Islands in the Hunter River Estuary
Address by Milton Cook to the Probus Club of Shortland ( 2001 )
Before the 1800’s there were 10 islands in the delta, some not named. Carrington was known as Bullock Island. Ballast from sailing ships filled in the northern canal making it part of the mainland which was renamed Carrington. Spit Island was a small island in front of what became the BHP steel making plant. The waste from the plant filled in the channel making it part of the mainland. Moscheto, Dempsey and Ash Island are now known as Kooragang Island, filled in by industrial waste.
Two small islands still exit today at Fullerton Cove. They are named Dunns and Smiths and Hexham Island across from the ssuburb of Hexaham. Ash Island was named because of the Ash tress that grew on the island. The island extended from Dempsey Island to the top end of Hexham, was seven miles long, the widest being three miles wide. It is formed by the river branching off into two channels at Hexham. It is low lying in places with tidal swamps and very good fertile ground above water level, 2,800 acres in all. The early history of Ash Island shows it was granted by the crown to a Alexander Walker Scott in 1818, a gentlemam whose brother was a Police Magistrate in Newcastle.
Mr Scott imported labourers from Europe to help clear the land. It was a favoured spot by Aboriginals and when the land was subdivided, 100ft from the shore was reserved for them. It was so they could still live on the island and have access to the water, but when the white men came they disappeared, and on the reserve roads were built giving access to preoperties. A My Plumber of England who advanced considerable sums of money to Mr Scott foreclosed on the peroperty and it fell into the hands of Allan Cowlishaw and R.B. Wallace of Newcastle.
The only freeholders were Mr William Millham and Mr Lintott. The new owners cut up what was left into small farms and in May 1884 it was sold by auction by Brunker and Wolfe, Auctioneers. The land sale was one of the most important ever held in the district and as everything was flourishing the farms brought high pirces, The highest being 61 Pounds per acre for Mr Scotts homestead by Mr McLean, that being known as Scotts Point, and still is to this day. Swamp Island was sold as low as 4 pounds per acre. In March 1893 a disastrous flood swept over all of the islands and most farmers loosing all that they had put into it. Mr Millham had 90 cows and only saved 14. The rest were swept out to sea, never to be seen again. Owing to the disastrous flood many of the settlers were unable to meet their payments of purchase but they struggled on and many paid their place off in five years.
Mr Millham purchased some adjoining paddocks to his and was able to run 100 cows to milk. He was the first person to have a cream separator having obtained and imported one from Sweden. The island in those days was very important to Newcastle for the supply of milk, butter and vegetables. Ash Island was connected to the mainland by two hand propelled punts, one at Sandgate, still known as Punt Road and the other at Hexham. In later years a wooden bridge was built at Hexham. One punt was made available to Moscheto Island. A cable was laid from BHP wharf to the island, and it was hand propelled. Access was through the centre of the Steelworks. There was a Public school on Ash Island opposite Hexham. Some 30 to 40 pupils were under the charge of one teacher up to six class. A Post Office was run by Mrs Vera Manning.
Moscheto island had a number on farms on it too. Also a Public School, Post Office and at one stage had more pupils than Ash Island, but industry started to take over when Walsh Island as it was called was part of Moscheto Island.