- Traditionally inhabited by the Gweagal-Tharawal tribe of indigenous Australians.

- James Cook first landed at Kurnell on April 29, 1770.

- The first land grant was issued on the Kurnell headland in 1815. James Birnie purchased seven hundred acres.

- Kurnell Peninsula became a popular fishing area during early settlement.

- Makeshift residences for low-income families popped up on Kurnell Headland during the great depression and the shanty town was named Happy Valley.

- In 1951, Caltex Oil Company approached the Sutherland Shire Council with a proposition to establish a major oil refinery at a site in Kurnell.

- Sutherland Shire initially denied Caltex on the grounds that a refinery would be a "Consecration of the landing place of Captain Cook".

- Caltex began buying 174 hectares of land at Kurnell in 1952.

- Construction began in 1953 under a subsidiary company, Australian Oil Refining Pty Ltd.

- Dutch workers were brought over to help construct submarine pipes and more than 3000 men worked at the sites during the peak of construction.

- The Kurnell refinery was built in 1956.

- A kilometre-long wharf attached to the refinery was renovated in 1994.

-This month, Caltex announced it will close the refinery in 2014.