Over time this will continue to be updated

1976 Reunion

Some of the dates are approximate and these are marked with an asterisk.

1850*The Drew family, with daughter Mary Ann, moved to Bathurst from Sydney
1863Amandus arrived in Australia
1865 – 1866Amandus worked as a sailor in the coastal shipping
1870Amandus and Mary married at Georges Plains, near Bathurst
1880The family moved to a farm at Kerrs Creek, near Orange, and Amandus worked on railway construction
1886The family, including ten children, arrived at Upper Orara from Bathurst
1886 – 1896*Difficult years for the settlers – primarily due to lack of transport to sell produce
1887+Progress Associations active in the area
1888Post Office opened at Orara
1892*Road to Coffs Harbour – there was a track long before this and gradually a decent road
1892Jetty at Coffs Harbour built
1898*Grass (paspalum) introduced which provided good grass for cattle and horses
1898*Dairy Farming made possible by the introduction of paspalum grass
1898Upper Orara school opened – also known as Dunvegan school
1905Arthur, the youngest child, dies of illness at age 11
1909Amandus travelled to Germany, indicating how prosperous the family had become
1914-18WW1 – Edward and Albert enlisted, and Edward served in France
1922Frederick, the third child, is drowned at age 48
1923Amandus junior, the ninth child, dies of illness aged 39
1923Mary dies, aged 76
1928Amandus dies aged 84