THE railway station at Big Hill Upper Siding, which opened in 1878 on the original Picton-Mittagong section of the Southern Line, was named Hill Top in 1883.

The private village which grew around Hill Top station was named Jellore.

Although Hill Top was gradually adopted as the name for the locality, it was not officially designated as such until January 1977.

Jellore is the Aboriginal word for the nearby mountain, seen to the south-west from Wilson Drive at Hill Top.

Until the entire section of the railway was diverted in 1919, the Hill Top area flourished. In the book 'Waratahs and Wombats' its early history is described: "From 1867 the population exploded due to the many railway fettlers and other employees needed to keep the line operational.

It was a rough and ready time. There was opportunity, resources to be had and almost every industry or trade imaginable tried to get a foothold."

These opportunities included prospecting for gold and semi-precious stones, coal mining, sawmilling, and the distilling of eucalyptus oil, turpentine and kerosene.

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After 1919 the original line was retained as a local service, known as the Picton-Mittagong Loop Line, which remained in operation until 1975.

At first the deviation almost spelt the death of the villages of Balmoral, Hill Top and Colo Vale as the population of transient railway workers reduced rapidly.

Land prices fell dramatically and many people moved on.

Those who remained perhaps stayed because they had no other place to go, or had enough land or work to survive.

THE Hill Top Progress Association was formed in 1918 as the working arm of the community. Funded entirely by residents, it erected a new public hall on donated land.

In the 1930s a branch of the Rural Fire Brigade was formed. Led by Bert Chalker, initially it had "only three essential pieces of equipment: a beater (a piece of leather on the end of a stick), a rake and a knapsack spray".

Bert took as many as possible in his own truck and others took their own vehicles to reach a fire. Later water was carried in 44 gallon drums on the trays of privately owned trucks and hand pumps were used.

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'Nana' George, whose family owned the village store, was one of the Ladies Auxiliary who provided food and drinks for those fighting the fires.

The ladies would go down to where the fires were, often as far away as Bargo. Nana also raised money, drawing on donations from village and Mittagong businesses.

William and Ester Kirton moved from Sydney to Hill Top after their business was wiped out in the Great Depression.

The strong-willed Ester wouldn't accept government handouts so, starting with a pound of butter and a packet of tea, she opened a store. This second Hill Top store prospered until it burnt down in the early 1950s.

Jack Knowles, aged eight, came in 1933 with his family. "We started to improve our house by laying compressed white ant nests on the floor, lined the walls with hessian and white washed them with lime.

We had one 400 gallon square water tank. I can remember some wonderful concerts in the hall - all local talent.

My father Frank was partially responsible for the wonderful concerts of popular songs, acting, wit and little skits. It was a hard life, but a good one."

The above reminiscences are from a 2007 Hill Top history book by Tanya Chalker-Holz.

During WWII, members of Hill Top families including Carter, Coates, Foreman, Grose, Needham and Palmer served overseas.

In 1946 the first Fire Station was built and the Progress Association erected "a fitting War Memorial to all those of their community who had paid the supreme sacrifice in World War II".

The opening by the Rt Hon Jeff Bates was described as "an auspicious occasion for the residents who were responsible for the fine building, constructed entirely by voluntary labour".

After the war the Hill Top area continued to attract new residents.

Back in 1897 the original rail line between it and Braemar was replaced with a deviation, as the gradient had proved too steep for heavy steam trains.

The disused section of line between Hill Top and Colo Vale became a dirt road. Along with the road extending north through Balmoral to Buxton, it was named Wilson Drive in 1953 and, around 1994, was widened and sealed.

Having endured the loss of the railway, and suffered fires and droughts, the village community at Hill Top continues to grow and explore its heritage.

This article compiled by PHILIP MORTON is sourced from the archives of Berrima District Historical & Family History Society, Bowral Rd, Mittagong.

Call 4872 2169, email bdhsarchives@gmail.com and visit www.berrimadistricthistoricalsociety.org.au for more details.

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