Nerriga

The name "Nerriga" was first recorded by surveyor Robert Hoddle  during a  1828 expedition of the Shoalhaven River.

The village of Nerriga in situated on the southern tablelands around 1 hours drive from Jervis Bay.  The historic wool road which at one time played such an important roll in Jervis Bay’s past,  passes through what is left of the old town. In 1840, James Larmer surveyed a village site and a route over the mountains from Nerriga to Vincentia. It was intended that this pass, known as the Wool Road would allow movement of agricultural produce to a port on Jervis Bay from the Braidwood and Goulburn districts. The road was completed in 1841, a distance of approximately 37 miles (60 km) at an estimated cost of £997. In 1842, the existing road linking Nerriga to Braidwood was substantially upgraded. Both projects utilised convict labour under the command of Nerriga landowner Colonel John Mackenzie.

While passing through Nerriga last weekend I had the good fortune to meet the son of the current owner of a property where one of the oldest slab houses of the district still stands.  I have passed  it for many years and have seen it slowly falling apart, but never stopped to have a close look. I was kindly invited onto the property to take some pictures of the old building. He said his family had only owned the property for 12 months and didn’t know a lot about the old house other than it was used as a residence, a bakery and by a coffin maker. It’s a shame to see it deteriorating so badly – one day it will probably fall over and another peice of our history will disappear.

Hardwood slab construction

The original bakers oven.

Cloth ceilings, timber walls and rough slab floor.

Slab Walls

REF; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerriga,_New_South_Wales