Maher’s Paddock

We have just received a welcome donation of several local subdivision plans.  Above is one from 1906, showing the Hillcrest Estate subdivision, which divided up land formerly known as Maher’s Paddock.  William Maher was a farmer, originally from Ireland, who settled in the Gannon’s Forest area in the 1860s.  He died in 1893.  His son, also William, died the same year when he was hit by a train at Eveleigh.  William senior’s widow, Ellen Maher, lived on in their cottage, which fronted present-day Woniora Road, until her death in July 1906.

The Mahers’ land covered some 25 acres between Woniora Road and Belmore Road (now King George’s Road).  In 1899, an attempt to sell this was made and the land was packaged as ‘Maher’s Estate’.  A copy of the subdivision plan of this offering is in the National Library of Australia’s collection, and shows the location of Mrs Maher’s cottage, opposite Ormonde Street.  However, only two one-acre blocks appear to have sold on this occasion.

Following Ellen’s death, the land was again packaged for sale, and the Hillcrest Estate was offered by Arthur Rickard and Co on 8 December 1906.  Lots fronted Matthews Street (now Hillcrest Avenue), Maher Street, Alma Street, Mabel Street and Belmore Road (now King Georges Road). 

There were 110 lots in total; a brick cottage was shown on Lot 3, on the corner of Matthews Street and Woniora Road, in the vicinity of present-day no 53-55 Woniora Road.  Most of the lots in section 1 had 50-foot frontage; lots in section 2 were of varying widths.

On the day of the sale, there was a severe storm, so the auction had to be conducted in the Hurstville Hall.  There was a respectable result – 58 lots sold, realising £3,250; the cottage on its lot sold for £525.  Our donated copy of the plan shows pencilled prices indicating that lots fetched between 14/6d and 40/- per foot of frontage, so a lot might sell for between £37/10/- and £112.  Purchasers were under no obligation to build, but were advised that houses erected were to cost a minimum of £200 – this was to discourage cheapjack builders.

The estate appears to have formed Alma and Mabel Streets, but it is not known who these ladies were – were there descendants of William Maher with these names?

Above is the 1937 aerial view of the area, showing many of the lots now built upon – note the avenue of trees on both sides of Hillcrest Avenue.