The Illawarra Historical Society will celebrate its 70th anniversary on December 5.

It was the Illawarra Discussion Group which raised the subject of the formation of a local historical society.

One of its members was Dr Robert Inglis Taylor, a member of the Royal Australian Historical Society and a local veterinarian who went on to establish the Keira Street Veterinary Hospital.

Even though Australia's men were still fighting in World War II, the enthusiasm of the public for an historical society was shown by the attendance at a public meeting on December 5, 1944, chaired by the Mayor, Alderman J. J. Kelly.

A provisional committee was formed from men holding prominent positions in the community.

A constitution was drafted and the objects of the society identified. They were foremost to preserve historical artefacts, documents, photos, publish by way of a journal the proceedings of the society, hold monthly meetings with guest speakers covering topics of historical significance and organise exhibitions.

The first general meeting was held on February 1, 1945, at Wollongong Town Hall.

The members of the society began collecting artefacts relevant to Illawarra's past and its people. One of the early speakers was George Grey, who addressed the members on the story of the Illawarra Breed, also known as Illawarra Shorthorn cattle.

Four years after Mr Grey spoke, the society produced all the information in a booklet.

Over the decades many lectures and talks have been published as small history books.

In the past 70 years, the society has been involved in saving many early historic buildings such as Hyde Park Barracks in Sydney, which was under the threat of being demolished.

It stopped Smith's Hill Fort in Cliff Road from being turned into a carpark and then in 1982 prevented the Breakwater Lighthouse in Wollongong Harbour from being relocated to Port Kembla Harbour.

In fact, the society members threatened that they would violently oppose its removal.

One of the main aims of the society is to acknowledge significant points in our history.

One for instance was the relocation of a plaque laid in September 1927 at Parkes Street, Port Kembla.

The plaque was to recognise the meeting of Surveyor-General John Oxley with the first five land grantees in Illawarra at the stockman's hut of Dr Charles Throsby on December 2, 1816.

Barney Dowd, who worked at the Land Titles Office, spoke to the society members in August 1950 and identified the exact location of Dr Throsby's hut as being in Harbour Street, Wollongong, and not Port Kembla.

Proof of the correct location was identified by the field book of James Meehan, surveyor, and Dr Throsby's nephew, Charles Throsby Smith, who identified the location in an address he gave at the Wollongong School of Arts in the 1860s.

It was on the society's 10th anniversary on December 4, 1954, that the plaque, originally at Port Kembla, was unveiled at the corner of Smith and Harbour streets, Wollongong.

In 1948, the City of Greater Wollongong Council called upon the society to provide three members to join with three aldermen in designing a new council crest.

The old seal belonging to the previous municipal council was then donated to the society. Ten years later, Wollongong council again called for three representatives from the society to assist in designing the council's common seal.

There have been many more achievements over the past seven decades. One in particular was the decision to establish a direction finder on Flagstaff Hill, commemorating the bicentenary of Cook's discovery. The construction was undertaken by Wollongong City Council and unveiled by Mayor Alderman Ford on April 26, 1970.

Ten years ago I recorded the society's first 60 years into a book.

No doubt, the Illawarra Historical Society and its members will fight on to preserve Illawarra's history and heritage and through its pioneer museum, established in 1966, will continue to educate future generations on Illawarra's past.

Information courtesy of Carol Herben OAM.  Call 0409 832 854 or email sycado6@bigpond.net.au