Ollie Wilson's House

This home was first owned by John Russell; a very wealthy man who gave a lot to the township of Albion Park. He was born in Scotland in 1834 and came to Australia with his parents and then five sisters in 1840.

When he was 26 he bought farms at Terry’s Meadows and Johnston’s Meadows (Albion Park) and when his father died he inherited the family estate at Croom. John donated land and money for the showground at Albion Park, churches, the Presbyterian Manse, Albion Park Courthouse and Presbyterian Cemetery. When his sister married George McDonald, he bought her Marshall Mount House, formerly the home of Henry and Sarah Osborne.

Before an official courthouse was established at Albion Park, John allowed a room in this house to be used as a Court of Petty Sessions.

This home as well as a blacksmiths shop that once stood next door to the Harris’ Garage on Tongarra Road at Albion Park was leased in the early 1900’s by Oliver Wilson, a local smithy.

Ollie Wilson operated the blacksmiths business for many years at Albion Park and members of the Wilson family who continued to live in the home told of digging up bits of metal in the backyard every time they dig a whole to put a plant in the garden.



Ollie Wilson's home at Albion Park c.1910
Tongarra Museum collection.




The house in 1985.
Shellharbour Images, Shellharbour City Libraries.




The house at it looks today.
Tongarra Museum collection.