Click on image above to see full panorama.
Source: Mitchell Library, SLNSW
Note: the panorama appears as four separate photos in the State Library archive. Click on the links underneath the following photos to see enlarged versions of each.
Source: Mitchell Library, SLNSW
Source: Mitchell Library, SLNSW
Source: Mitchell Library, SLNSW
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
LOOKING from the Hospital Hill, Gulgong presents a very busy and important appearance. In the distance the blue prominent peaks of ranges about Cooyal stand out against the eastern sky. Nearer, and to the left of the picture, the huge mounds of red, white, and blue stuff indicate the locality of the Black Lead and the Happy Valley—the spots from which the present wealth of the gold-field is being extracted. To the right are seen the workings on the Red Hill, with the red flag of the Golden Hill Company flying over their claim, and denoting that they have struck the precious metal.
The valley between is thickly studded with the white tents and bark huts of the diggers, whilst the foreground is occupied by the town of Gulgong itself, with its numerous publics, stores, and shops of all descriptions, sizes, and architectural designs.
The population of the diggings is estimated at about 10,000, comprising people from all parts of the world, and from every diggings in Australia, English, French, German, and Chinese. The men of course predominate, but I was very glad to see a fair proportion of the softer sex and a great many children. The population is, without exception, the most orderly for a diggings I ever saw. They seem a quiet self-reliant class—working hard all day, and at night promenading the streets to make their little purchases or hear the latest news. I saw but one or two cases of drunkenness during my stay, and although I observed a strong body of police there did not appear to be as much occasion for their services as I noticed in my omnibus drive down Brickfield-hill.
The buildings are all composed of wood, calico, or bark, presenting strange contrasts by the variety of colours and designs. The finest building is certainly the new Roman Catholic Church just completed, and reflecting great credit on that congregation. Near it is the Wesleyan Chapel, also a very neat structure, and on the rise of the hill the English Church, to which is now being added a respectable parsonage.
Selfe's Hotel, at the junction of Queen and Herbert streets, being the only two-storied house in town, and on the top of the hill, towers above its fellows, and gives a permanent look to the place. The public-houses appear to be well kept, and all doing a quiet steady trade. Good meals, good liquor, civility, and attention are to be obtained everywhere, so far as my observations extended. The stores also are well-stocked, and the articles extremely cheap. The two Chinese Stores in Herbert-street are a feature in the town. Their assistants behind the counters are all Celestials, and their expertness in dealing and the ready manner in which they have become acquainted with English weights, measures, and prices, speaks well for the persevering industry of the race.
There are four churches, which I believe are well attended; three schools also well attended. A hospital, which I am happy to say, is not so well attended, although liberally supported. There is a good theatre, under thc management of Miss Joey Gougenheim, supported by a good company of artists, and apparently well patronised by the public.
The Court-house, and the police barracks are substantially built on the top of the Red Hill, and immediately on the Mudgee-road. There appears to be no doubt as to the permanency and extent of the Gulgong. It is not my place to describe the different loads, or their prospective value. I leave that to your regular correspondent, who has faithfully kept you posted up in those matters; but I will just mention that the country around for miles, bears the same character, and is being gradually opened up, and I doubt not, Gulgong will remain for many years the centre of a very large and rich gold district.
...
Yes! 1 remember: And as I sit writing this my eye catches sight of a large framed photograph of 'Old Gulgong', reported to be taken in 1871 but marked 1874, which latter is said to be wrong and that the former is the correct date. If this is so I am as old as the photo, having been born in one of the visible houses in the photo in that year — 1871.
It necessarily follows that I would know very little personally for the first few years of my life —
especially those years of petticoats which both girls and boys wore during the first years of life, and
I know I wore them because I used to stand on my head on the grass plots in the street in front of my
parents' small store — the petticoats falling down over my head.
I can also remember that at every corner was a public house; only two of the buildings used as such and
which are shown in the photo referred to now exist. They can be seen fairly plainly in the picture, and are the Belmore and the Critterion, one occupied now by Mr. and Mrs. T. Smith and the other by Mr. and Mrs. Joe Cicognani.
The only other recognisable building in the old photo is the old Oddfellows' Hall. It has withstood the
storms and buffetings of life better than its human compatriots.
