Gulgong Town Hall, 1897
Gulgong Town Hall, year unknown
Councillors at the time the foundation stone was laid in the Gulgong Town Hall, 1892
The Mayor at the time was F W Heard
Source: Gulgong Pioneers Museum
Back row: C E Hilton (Clerk), Ernest Rouse, J J Ryan, J D Gormley (Engineer)
Front row: R H Horne, E J Lowe, E M Bowman, C M Lowe
Councillors at the time the foundation stone was laid in the Gulgong Town Hall, 1892
The Mayor at the time was F W Heard
Source: Gulgong Pioneers Museum
[By Telegraph.] (FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.) GULGONG, Tuesday.
The foundation-stone of the Town Hall was laid to-day, in the presence of a large assemblage, by Mrs. Robert Heard, Mayoress. She was presented with a silver-mounted myall mallet and silver trowel by Mr. Geo. Smith, the oldest alderman. Copies of the newspapers, together with a record of the names of the officers in the council, were deposited in bottles in the cavity of the stone. An adjournment was made at the invitation of Mr. Richard White, and a case of champagne was opened, and "Success to the Town Hall" was drunk enthusiastically. The Mayor responded. The hall will cost about £1700, and is to be finished next September. Mr. George Payne is the contractor.
Laying of Foundation Stone, ca 1891
Mrs Heard, Mayoress, at head of stone with trowel.
Source: Gulgong Pioneers Museum
The foundation-stone of the new Town Hall, Gulgong, was laid by the Mayoress of Gulgong (Mrs. R. W. Heard) on Anniversary Day, 26th January, 1892.
The Mayor gave some interesting details respecting the proposed building and other relevant matters; and Alderman George Smith, one of the oldest members of the council, presented the Mayoress with a handsome silver trowel and silver-mounted myall mallet. The gift was made by the council, Alderman Smith being deputed to make the presentation. The site of the hall consists of nearly half an acre of land, situate in an eligible position in the town, adjoining the courthouse and post office, and opposite the Australian Joint Stock Bank. The council had previously received a grant of land from the Government, but considered both the nature of the site and its position to be unsuitable for the erection of a town hall. The present grant, which was a portion of the police reserve, was made by the late Parkes Government at the request of the municipal council, aided by the untiring exertions of the members for the district — Messrs. Haynes, Wall, and R. J. Black. Mr. R. Jones also helped to complete the matter.
The building is to be of brick, with stone projections, &c, and will have a frontage of over 30ft. to Herbert-street, and a depth of 60ft. On the right of the corridor there will be a committee-room and ayor's-room combined: council clerk's office, with a strong room adjoining; on the left a large library and reading-room; at the rear, across the building the council chamber for the aldermen to meet in with accommodation for the public. The first-floor is to consist of one large room or hall, which will be rented for balls, re-unions, and theatrical performances, for which latter purpose a proscenium and scenery will doubtless; be added in due course.
The cost of the building, exclusive of the clock-tower, fittings, or furniture, will be £1700, and some £200 or £300 will probably be expended at a later date in order to its thorough completion. The contractor for the building is Mr. G. G. Payne, who is to finish the work by 17th September next.
Gulgong was proclaimed a municipality on 5th February. 1876, and its approximate area is 33½ square miles; a large portion of Mr. R. Rouse's Guntawang estate is included, consisting of his residence and 4000 acres of land. The boundaries extend in a northerly direction to a little distance past the actual town, but in other directions it embraces Guntawang, Three Mile, Springfield, Canadian, and a portion of Wilbertree. The distance of these places from the town varies from three to eight miles. Home Rule is not included in the municipal - district, but the boundary extends to the bridge over the Wyaldra Creek, that leads into the township. There are some 60 miles of roads and streets made, their metalling consisting principally of quartz known as 'hopperings, and which the goldminers unearthed in the early and palmy days of the goldfield. The council has a depot of this material near the town, so that good metalled roadways are easily and cheaply made.
Considerable improvements have been effected by the council during the 15 years of its existence. The town having been aligned some years back, the principal streets are now kerbed with freestone (which is plentiful in the district) and well guttered. Much more work would have been carried out had funds been available, and, as residents are likely in the near future to build houses of a more durable material than the original ones of wood and iron, the revenue in the way of rates will be increased.
The council comprises nine aldermen, inclusive of the Mayor, Mr. R. W. Heard, who has presided for the past three years, and has just been re-elected Mayor for the present year. There is a free public library containing about 1100 volumes, which (other than works of reference) are lent to ratepayers on personal guarantee as to compliance with the rules. Boxes of books are also obtained from the Sydney Free Library at regular intervals. The reading-room is open daily, and visitors can read on the premises or borrow books for home -reading without any charge being made. The council receives yearly sums for expenditure on various roads, &c, of which that body has been appointed trustees; so that many committees are necessitated. There are at present 11 such standing committees — viz., bylaw, works, finance, library, town hall, water reserve, people's park, model farm, Three-mile-road, Jackson's-road, and Martin's-road.
