Huskisson

Huskisson Because of the difficulty of crossing the Shoalhaven river, surveyors Oxley and Meehan condemned the proposed settlement in the area. The site was again resurveyed in 1840 by Burnett and his plans were sent to the Governor. Approval given, Gipps started the town at the mouth of the "Jervis Bay River", now Curumbene Creek. The new township named Huskisson, after William Huskisson. He was a British member of Parliament , who at the opening of the Liverpool to Manchester railway line in 1830 was run over and killed by a locomotive while talking to the Duke of Wellington.

The area was mainly used for cattle grazing. A small shipbuilding industry grew and by the mid 1861 after George Dent had gathered sawyers, timber getters and ship wrights together to form the areas first ship building team, other shipbuilders followed and the mouth of Carrumbene Ck became the centre of activity. The Dent family shipbuilders constructed 31 ships from 1931-1977. The Setree family built 45 ships. Alf Settree the last of the frame ship wrights resides and still tends boating operations in the area. Possibly the most noted vessel to be built being the Lady Denman ferry. This ferry is now back at Huskisson after many years of service conveying passengers on Sydney Harbour. Presently the ferry may be viewed at the Lady Denman maritime museum Huskisson.

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