Shepherds Hill Cottage story

I was going to make up a completely fabricated story for this but so often the truth is more interesting so here it is.  This is Shepherds Hill Cottage,  It sits adjacent to the remains of the fort (Shepherds Hill Fort) on the fringes of King Edward Park.  I am not sure of the construction date but I suspect some time just before the second world war.   It originally was the Shepherds Hill Master Gunner's Cottage before becoming the Officers Mess Hall in WWII and later became part of the Artist in Residence program before being given to Marine Rescue for use.  It has a commanding view over the ocean.  I found the following from the NSW Government website on heritage sites:

During WWII, the fortifications at Shepherds Hill played a co-ordinating role in the defence of Newcastle. The majority of the state's shells were produced in Newcastle and it was also the site of the NSW Dockyards. In order to protect these productions, a new system of defence was undertaken, which included the strengthening of Fort Wallis and the construction of two new close defence batteries - Shepherd's Hill and Fort Scratchley. In June 1942, Newcastle was fired on by cruising Japanese submarines, and Newcastle gained the distinction of being the only place in Australia that returned enemy fire with the launching of guns from Fort Scratchley. The fact that the Shepherds Hill fortification was simultaneously manned by members of the Navy, Army and the Airforce for a variety of functions  is rare, and possibly unique in Australia.


Well in April 2015 we had another huge storm.  Fortunately no tankers washed up on Nobbys that time but the cottage was badly damaged with the roof blowing off.  It has been repaired but perhaps there is major damage inside as it is boarded up.  I suspect also things are being slowed down by bureaucracy because it is heritage listed.  Marine Rescue were offered temporary quarters on Kooragang Island (with no sight of the sea) and are still there now.   Here is a link to their woes if you are interested.  Sometimes I think we Novacastrians like nothing better than to have a big whinge about things.  Well you have heard me talk about the fig trees which were cut down, the truncating of the rail line and now heaven forbid we are going to have supercars here in November!  Good thing I will be out of the country. 

Originally this area known as the Hill used to be a farm owned by the AA Co [Australian Agricultural Company].  There was a small cottage for the shepherds and as things will happen, the name stuck.  Actually I just found out it's origins on another site so here it is:

The name 'Shepherd's Hill' is derived from the name 'Sheep Pasture Hills' which was given to the place by Lieutenant Colonel Paterson when he first visited the site in 1801, because the steep grassy slopes reminded him of England. The area was mined for coal during the 1840s, with a copper smelting works operating on the site. Huts were constructed for miners and their families.