The only land granted as a free grant in Lugarno was the grant to Thomas Lawrence. The remaining land was put up for sale by auction in 1856, and all of the land was purchased over the next few years except for Portion no.6. which is the land south of Lugarno Public School, and west of the ferry.
The land along Boggywell Creek and Lime Kiln Bay was purchased to John Lackey, Johaan Peter Henning, and T. G. Lee, and the land along Salt Pan Creek north of Thomas Lawrence's grant was purchased by Frewin Sleath. These lands were purchased at the reserve price of £1 an acre and are known as grants by purchase.
JOHN LACKEY'S GRANT
John Lackey was born in Sydney in 1830, and following an education at Sydney College he acquired a pastoral property in the Parramatta district.
In 1857 he purchased a 46 acre grant at Lugarno. It extended from the bottom of Chivers Hill to about Isaac Street, Peakhurst, and from Boggywell Creek (which flows into Lime Kiln Bay) to the reserved line of road that divides all of the Lugarno grants.
However, when the roads were built through Lackey's property they did not follow this reserved line of road. Forest Road was marked out through this land in 1843 as part of the road to the Illawarra, well before Lackey purchased the land, but Belmore Road was another story.
In 1867 the Government responded to a petition for a road from Canterbury Road to the Illawarra Road, and the route of Belmore Road (as it was later called) was surveyed. The road generally kept to the reserved line of road that ran between the grants (and formed their boundaries), however, in the section passing through Lackey's grant it was found that in order to avoid a steep rocky bank the road had to take in Lackey's land.
Lackey wrote to the Government from Smithfield on February 5, 1868: " In reference to the Gazette Notice January 7th Parish Road from Canterbury to Illawarra [Roads]. In the first place I object to the Government taking possession of my land, and secondly that by doing so they will render it valueless to me by reason of the extra expense I would be put to for fencing." This objection was probably lodged in the hope of gaining compensation, however the Government took the view that if he would not give up the land, then the road would not be built.
Surveyors reports indicate that only two acres of land was involved, that the soil was poor and sandy, there were no fences in this area (or indeed along the rest of the road, except for a three rail fence on William Hannon's property at Riverwood), and that the value of the land was £1 per acre.
The surveyor stated that 40 carts belonging to residents used the Belmore Road, for carting firewood to Sydney. It is likely that a similar use of the road would have been made by Lugarno landholders as an alternative to Forest Road.
A surveyor's report relating to Forest Road in 1862 showed that Lackey was using this land for grazing.
The Lugarno property was a small part of Lackey's interests. Apart from his other agricultural interests he was a member of the N.S.W. Parliament. He represented Central Cumberland from 1860-1865, and 1867-1885 in the Legislative Assembly, and was Minister for Works from 1877 almost continuously to 1883. In this office he introduced such important measures as new railway lines, the introduction of tramways, and the water supply for Sydney from the Nepean River. He became a member of the Legislative Council in 1885, and in 1892 he became its President, and two years later he was knighted (K.C.M.G.).
LUSBY'S GRANT
John Lusby Jr. received a grant by purchase of the land between Forest Road and Lime Kiln Bay, from the bottom of Chivers Hill to the creek near Ponderosa Place.
John Lusby Jr. arrived in Sydney in 1841 with his father John Lusby, who had decided to leave England because his health was failing as he suffered from incipient consumption (tuberculosis).
John Lusby Jr. wrote in his " Memoirs of John Lusby 1840-1923": "In spite of the strong disapprobation and opposition of relatives and friends he decided to proceed thither without loss of time. The ship Bussorah Merchant [under] Captain Matthews, was about to leave England for that remote settlement [Sydney]. He secured berths on it for himself, wife and family of four young children, of whom I was the third in point of age, and the only boy. With us there also came out a fellow passenger, a Mr. Johnson, and a young fellow named Samuel Moore, both of whom were unmarried."
The voyage was rough, and plagued with illness. John Lusby Jr. and his father almost died; his eldest sister did die. They arrived at Port Jackson on the 11th April, 1841.
Their health improved in the Sydney climate, however their problems were not over. John Lusby had brought an introduction to a gentleman of high government position. He had hoped to receive assistance in establishing a career, but found the gentleman discourteous and haughty. There was a great problem in finding a house. An unfurnished room in Kent Street was let for 15 shillings a week, but as it had a leaky roof another room was found in Bathurst Street for the same high price.
John Lusby bought a property in Redfern, and was one of the first residents there. He built a slab hut of two rooms and a kitchen, and later built a weatherboard house, having taught himself carpentry by watching other buildings being erected.
John Lusby Jr. purchased the 41 acres of land at Lugarno in 1856. He probably leased the timber rights, and had the good timber taken off the land by timber getters soon afterwards.
He married Sarah Thompson Biff in 1868.
John Lusby Jr. became the manager of the Sydney Diocesan Educational and Book Society (Church of England Book Depot, 176 Pitt Street, Sydney), and lived at 'Olive Bank' in Stanmore Road, Petersham.
Lusby, John. Memoirs of John Lusby 1840-1923. M.L. B1015
Marriage certificate 1868 No. 1419
HENNING'S GRANT
J.P. Henning was granted 40 acres between Old Forest Road and Lime Kiln Bay, from near Ponderosa Place to near Koorabel Street, on the 29th October, 1856.
On the 30th May, 1877 the land was sold to Thomas Tinkler, who was a wood carver. Presumably some of the timber on the property was of use for furniture or church decoration.
LEES GRANT
Thomas George Lee was granted 113 acres between Lime Kiln Bay and Old Forest Road, and from Edith Bay to near Koorabel Street on the 12th November, 1856.
Lee sold the property on the 29th August, 1859 to John Hincham Blanchford, who held it until the 5th April, 1886
FREWIN SLEATH'S GRANT
Frewin Sleath, a carpenter of Cooks River was granted land along Salt Pan Creek on the 6th August, 1856. Forest Road formed the eastern boundary, and the forty five acres extended from near where Cypress Place is, to near where the junction of Forest Road and Old Forest Road is now.
The timber on the land may have initially attracted Sleath, but he sold it in 1867, and concentrated on his interests in Arncliffe. Frewin Sleath lived at Arncliffe, where he was later the licensee of the Highbury Barn Inn, and operated a quarry. He was a member of a committee that defined the boundaries of West Botany Council (later Rockdale Council), which was incorporated on 13th January, 1871.
In 1867 Robert Lavston bought the land, when it was worth £24. Robert Lavston spelt his name differently at other times, using both Levingston and Livingstone. He is described as being a farmer of Belmore. His property at Belmore is now known as the Housing Department estate at Riverwood. It is just outside the City of Hurstville, as he led the opposition to the incorporation of the Riverwood and Punchbowl areas (then known as Belmore) into the Municipality of Hurstville. He also owned land in Baumans Road, Peakhurst.
Robert Levingston was probably mainly interested in the timber on the land at Lugarno, as there is no evidence that there were any buildings or cultivation during the period that he owned it. Tracks for the timbergetters led from near the junction of Forest and Belmore Roads south-westerly towards Salt Pan Creek, with another track branching off and going through the middle of the property. Cattle were probably run on this property as well as the other properties owned by Robert Levingston. The hill now known as Chivers' Hill was then known as Levingston's Hill.