Coal Point is a

suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...

of the

City of Lake Macquarie The City of Lake Macquarie is a local government area in Greater Newcastle and part of the Hunter Region in New South Wales, Australia. It was proclaimed a city from 7 September 1984. The area is situated adjacent to the city of Newcastle and is ...

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

on a peninsula south-east of the towns of

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

and Carey Bay, on the western side of

Lake Macquarie The City of Lake Macquarie is a Local government in Australia, local government area in Greater Newcastle and part of the Hunter Region in New South Wales, Australia. It was proclaimed a city from 7 September 1984. The area is situated adjacent ...

History

Coal mining was performed at Ebenezer Colliery Coal Point from 1841 to around 1906. The first coal mine was operated by Reverend Lancelot Threlkeld, a missionary to the

Awabakal The Awabakal people , are those Aboriginal Australians who identify with or are descended from the Awabakal tribe and its clans, Indigenous to the coastal area of what is now known as the Hunter Region of New South Wales. Their traditional te ...

people, local entrepreneur and the first European landholder of 'Punte', the Coal Point to Toronto area. The explorer

Ludwig Leichhardt Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt (), known as Ludwig Leichhardt, (23 October 1813 – c. 1848) was a German explorer and naturalist, most famous for his exploration of northern and central Australia.Ken Eastwood,'Cold case: Leichhardt's dis ...

visited the mine in 1842. A public school opened in 1955. The area has a reputation for being a high socioeconomic demographic, which relates to the initial historical subdivision of the Toronto Estate by the Excelsior Land Investment and Building Company in 1887. The creation of this estate required the resumption of the 100 ft waterfront reserve that encircled Lake Macquarie. Five reserves were created on Coal Point to compensate for the loss of public land. The Toronto Estate was marketed to the well-to-do of the time. In 1946 the Coal Point Progress Association was established to work for the betterment of the community. The founding members raised money to purchase a block of land and build Progress Hall, one of the last remaining community-owned halls in Lake Macquarie.

References

External links

History of Coal Point
(Lake Macquarie City Library)
Coal Point Progress Association
Suburbs of Lake Macquarie {{LakeMacquarie-geo-stub