didn’t ‘fail’ they were focused on London although some members of the family lived here permanently or travelled back and forth London/Australia/London. A good source of information about William Walker & Co is “Early Merchant families of Sydney” by Janet Holcomb, Australian Scholarly Publishing P/L, Melbourne 2013 especially chapters 10 and 13. Regarding the sale of Pambula and Kamaruka in 1853 refer to pp 165-6. Hope this is helpful.
Hi, my grandmother was a Mabel McCarthy , her grandfather was a William McCarthy, married Jane Craigie in 1848. William worked for Tooth’s of kameruka as a stockman to riverside horse station at Tantawangalo on 1st January 1863 at 20 pounds a year and Jane set herself up in business at the mountain. They were there for 20 years. Is there any records of this information?
I also believe my great grandfather’s first wife is buried at Kameruka, his name was William Craigie McCarthy, his wife was a Caroline Isabel Williams, married 1878 .
My grandfather was Robert Craigie McCarthy, grandson of William and Jane McCarthy, they were very prolific, I have eight siblings, and I suspect that their are many of us researching these people.
Hi, my name is Garry McCarthy & i am the great, great grandson of William Michael McCarthy who arrived as a convict in 1838, He & wife Jane had 12 children all born in the Candelo, Kameruka & Tantawongalo district.I believe he also worked as a stockman for Ben Boyd. He and many other of the McCarthy clan are buried in the Candelo cemetery
My uncle Henry Lawson Lucas was buried in the Kameruka cemetery last week, his parents Thomas Lucas and Ethel Florence Lucas are buried there along with many family members. My Grandfather, Thomas Lucas had a great deal to do with the Kameruka cheese factory. I would like more information on their history PLEASE
Hi, My name is Maurice Godfrey – father William E Godfrey; grandfather Andrew James Godfrey. I am looking for photos of the “Bungalow’ where my grandfather lived. It is located at the entrance of the Kameruka Estate.
Reply to Maurice Godfrey. A house was built on Kameruka for single men and called The Cabin . I have a couple of photos for you to check if you email me.
I’ve always been told the Kameruka Estate Gardens won many competitions prior to the 70’s. Is this true, I can’t find any information on this.