Small coastal vessels carried timber and produce from farms around Tuross Lake during the 1850s and 1860s. However, Tuross Lake’s difficult entrance made it challenging to establish it as a port.

In 1870, Patrick Mylott acquired the 875-acre Tuross peninsula and built Tuross House. The house overlooked Coila and Tuross lakes, and Mylott farmed there until 1883. At that time, he relocated to Sydney to ensure that his young daughter had appropriate operatic training. Eva, who was born at Tuross, became an internationally renowned opera singer, and a plaque in her honor is located in Eva Mylott Park on Jutland Ave.

Hector McWilliam established Tuross Head as a tourist destination in the mid-1920s. He purchased the property from Mylott’s widow in 1925, subdivided it and sold the lots for holiday houses. McWilliam planted 200 Norfolk Island Pines around Tuross Head and established a nine-hole golf course. These pines are McWilliam’s distinctive legacy.

Several boatsheds were built on Trafalgar Road to service the growing demand for fishing and boating on Tuross Lake.

To enjoy the area’s history and natural beauty, we recommend visiting the historic boatsheds located on Trafalgar Road and savouring a delightful meal on the waterfront. You can also wander through the Norfolk Island Pine grove in McWilliam Park at Tarandore Point.