In February 1837, Captain George Barney was instructed to carry out harbour works in Wollongong.
The work began on the 18th of December 1837, with an estimated 300 convicts, under the guard of Captain Plunkett and Mr Cronin as the chief stone mason.
The proposal was to build a Basin 100 feet long, 35 feet wide and 14 feet deep with a stone pier on the northern side.
After construction commenced, it was decided to increase the dimensions of the basin to 300 feet long by 150 feet wide, with water 14 feet deep at high tide and 8 feet at low tide.
WHAT CAN WE LEARN ABOUT EVERYDAY LIFE IN THE 1800'S IN WOLLONGONG?
In the 1800s Wollongong was not like now, everyone was walking and there where not many vehicles were around. Now everyone is taking buses, cars, trains and much more.
Wollongong has developed overtime and has never been the same since.
The lighthouse on Flagstaff Hill is currently an active lighthouse, where as the Breakwater lighthouse is not used anymore and is now a tourist attraction.