Coon Island - Swansea, NSW - Australian Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

On a pink-grey boulder is this stainless steel plaque, which reads:

COON ISLAND
"A COMMUNITY THAT THRIVED AND GREW OUT OF ADVERSITY"

1915 to 1994

"Coon Island is named after Herbert Greta 'Coon' Heaney who is said to be the first person to live permanently on the island about 1915. He was born in Greta New South Wales in 1889 and he remained an identity of Swansea until his death in 1958.

"The settlement of Coon Island began about 1915, mainly for recreational boatsheds and their owners.

"During the Hunter Mine Lockouts of the late 1920's and The Great Depression of the early 1930's, this island became the lifeblood of large numbers of mining families from the Cessnock, West Wallsend and Newcastle coalfields.

"Here there was a regular supply of food and at least 70 basic houses lined the foreshores during these difficult times, when most of the miners not only lost their jobs, but also their homes. The residents shared their food and supported each other and a wonderful community was born. Many of these residents later made Coon Island their permanent retirement home.

"The residents leased the land from the Lands Department on Permissive Occupancy leases. These leases ceased to exist as they expired and the last resident left the island in 1995.

"Coon Island during a king tide approximately 1962. Swansea Bridge is seen in the background."

Visited: 1434, Saturday, 15 July, 2017

Age/Event Date: 1915 to 1994 Type of Historic Marker: Plaque only Type of Historic Marker if other: With laser-etched photo Related Website: [Web Link] Historic Resources.: https://history.lakemac.com.au/page-local-history.aspx?pid=1085&vid=20&tmpt=narrative&narid=4520

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