Tomerong, centre of local government. 1908

1906 The small community of Tomerong was thrust into the public eye with the formation of the district Clyde Shire Council.

1908 The first meeting of the council was held in the newly erected Council Chambers.  At this time Tomerong was considered to be a central location between Nowra and the Milton/Ulladulla districts. All road carriage travelling north or south passed through Tomerong.  It was also in close proximity to a steadily growing Huskisson on the shores of Jervis Bay.

Any petition signed by fifty householders could initiate the establishment of a Municipal Council. The Council could implement rates and tolls to finance roads, bridges, hospitals, water supplies, cemeteries and other public facilities.

The newly established Clyde Shire was vast in size and commenced from Crookhaven Heads skirting the southern boundary of the South Shoalhaven Municipality to Falls Creek. It continued north-west following the southern boundary of the Nowra Municipality to the Shoalhaven River and then to its junction with the Endrick River. Following the Endrick to its source, the line continued south across the ranges to a point south of Budawang Mountain. The southern Clyde boundary followed the creeks east from north of the Clyde Mountain to a point near Durras. The eastern boundary followed the coastline north back to the Crookhaven Heads but excluded the Municipality of Ulladulla. The Clyde Shire was surrounded (anti-clockwise) by the South Shoalhaven Shire, Nowra Municipality, Cambewarra Shire, Wingecarribee Shire, Mulwaree Shire, Tallaganda Shire, and the Eurobodalla Shire.
Ref: http://home.exetel.com.au/tomerong/history2/index_files/Page840.htm

The arrival of his Excellency the Governor of NSW, Mr Harry Rawson.

October 1908 - Tomerong residents and school children were busy preparing the small village for a special occasion. His Excellency the Governor of N.S.W. Mr Harry Rawson was coming to town.
Local people erected a large arch across the road,  festooned with ferns and flowers, through the centre of the arch were the words "welcome" also covered in flowers. Above that coloured flags were flying in the breeze, long colourful ribbons tied at the top of the arch and anchored to various points helped to support the structure..
It must have been a very special occasion for the children of the district, I'm sure they would have never seen anything quite like it before.

People from all over the district travelled to Tomerong for the occasion. The men donned hats and dressed in their best suits, the women wore long flowing dresses typical of the time.
The children looked wonderful in their best clothes,  and many of the young girls wore hats decorated with ribbons.

The official party arrived, as the Governor left his vehicle to address the waiting children he noticed a local woman Mrs Canavan seated in a wheelchair at the corner of the playground. The Governor proceeded to cross over and introduced himself, shook her hand and expressed his sympathy at her plight. This brought a hearty cheering by the children which echoed through the surrounding bush.

These close up images are very revealing which are easily overlooked in the larger image.