Celebrate Kiama’s amazing heritage
Visit the Pilot’s Cottage Museum, Blowhole Point
Treat yourself to a fascinating trip down memory lane. Learn how Aboriginal people and white settlers have made their mark on the local area. Find out more about the marks left by cedar gatherers, farmers and quarry workers.
Discover Kiama’s leading history society
See how local people are fighting to defend the area’s heritage buildings and places, and celebrating the history of the area. Why not join up and become part of a growing movement that cares about our neighbourhoods?
Find out more about our local history
Find helpful hints on where to look for more information on the history of the area now known as the Kiama local government area. This includes on the Internet, and names of helpful organisations.
Historical Society news
Kiama Historical Society (KHS) celebrated a 50 year birthday in 2025 but there’s no sign of us slowing down! We have a record number of 275 paid members, making us one of the largest voluntary organisations in the area. Click here to join the fun. Special offer: discounted membership enter HALFPRICE.
With growing numbers of museum volunteers, from July we moved to 4 day weekend museum opening. It’s a great way to meet new people and share pride and knowledge of the amazing place we live in. Interested? - email Helen.
We also have a small army of volunteers helping in other ways: Peter with gardening (see picture), Helen with volunteering, Sheena and Barb with publicity, Boni with oral history, Heather and Ross with accessioning, Bob and Andrew with curation, Gordon with cleaning, Grahaeme with technology and Bret with handywork. Please email Tony Gilmour if you’d like to help out.
Celebrating Kiama Harbour’s birthday
The party in September 2026 marking the 150th anniversary of opening Robertson Basin, Kiama Harbour, started with a great sing-along by Kiama Sea Shanty Club upstairs at Tory’s Hotel. Their shanties tells tales of shipping and shenanigans in the Kiama area, bringing history to life (and verse). A lot of fun was had by all involved.
If you’re interested in knowing more, they meet each Wednesday at Tory’s Hotel from 7.45pm. Email 'Captain’ Ian Backhouse here.
We were honoured the Club composed a special shanty on Robertson Basin. Along with interviews it was broadcast on WIN News Illawarra. Click on the image or here to watch.
A big hit of the anniversary weekend was Tony’s guided historical tours of the harbour. We initially planned 3 walks, but given strong interest all 7 walks sold-out and 105 people heard stories of a civil engineering marvel, our secret Olympic swimming pool and Kiama’s legendary fish and chips war of the 1990s. The Blowhole was in full action, and the ocean blessed with stingrays, dolphins and whales.
Being a modern historical society we asked Claude AI to analyse guided walk feedback forms. ‘He’ told us no review category averaged below 4.87 out of 5, no-one gave a rating below 4 (‘good’) in any category, and 36 of the 46 forms (78%) awarded a perfect 5/5/5/5/5/5 (‘excellent’) across every category. AI has spoken!
We were excited to have Dr James Hunter at our monthly speaker meeting in September. James is head of marine archaeology at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour. He has been actively engaged in the disciplines of maritime and underwater archaeology for nearly three decades.
It was interesting to learn of local shipwrecks of the Hawkesbury Packet and Rangoon off Minnamurra. But where exactly did the ships sink? This has been a source of local speculation for many years.
Events
Well, Summer is just around the corner. And now the moths have left the Kiama area, local people and visitors can venture out of their homes and enjoy the Society’s final events of 2026.
Behind the scenes visit to Illawarra Light Rail Museum
Meet at the museum, 48A Tongarra Road, Albion Park Rail.
Thursday 19 November, 10.30 am - 12.30 pm
Members only. $15 museum entry, includes morning tea. No pre-booking needed
Join Kiama and Gerringong historical Society members for an exclusive tour of a great museum celebrating the industrial railways of our area.
From 1914 tram tracks ran along Terralong and Manning Streets in Kiama carrying blue metal stone from quarries to Kiama harbour and railway station.
The train shown was built in the US in 1917, then worked Kiama’s lost tramways from 1936 to 1941. Come and ride behind this train, now named ‘Kiama’.
Our museum visit will include talks by volunteers and a tour of the extensive train shed, the historic Otford signal box and the heritage museum. You can also step onto the platform of the original Yallah Station, opened 1890.
Drive to the museum and park in their large car park. Take a bracing 20 minute walk from Albion Park railway station. Or email Tony for a lift from Kiama. This event is open to Historical Society members only - if you’d like to join and get a 50% discount on membership, click here and enter the code HALFPRICE.
Members’ Christmas party
Meet at the back area of Yves Social bar, Sebel Hotel, 31 Shoalhaven Street Kiama
Friday 11 December, from 4.00 pm
Buy own drinks at the bar. No event pre-booking needed
Our annual Christmas event brings together familiar faces from Kiama Historical Society and the Friends of Kiama Library.
This will be a great chance to meet other members and volunteers over an informal glass of whatever drink takes your fancy. And given ‘social hour’ starts at 4.00 pm it would be a shame not to take advantage of discounted drinks prices.
2026 has been a momentous year for the Society, defending our museum from eviction and Council finally agreeing a 5 year licence on the building.
With so many new members for our Society and a great energy, there’s a lot to celebrate!
Charmian Clift ‘Life burns high’ film and discussion
Kiama Library. Wednesday 16 December, from 5.30 pm
Free event, but reserve using this link
After a sold out premier at the 2024 Sydney Film Festival, Kiama Library is proud to present a screening of this intimate and fascinating biography of one of Australia’s most dazzling writers.
Charmian Clift’s childhood was in the sunlit world of ocean and freedom in the seaside town of Kiama in the 1920s. Later she enjoyed a fabled romance with writer George Johnston.
Kiama Historical Society’s president Sue Eggins was historical advisor to the film. Stay after the screening when Sue will lead a Q&A with the film‘s writer, producer and director Rachel Lane and co-producer Sue Milliken.
Our publications
Dr Tony Gilmour, our vice president was busy writing during 2025!
Celebrating history tells how for over five decades Kiama Historical Society has brought to life fascinating stories from the area’s past. It has battled to preserve valuable local heritage against demolition and insensitive development.
Read all about Kiama’s legendary figures the Society has helped rediscover. From progressive writer and colourful character Charmian Clift to legendary Hollywood multi Oscar winner Orry-Kelly.
Click on the book image or button to buy the book for $25 + 50c fee (local delivery is free). All profits go to Kiama Historical Society
Published in 2025 Tony’s 286 page Rascals and respectables book tells the thrilling tale of hotels in Kiama, Jamberoo and Gerringong. From the first hotels in 1837 to the present day, drinking venues have shaped social life and character.
Kiama was once a place of ‘besotted and shameless drunkards’, Bombo hosted an illegal ‘sly grog’ shop and Kiama’s 1899 great fire led to mass bingeing on stolen alcohol.
Click on the book image or below to buy the book for $29.90 + 50c fee (local delivery is free). All profits go to Kiama Historical Society. This is a popular book - we’re on our second imprint.
Previous events - time to Podcast!
Our friends at Kiama Community Radio (KCR) have many of our recent events recorded as podcasts. Click on the images below to go to the Podcast.
