The civic complex which made itself felt in the middle 1860’s took definite shape in 1869 with the arrival in Broughton Creek of a carpenter named Rawlings, when many of the pioneer shacks gave rise to well built houses with broad colonial verandahs and gardens with picturesque fences, became the order of the day.
A courthouse was erected near the Roman Catholic church and some years later a police station and Charlie Robinson’s butcher shop followed the courthouse.
On the opposite side of the road, at the foot of Stewart’s hill, the family of that name built a commodious residence. (from Flora McLeans reminiscences)
During 1871 the first Police Constable was appointed to Broughton Creek (the town was situated on the other side of the creek at that stage).
The 1871 records refer to the police station as being within the Eastern Police District, the officer in charge being a mounted constable. His residence was situated on the eastern side of Broughton Creek on the Princes Highway opposite Wilson and Co.. It is still standing.
On the 23rd August 1872 the first Court of Petty Sessions was established at Broughton Creek. The Court was held in a building near the Police Station (Constables Cottage) on the other side of Broughton Creek to the present main part of town. From 1872 until 1889 the Police Officer held the position of Acting Clerk of Petty Sessions. Justices of the Peace were acting Magistrates. As well as the Court of Petty Sessions, a Small Debts Court and a Court of Requests, with a visiting Commissioner were held.
The local Literary and Debating Society held its meetings in the old courthouse before the first School of Arts was built.
During the frequent floods of the times, women and children were transported to the houses on the hill and the old courthouse. (Flora McLean)
In 1877 James English joined the firm of James Wilson and Co. in Broughton Creek. Mr and Mrs English opened a Sunday School in the old courthouse before the advent of the Rev. John Dymock. He became minister in 1878 in the newly formed parish of Broughton Creek.(Presbyterian) (Flora McLean)
Berry is unusual in that it was established as a private town in 1883, as part of the vast Coolangatta Estate by David Berry. He had inherited the estate from his cousin Alexander Berry, founder with Edward Wollstonecraft of the estate in 1822 with a grant of 10,000 acres and an allocation of 100 convicts.
Writing in 1879, a pressman said that were it not for the fact that the township(Broughton Creek) was a private one, it would soon become a place of importance. It was visited weekly by a steamer. The town was said to be scarcely more than a village. It had three stores, two butchers shops, a wheelwrights shop, tannery, post office, public house, police station, municipal council chambers, a Roman Catholic chapel and a public school where other denominations conducted service. “Our venerable land lord is a true conservative in his tastes. Not an inch of his land will he sell, neither will he lease it for any length of time, consequently his tenants have no encouragement to erect substantial buildings.”(Town and Country Journal Sept. 13, 1879) (Royal Australian Historical Society Vol. 28 P.233)
The new town of 1883 was carefully laid out, land sales were controlled, and David Berry gave substantial blocks of land to the churches and for parks and a school. Victoria and Queen streets were made wider than the other streets and were intended for substantial buildings.
In a letter dated 20th January 1888 to Alexander Hay, David Berry refers to the fact that 1500 pounds had been placed in the estimates for the building of the courthouse with the Department understanding that it may cost more than this before it is finished. They were also at this stage drawing up the plans and that the amount meant that it would be small.
The Governor of N.S.W. His Excellency The Right Honorable Charles Robert Baron Carrington proclaimed on Tuesday 18th of June 1889 on page 4244 of Government Gazette No. 317 that the Court of Petty Sessions established in the Government Gazette of 23rd of August 1872 at Broughton Creek with jurisdiction over the Police District of Shoalhaven be abolished and the said court be held at Berry and exercise civil and criminal jurisdiction to the Police District of Shoalhaven.