The passing of a liberal District Government Act would doubtless conduce to the welfare of the inhabitants and the district, and but for its incorporation Gulgong would scarcely have passed through the trying times it has experienced so well as it has done.
It is a district favoured by nature. Visitors from Sydney to Gulgong have, after leaving the Mudgee railway terminus, the choice of three roads, either by way of Cullenbone, Home Rule, or Canadian. The country is seen to advantage by either route, but there is a charming prospect at this time of the year in travelling via the Canadian. Leaving the main road at what is known as O'Donnell's-lane, the visitor enters the Gulgong municipal district and passes over hilly country, through highly cultivated farms on both sides of a well-metalled road for a distance of seven miles into Gulgong.
The township has a very interesting history, as will be gathered from the following: —
The township of Gulgong was brought into existence through the discovery of gold by Saunders and party, who in the year 1870, obtained some 60oz. of gold on Old Surface Hill, and subsequently found gold on the famous Red Hill, supposed to be the fountain-head of the goldfield. This caused a rush of miners to the field, who shortly discovered the famous Black Lead, Happy Valley, and Standard leads. This was followed by a rush of 20,000 people to the field, who opened up no less than 25 payable leads, some of the claims yielding more than £10,000 per share per man. It is estimated that the total yield for the first five years of the field was 18 tons of gold, and up to the present 25 tons have been raised, a really magnificent yield. A large township sprung up as if by magic, and for years business of all descriptions flourished, until the claims began to get worked out. The fortunate ones then decamped, leaving the less fortunate ones to pick up the remnants, such as is left on all declining goldfields. And who is the miner that was on the field some 18 years ago who will not heave a sigh over the memory of the good old times when the grand washing of a 1lb. weight of gold to the load was echoed, and the thoughts of life on a new goldfield, such as Gulgong was in its palmy days.
Like many of our old goldfields, there is, however, much in Gulgong at the present time that is of interest. The old leads were most of them very rich —viz., the Black Lead, the Standard, the Happy Valley, the Caledonian, Rouse's Paddock, and the various leads at Home Rule, Stott's Paddock, and Canadian (the last mentioned with its great dykes of pug in the limestone), and were left by the miners on account of the gold running out, as it seemed, in some, and in some because the lead ran into deep and wet ground.
Although it may be that this deep and wet ground is as good or better than the shallow and dry, it takes money to open up such claims, and the individual miner could not cope with it without capital. Of late, however, Mr. Frame Fletcher, a mining engineer and practical miner, impressed with the great probability of , there being large deposits of gold left in these old leads, has been to England twice, and induced London capitalists to invest to give the far-famed deep leads of Gulgong a thorough practical trial. He formed three, different companies, and all registered in London with ample working funds. Mr. F. Fletcher, who is now the lessee and managing director, is to be congratulated on the success achieved. Great interest is now being manifested in the work, as on the successful issue or otherwise of the venture the mining future of the deep leads of Gulgong may be said to depend for at least this generation.
The township of Gulgong is situated on high ground, a continuation or graduating spur of the Red Hill, with a gradual slope bearing to the surrounding, gold-bearing and fertile flats. It is notably a clean town, and is considered to be the healthiest place in the district.
Viewing the surrounding mountains from the hill, it appears like one grand amphitheatre. The business places comprise two banks, eight hotels, six general stores, two produce stores, two bakers, three butchers, two saddlers, two barbers, two chemists, one doctor, two stationers, one watchmaker, one tailor, four blacksmiths, one cordial manufacturer, one printer, one draper, one billiard saloon, two Flower [sic] mills (one roller and one stone), and several minor places.
The. resorts for amusements comprise a theatre, Star Hall, and Oddfellows Hall. Places of worship—Church of England, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, and two Salvation Army barracks. Gulgong has a hospital, library, public school, and Convent school. Societies — Agricultural, building, Oddfellows, and Orange. Industries — The Butter Factory commenced operations in October last, and is considered one of the completest buildings, and the machinery the most improved, in the colonies. It is erected on a most favourable site, 10 acres, purchased from the Government in the centre of the common, which is 40 square miles in extent. It is well watered and grassed, and provides water for the public at 3d per cask. The demand, however, is small, unless in an exceptionally dry season, as there is a bountiful supply in the whole of the surroundings.
Recreation grounds comprise a racecourse, Victoria Park, a people's park, and agricultural showgrounds. There is also a courthouse, police camp and lock-up, post and telegraph office, savings' bank, and money-order office. The population is about 1600, as taken last census.
In the vicinity farming operations are carried on to a large extent. The land, with its fine chocolate soil, is considered second to none for wheat-growing. Fruits of all descriptions will grow in abundance, and it is beyond question that all the land around Gulgong only wants tickling with, the hoe to produce almost any crop.
Source: The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912) Sat 13 Feb 1892 Page 361
Source: The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912) Sat 13 Feb 1892 Page 361
The Town Hall c 1908
Source: Dave Free
Ulan County Council offices in
Town Hall building with front extension
Source: Peter Martin
