Laurieton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Laurieton Camden Haven, New South Wales
Laurieton from North Brother Mountain
Laurieton Location in New South Wales
Postcode(s)	2443
Elevation	12 m (39 ft)
Location	365 km (227 mi) north of Sydney 30 km (19 mi) south of Port Macquarie
LGA(s)	Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
State electorate(s)	Port Macquarie
Federal Division(s)	Lyne
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 21.8 °C 71 °F 11.3 °C 52 °F 1,549.3 mm 61 in

Laurieton (/ˈlɒrɪtən/) is a lovely coastal town in New South Wales, Australia. It's part of the Mid North Coast region. Laurieton is the biggest town in the Camden Haven area. It's about 365 km north of Sydney and 42 km south of Port Macquarie. The town sits between the bottom of North Brother Mountain and the Camden Haven River.

First People of Laurieton

The Birpai (also known as Birrbay) people are the traditional owners of this land. They have lived in this area for over 40,000 years. Their history and culture are very important to the region.

Schools in the Area

The largest school in the district is Camden Haven High School. It is located about 5 km from Laurieton's main shops and businesses.

Early European Exploration

Captain James Cook sailed past this coast in 1770. He named "the Brothers" mountains because they looked like mountains in his home county of Yorkshire. The Birpai people already had their own name for these mountains.

In 1818, John Oxley explored the Camden Haven area on foot. Europeans first settled here in the early 1820s. A convict settlement was set up nearby at Port Macquarie in 1821. The first settlers in Laurieton were limeburners. They burned oyster shells to make lime for building materials. Some of these early settlers lived at the base of North Brother Mountain. There were also soldiers stationed here to catch any convicts who tried to escape.

How Laurieton Got Its Name

Joseph Laurie J.P. (1832–1904) was a very important person in the early days of Laurieton. He and his brothers, Andrew and Alexander, owned timber businesses here. Joseph moved to the area in 1872.

When the local post office opened on October 1, 1875, Joseph Laurie took charge of it. Before this, the area was known as Peach Orchard or Peach Grove. The name was changed to Laurieton to honor the Laurie family's influence in the community.

The Timber Industry

The Laurieton timber mill, owned by Laurie Brothers, opened on January 12, 1876. It was built right on the river bank. A store was also built across from the mill at the same time. Joseph Laurie first managed the mill.

Later, other timber mills opened in the area. By 1886, Laurieton had four timber mills running. There were also steam punts (flat-bottomed boats) used for transport.

Joseph Laurie also owned two small ships called ketches. The Mary Laurie was built right in Laurieton and launched in 1884. The Annie Laurie was built elsewhere.

Captain George De Fraine was another important person in the timber trade. He used his ketch Ethel B.T. to trade goods in Camden Haven starting around 1887. He later partnered with John Rodger, another mill owner. George De Fraine eventually owned several mills in the area.

In 1891, the government suggested changing Laurieton's name to Camden Haven. But the people of Laurieton really disliked this idea, so the name stayed the same. Between 1901 and 1903, several ships were built in Laurieton, including the steamship Hastings.

Bob Hope's Unexpected Visit

On August 14, 1944, a Catalina seaplane had to make an emergency landing. It landed on the Camden Haven River right next to Laurieton. Guess who was on board? The famous entertainer Bob Hope! He was flying back to Sydney after performing for troops in Guam.

The local postmaster helped Bob Hope by lending him money for his hotel bills. This was because his luggage had been thrown out of the plane to make it lighter. An unplanned party was held in town. The next day, Bob Hope and his group traveled by road to Newcastle and then flew to Sydney. Bob Hope kept in touch with the people of Laurieton for many years after his surprising visit.

Population and Community

In the 2016 Census, Laurieton had 1,986 people living there. Most people (81.9%) were born in Australia. Also, 93.0% of people spoke only English at home. The most common religions were Anglican (32.4%), No Religion (22.5%), and Catholic (19.7%).

Places to Stay

If you visit Laurieton, there are a few places where you can stay:

• Diamond Waters Treehouse Retreat
• Mariner Motel

Historic Sites

Laurieton has some special places that are listed for their history. These are called heritage-listed sites. One important site is:

• Cnr Laurie and Bold Streets: Laurieton School of Arts

Climate and Weather

Laurieton has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm, wet summers and cool winters. Even though it gets a lot of rain, it doesn't rain every day. Instead, it often has heavy rainfalls a few times a month.