BROUGHTON VILLAGE

According to a history of Gerringong, compiled by the Municipal Town Clerk and reproduced in the Kiama Independent of 16th May 1951. ‘In 1856 the Government decided to form a small township off the western boundary of the Berry Estate…The subdivision provided for forty 2½ acre blocks and 12 twenty-five acre blocks, the new township being named Broughton Village. The sale was held in Kiama in 1857, Mr. W. Elliott purchasing 5 lots and Mr. W. Tomlins purchasing seven. The dreams of a township in this locality never eventuated and with the exception of two churches, a school and farm residences and dairies, no other buildings were ever erected… Broughton Village, although never a township, was an important centre for community activities, the School acting as headquarters for a Debating Society…In the 1870's Broughton Village had an active Mutual Improvement Society, its activities including debating and instructive and educational lectures. In more recent years the Gerringong Literary Institute, Junior Farmer's Movement, Foxground-Broughton Village Agricultural Bureau have continued in efforts to improve both the material and cultural growth of district citizens.’