MOSQUITO AND DEMPSEY
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate article of Monday 18 February 1907
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate article of Monday 18 February 1907 reported that in 1891 Moscheto Island had 200 people living there, mainly dairy farmers, vegetable farmers, fruit growers and fishermen. A transcript is as follows:
“ON THE ISLANDS, MOSQUITO AND DEMPSEY”.
In the very early days of the history of Newcastle, the islands in Port Hunter were occupied by settlers, who combined timber-getting, fishing, and market gardening. The occupation of the islands has undergone an evolutionary process, and to-day practically all the indigenous timber has been cleared, and the land is chiefly occupied by dairy farmers, who find a ready market for their milk in the city. Two of the most important of the is lands are Mosquito and Dempsey, on both of which there are some fine farms. To thousands of people in Newcastle, these is lands are unknown,but they are mostinteresting places, and play an important part in the food supply of the district. Mosquito Island is situated opposite Port Waratah,and on the other side of the channel is Dempsey Island.
The old smelting works, with their huge chimney stack, stand as the ghost of a long-deal industrial enterprise, and on Dempsey Island there are the old salt works, which years ago kept a number of men employed. Both those secondary industries have succumbed to competition or altered market conditions, but the great primary Industry of agriculture has progressed all the time, and is more solidly established to-day than ever it was. For many years the farmers on the two islands named had to bring all their produce to the city in boats, and many a day when the wind blew strong, it was a four hours’ pull to land the milk or vegetables at the Market-wharf.
Some years ago a punt was established between Mosquito Island and Port Waratah, and still more recently something like a decent road has been made across the swamps into Smedmore, which is the road the milkmen at present travel. The Dempsey Island people are still without a punt and have to take all their produce across by boat and stable their horses on the mainland. It is felt that better means of communication should be provided, and the Mosquito Island Progress Association has moved in the matter. On Saturday Mr J. Estell, M.P., visited the island, and a numbers offarmers met him at the residence of Mr James Turner, junr., and pointed out the work they desired to be carried out. Briefly put, the desire is for a steam punt between Port Waratah and Mosquito Island, witha bridge from Mosquito Island to Dempsey Island. The present punt is certainly inadequate for the traffic.
The approaches both on the Waratah and Mosquito Island sides of the channel are very bad, and even dangerous. The Waratah Council has already written to the Department of Public Works concerning the approaches in the municipality, and the approaches on the Mosquito Island side are in the shire of Tarro. Mr Estell explained that some twelve months ago he placed the condition of the approaches before the Works Department, and after inspection the work was authorised, but it seemed that nothing had been done. The matter was now one for the Tarro Council to take up. He certainly thought that the Government should have put the approaches in proper order before passing them over to the local body, and he promised to what he could in the matter.
The traffic over the punt is very heavy, and certainly deserves much greater facilities. On many parts of the Hunter there are steam punts, which carry much less traffic, and there are bridges which have cost thousands of pounds, which are free from all toll, and cost a great deal to maintain, and which do not carry one tithe of the traffic carried by the punt from Port Waratah to Mosquito Island. A quicker service is certainly needed, and this could best be secured possibly by means of a motor engine, which could be set going in a minute or two at any time the punt was required. At present there is no railed-off space for foot passengers, who have to stand among the horses and carts, and if they are taken over by rowing boats, the landing is most awk ward, and at certain states of the tide is positively dangerous.
After attention had been given to the question of improving the punt consideration was given to the proposal to erect a bridge between the two islands. It was pointed out that a bridge would be in every way preferable to a punt, and that the actual channel to be spanned did not exceed 50 yards in breadth. The approaches across the flats would be considerable, but these would have to be made even if there was a punt. The Dempsey Island people are at present most isolated, and it is pointed out that the Government has recently resumed some of the land at Port Waratah, and if they resume any more the island farmers will be deprived of the site where they now have their stables.
The whole question is one of cost, but the members of the Tarro Shire Council might well ask for a report from their engineer, and then pay the locality a visit. Mr Estell was also asked to give his attention to the matter of the road from Port Waratah to the city. The existing road, which, by the bye, was only completed about 18 months ago, has been resumed in connection with the new rail way works, and it is rumoured that the substituted road will run, out by the soap works, and compel the milk vendors to go through Tighe’s Hill, which means a great way round. No matter where the road goes, the Waratah council, or any other municipality interested, should see that it is well made by the Commissioners.
For many years the farmers drove through swamps, and have only enjoyed a good road for less than a couple of years, and it is only fair that they should be given a road as direct as possible and metalled throughout its length. After Mr Estell had heard the views of those present, Mr and Mrs Turner entertained those present, several toasts being proposed and responded to, the speakers being Mr W Clegg, president of the ‘Milk Vendors’ Association, Mr R Muncaster, representing Dempsey Island, Mr. Joseph Dempsey, and Messrs, James Turner, senior and junior. Among those present was Mr Charles Croese, who has long passed the at lotted three score years ‘and ten, and who has resided on Mosquito Island for nearly 55 years.”