TIMELESS WOLLONGONG

On Friday, September 5, 1902, the Minister for Public Works introduced a bill into NSW Parliament to authorise the construction of a water storage dam on Cataract River.

It was proposed to construct the dam about a half a mile from the junction with Cataract Creek. The Sydney Water Supply (Cataract River Dam) Act was assented to on October 27, 1902. It was proposed the dam height would be 160 feet above the riverbed and would hold 8200 million gallons of water at an estimated cost of £270,500.

Construction began in 1902 and a camp, known as Cataract City, was established not far from the proposed site for the workers and their families. There was also a works site office, a horse camp and a quarry.

To uphold the law, a police station was also established. On April 17, 1905, 31-year-old Constable Cornelius Stanislaus Kenny of Wollongong swapped places with Constable Holman of Cataract. He was there just three days when he was called to the works office to investigate an attempted robbery. He recorded that he attended at 8am and found the safe had been tampered with. The staff could not access the safe as the door was jammed. The safe was blasted open with dynamite and it was found that the account books and £300 were still intact. It was fortunate that the workers had been paid the previous day.

On May 21, Constable Kenny was forced to arrest three men at Appin for illegally taking a horse and buggy from the government stables at the dam site. The three men, John Quinlan, Benjamin Bodin and Michael Aitkins, faced court and each was fined.

Then on May 24, he witnessed Archbishop Kelly's arrival at Cataract City to arrange for the children's confirmations.

On July 14, Constable Kenny cautioned Thomas Ryan for offensive language. He issued two summonses on August 10 for appearance in Campbelltown Court on August 16. One to Thomas Ryan and the second to Mrs Mary Ann Flynn who had travelled by coach to Appin on August 4 and on her return home around 10pm she was found drunk and using abusive obscene language. The court fined both.

Constable Kenny was accompanied by Constable Dwyer on October 9 when they issued two search warrants during a raid of the billiard rooms of Doran and Newling. They eventually arrested Charley Newling and William Tunks for selling sly grog. The men appeared in Campbelltown Court on October 18 where they were fined £30 each.

During his time at Cataract City, Constable Kenny courted Catherine Ursula Gillis of Fairy Meadow. Kitty, as she was known, would often travel by coach up Bulli Pass and meet Constable Kenny at the lookout where they would picnic before he rode his bike back to camp and Kitty would travel back home by coach.

Reverend Father Walsh, of St Francis Xavier Church at Wollongong, married the couple on April 25, 1906. It is not known whether Kitty ever lived around the works with her husband. There was only one child, Elizabeth Agnes - born in 1907 at Wollongong.

In July 1907, Constable Kenny was transferred from Cataract to Gladesville Police Station. The Kenny family settled into their home, called "Wollombi", in Pittwater Road, Gladesville.

Cornelius Kenny served 27 years in the police force, retiring with the rank of sergeant. Ill health had plagued him for some time and he finally retired from the force in April 1926. He passed away at his home on April 29, 1926, aged 52.

There is no doubt that for the two years while stationed at Cataract City he had a busy time besides keeping law and order. Other matters seemed to involve him in some way or other such as accompanying the town doctor around the camp during his visits, protecting the weekly payroll when it arrived at the camp and checking the sanitary depot for the well-being of the area and its workers.

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