Laurieton boasts several recognisable memorials to some of its pioneers. Laurieton itself was named after the Laurie Brothers who first settled here, Dunbogan named after timber millers Messrs Dunn and Bagan, Unique Close named after one of the tugs that worked the river in the early 1900s. Nowhere is there a de Fraine Street. The only memorial that heralds the name de Fraine is the War memorial, commemorating the service of Captain de Fraine's son Walter during World War I.

Lindsay Davis is working to change this. Mr Davis is the great grandson of the local pioneer and will write to Hastings mayor Rob Drew requesting some kind of memorial to the achievements of his forebear.

In the early 1900s stories on Laurieton centred around its flourishing timber industry and told some of the story of George de Fraine.

In 1877 captain de Fraine began to ship out the sawn timber from Dunn and Bagan's timber mill in his small ketch the Ethel BT.

"I found out he actually sailed that ship from England to Australia," said Mr Lindsay.

"He was another Captain Cook!"

A newspaper report from 1903, duplicated in the Port Macquarie News, stated "High charges for towing on the river induced him [Captain de Fraine] to purchase the steam tug Unique, action which caused the reduction of the charges from five pounds to four pounds per vessel. This reduction speedily brought him the whole of the trade and in 1893...he entered with Mr John Rodger upon his first experience as a saw-miller. The partnership lasted three years, when Mr de Fraine purchased Mr Joseph Laurie's moiety of the Laurieton mill and joined Messrs McKay and Bibby. Later Mr de Fraine acquired the whole working of this mill in conjunction with the Dun-Bagan mill and at the present time is by far the largest producer in the district, carrying the whole of his timber in his own vessels."

Captain de Fraine also used his entrepreneurial skills during a crisis period in Laurieton's timber history. Ships were stranded out at sea for days and weeks waiting for a safe period to navigate the notorious sandbar at the mouth of the Camden Haven River.

"During a great portion of last year," said the 1903 newspaper article,

"The [timber] trade would have been at a standstill were it not that Mr de Fraine continued running his vessels, and lodged them at the heads, the mills punts carrying the whole of the cargo to and from the heads. This good and, at the time, expensive action to keep his men employed and the township from almost starvation was reciprocated during last month by the teamsters of the district banquetting him and presenting a pretty weighty purse of sovereigns. This was repeated the following week by the employees and their friends. Mr George de Fraine also introduced the fortnightly payments to the men, instead of a settlement perhaps once a year."

Captain de Fraine had a fleet of vessels working the Camden Haven, including the Isabella de Fraine, Hennie de Fraine, Unique, Kincumber and the Ethel BT.

He also owned three stores in Laurie Street the George de Fraine Butcher, General Storekeeper and Draper. When he shipped timber to Sydney he would fill the empty ship, to act as ballast, with produce for the return trip and sell the city goods in his stores. He also built the original Laurieton Hotel.

"Not only did George provide employment for a large part of the population, he provided for their daily needs," Mr Davis said.

"I'd like to see some sort of recognition in the town of the achievements of George de Fraine."