Used for many purposes, the old hall bears honorable place in the new town of Gulgong which surrounds it but does not eclipse it. If its walls could speak, oh what tales it could tell of old and mod
ern days! Lodge meetings of various kinds, church services of various denominations, dances, public functions of varied character — and you may be sure, many a 'romance' was started and carried on within and without its walls. Ah, what memories! It was in this old hall that one of my sisters 'tried out romance' and ran counter to a strict parent who made exception to some of the early day 'hops.' Perhaps some of the old hands still living here will blush and say 'I am not the writer's sister.' but the 'cap fits'! Yes, perhaps; for since I returned to the old town a few weeks ago I have been told that my old dad was one of the finest dancers and was sought after by even the young ladies to dance with because of his efficiency and pleasure 'in the dance.' I was told that by a lady who is now over 21 and who confesses to dancing with my father — and he has 'gone Home' now over 20 years.
As I said, I can't give much that oc curred in the seventies for my years of 'consciousness' began later than that. But even in the years of extreme youth some things impress the mind. Gulgong had, I am told, 20,000 people in it during the rush days and my babyhood. I remember 'bags of gold' being brought into my parents' shop to be roughly weighed and to give some idea of its value. Parker and Heddle, old time miners, who remained in Gulgong until 'Old Time' called them to 'New Prospects' — in other fields — beyond earth's alluring treasure. It was these two good friends who gave me nuggets from their gold mine, out Lousianna Reef way, after showing me down the mine and pointing out the gold bearing quartz in the sides of the mine. All this created a sort of 'fever' in my blood (gold fever),
which never really leaves a person and is responsible for that 'downward' look which I now wear when
walking about the old streets 'specking' for bits of 'yellow' and sometimes finding an odd bit. The
nuggets mentioned from Parker and Heddle's mine were eventually, made into a brooch and was worn
for many many years by another Gulgong native — my little wife, — and when she left me to 'walk the
golden streets' the ornament was handed over to her only daughter, with whom it still remains and no
doubt will be handed down to her daughter as a heirloom, and thus old Gulgong memories will be car
ried on by children and grand and great grandchildren of the two natives of the seventies of Gulgong,
when gold was as plentiful as the quartz about the streets. But I must go on with what 'I Remember.'
Yes, the old photo is a valuable and most interesting record of early Gulgong. There is the first hospital. Although built of bark and slabs, it isn't half a bad look ing place, and it was built with lofty walls and substantial roofs, the latter wholly bark. The photo was taken from Church Hill, from just at the back of where Mr. M. H. Bennett's cottage is now. It shows up clearly the first Catholic Church, which some years later was in the wake of a hurricane and demolished completely. I remember the occurrence, which caused much regret and consternation at the time but led up to the building of the present splendid church farther up on the hill.
The old church was close to Medley street. The general appearance of Gulgong in this old picture was that of a broken down bark town and would never be recognised as the same town it is now with its many lovely cottages which would grace even an up-to-date suburb of Sydney. Ah, yes, time changes most things. Flirtation Hill isn't half so kindly now to the 'flirting couples' who would still climb its heights looking for romance. It is shown in the photo with many trees, small and great, along its sides, and convenient logs to rest on after the climb up. The trees have gone now excepting for one to mark the fact that nature once made it wooded.
Among the earliest identities whom I remember are old Tom Howlett and old Jimmy Barnbrook. These two worthies were opposition newspapermen, and their voices would echo and re-echo at the top of Herbert street just after the arrival of Cobb and Co.'s mail coach from Mudgee and Wallerawang with the mails and papers. Even so far back as that Sydney had its several daily papers — and they were divided between the men mentioned. They took their business of selling the papers very seriously, and if one got a sale to the other's clients there would be wordy and expressive altercations, much to the interest and amusement of the hundreds of men who then used to hang round McCulloch's Corner, as it was then called, and afterwards Souter's Corner.
Old Tom Howlett disappeared one dark night after one of his occasional 'high times.' He was never traced, and it is thought that he 'fell down one of many diggers' holes, which were as plentiful as the lovely cottages are now which have recently been built 'on top' of them. This is one of the many tragedies of old Gulgong when the disappearance of a person was not greatly noticed unless he were 'a public necessity,' as old Tom was with his papers and bellringing.
Later on we had old Jack the bellman and unofficial postman, watchman, etc., etc.. but, like the hundreds of other old identities, Jack has 'passed across the stage' and will not again put on a turn excepting in 'I Remember' articles.
I will conclude for this issue and I promise move later on.
