Tahlee, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids TahleeNew South Wales |
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Tahlee, 2017
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 Tahlee
Location in New South Wales
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| Established | 1826 | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2324 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 7 m (23 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 3 km2 (1.2 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10) | ||||||||||||||
| • Summer (DST) | AEDT (UTC+11) | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Mid-Coast Council | ||||||||||||||
| Region | Hunter, Mid North Coast | ||||||||||||||
| County | Gloucester | ||||||||||||||
| Parish | Carrington | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Port Stephens | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Lyne | ||||||||||||||
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Tahlee is a small area in New South Wales, Australia. It's part of the Mid-Coast Council region. You can find Tahlee on the northern side of Port Stephens, which is a beautiful natural harbour.
Most of Tahlee is undeveloped bushland. The main part where people live is a historic property also called Tahlee. The name "Tahlee" comes from the local Aboriginal word Tarlee. It means "sheltered from the wind and above water."
Contents
History of Tahlee
First People of Tahlee
The first people to live in this area were the Worimi people. They are an Aboriginal tribe. The name Tahlee comes from their language. It means "sheltered from the wind and above water."
When the first European settlers arrived in 1826, they worked well with the Worimi people. The settlers needed their help to succeed. The history of Tahlee has been closely linked to the Tahlee property ever since.
The Australian Agricultural Company
The Australian Agricultural Company (AA Co) was started in 1824. The British Parliament gave them the right to choose a huge amount of land in New South Wales. They wanted to use this land for farming.
In 1825, Robert Dawson arrived in Sydney. He was the company's first leader, called a "commissioner." He brought animals and equipment for a new settlement. The company wanted a base near the coast for shipping. So, Dawson explored Port Stephens.
On January 1, 1826, Dawson chose the spot where Tahlee and Carrington are today. This became the company's main base.
Building Tahlee House
Robert Dawson started building Tahlee House. This house became the home for the first four AA Co commissioners. A nearby town was also planned and named Carrington. Dawson led the AA Co until 1828.
Sir William Edward Parry became the next commissioner in 1829. He was a famous Arctic explorer. He arrived at Tahlee in March 1830. During his five years, he made many improvements. Parry was a very religious man. He even held Sunday church services in the carpenter's shop because there was no church.
Lt-Colonel Henry Dumaresq took over in 1834. He was a former assistant to the Governor. He served until he passed away in 1838. After him, Mr. James Ebsworth became the temporary leader again. He stopped a plan to divide the land into many small pieces. If he hadn't, Port Stephens would look very different today.
Captain Phillip Parker King was the last AA Co commissioner to live in Tahlee House. By this time, the company realized the land wasn't good for grazing animals. So, they moved their main office to Stroud. This ended the Australian Agricultural Company's time at Tahlee in 1849.
After the AA Co Left
In 1854, Mr. Frederick Manton from Sydney bought the Tahlee property. But sadly, the house burned down in 1860. Only the walls were left.
The White Family Era
In 1880, Robert Hoddle Driberg White found out he had inherited a lot of money. This made him very wealthy and well-known. When he returned to Port Stephens, he was asked to run for Parliament. He was elected for the Gloucester area. During this time, he bought Tahlee.
Mr. White made many changes to Tahlee. He added improvements and extensions to Tahlee House. He even had twelve full-time gardeners to look after the beautiful terraced gardens. Mr. White was known for bringing guests from Sydney on his steam yacht, the "Kingfisher." A special horse-drawn tram would then take them from the harbour to their rooms!
After Mr. White passed away, his son, Alfrey Beecher Stewart White, inherited the estate. He mostly lived in Sydney but used Tahlee House as a country getaway.
The Gospel Fishermen Mission
In 1948, a group called the Gospel Fishermen Mission visited Tahlee for a picnic. They were located on the southern side of Port Stephens. They liked the property so much that they asked to rent it.
In 1949, a family from the mission moved into a small house at Tahlee. They started using parts of Tahlee House, like the ballroom. In 1951, the mission started a training camp for missionaries there. Mr. White still visited Tahlee House. But in 1959, he offered to sell the property to the Mission. They were able to buy it thanks to a large donation.
Tahlee Bible College and Today
The new Tahlee Bible College started its first classes on June 10, 1959. The official opening on October 31, 1959, had 400 people! Over 1,000 students have studied at the college. Many of them now work in Christian service around the world.
Tahlee Bible College stopped its main operations in 2009. However, other activities still happen there. These include camps and events for children, young people, and families. You can also take tours of Tahlee House and other old buildings on the property.
Heritage Listings
Tahlee has a special place on the heritage list:
- Tahlee Street: Tahlee (the historic pastoral property)
