GUNDAGAI – A TIME LINE OF KEY EVENTS IN THE TOWN’S HISTORY
1828: Peter Stuckey was the first white person to cross the Murrumbidgee River at Gundagai.
1829: The explorer, Captain Charles Sturt, crossed the Murrumbidgee River at Gundagai.
1830: Charles Tompson staked at claim at Mickey’s Corner on the northern bank of the Murrumbidgee.
1831: James and William Macarthur of Camden Park Estate stocked Nangus Station with cattle.
1836: The first white settlement was made at Gundagai.
1837: First police appointed to Gundagai.
1838: The town was surveyed and marked out for settlement.
1838: 3 July – the Murrumbidgee Inn was granted a licence.
1839: “Sugar” O’Brien was granted a licence to depasture stock on the Gundagai Run on the Murrumbidgee River south of Mingay. This became known as O’Brien’s Run.
1840: The Sir George Tavern at Jugiong commenced operations, the first licencee being Charles Butler.
1841: Gundagai’s earliest medical practitioner, Dr John Spencer, commenced work. He practiced until 1870.
1842: 2 December – The first sale of town land was held, the only purchasers being James Middleton and John Pollett.
1843: 2 January – town allotments were put up for sale at the price of £8 per acre.
1843: The first post master, Joseph Andrews, was appointed.
1843: 1 April – Gundagai’s Post Office opened.
1844: The settlement of Gundagai was comprised of ten or twelve houses.
1844: 16 April – The Rose Inn licence was issued to Edward Norman.
1844: June – Gundagai experienced its first flood, a forewarning of what was to come.
1845: Six allotments of land at South Gundagai were put up for sale.
1846: The first sale of land at South Gundagai.
1846: Possible date of the first cemetery at South Gundagai. A memorial to Edmund Crisp, who drowned in the Murrumbidgee River on 27 August 1846 is in the cemetery.
1847: Gundagai’s Court House was established, along with a lock-up for prisoners.
1848: Gundagai’s population was eighty seven and the town was comprised of thirteen houses, a few tents, three hotels, two large stores and a pound.
1848: The flour mill was constructed.
1849: 7 September - a ferry service across the Murrumbidgee River connected north and South Gundagai.
1850’s: Joseph Ryall commenced work as a solicitor in Gundagai.
1851: Gundagai’s first school was opened; the first principal was Edward McKenna.
1851: The population of Gundagai was 397.
1852: J D Morley built the Royal Hotel.
1852: 25 June - the township of Gundagai was washed away in the great flood. 75 lives were lost. The Aboriginal heroes, Yarri and Jacky Jacky, saved 49 and 12 lives respectively.
1853: 3 July - Gundagai experienced an even bigger flood.
1856: Star Hotel was built at South Gundagai.
1858: John Jenkins erected the Gundagai Hotel, later (1883) to become known as the Family Hotel.
1858: The date of the earliest headstone in the Anglican section of the North Gundagai Cemetery – Charlotte Phillips, wife of an early keeper of the Australian Arms Inn.
1858: Establishment of Gundagai’s first newspaper, The Murrumbidgee Herald, by Thomas Frederick de Couray Browne.
1858: The first hospital in Gundagai was constructed in Otway Street.
1858: In May Gundagai Public School opened on the corner of Punch and Otway Streets with an enrolment of 39 students.
1858: 25 August – Gundagai Telegraph Station opened.
1859: The original St Patrick’s Church was completed.
1859: Gold was reportedly discovered in a creek at Kimo Station.
1860’s: There are records of cricket having been played in Gundagai from this date.
1860: The bushrangers, Frank Gardiner and John Peisley, held up the Gundagai mail coach.
1861: The gold rush began in Gundagai with the discovery of gold at Mount Parnassus by Gaspard Billardi. The boom was to last until 1875.
1864: 16 November – Sergeant Parry was killed by the bushranger, John Gilbert, near Jugiong.
1864: The Bank of NSW opened in Gundagai.
1864: William Bibo, a baker from Germany, opened the Gundagai Bakery.
1865: Construction commenced on the Prince Alfred Bridge to connect north and South Gundagai.
1865: The Methodist Church opened.
1867: Consecration of St John’s Anglican Church on 5 June.
1867: 20 October – the opening of the Prince Alfred Bridge. It was the longest road bridge in NSW until the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932.
1868: James Baker Elworthy established The Gundagai Times newspaper.
1868: A Turf Club was formed in Gundagai, the first race meeting being held on 25-26 March.
1869: Big Ben Creek School (later Edwardstown Public School) opened, the first principal being Joseph Baxter.
1869: Tumblong (Adelong Crossing) Public School opened; John Dood was the first principal.
1870: 1 April – a flood resulted in three deaths and much property loss.
1872: The Coolac Public School opened with John Lorimer as its first principal.
1875: Thomas Slater built the Railway Hotel. The Poet’s Recall Motel now occupies the site.
1876: St Patrick’s School opened. Classes were held in the church where a classroom was established during the week.
1877: A branch of the Commercial Banking Company opened in Gundagai, operating from a room in the Family Hotel.
1879: 15 November – Captain Moonlite and his gang held up Wantabadgery Station. On 17 November Constable Webb-Bowen was injured while attempting to capture the bushrangers. He died from his injuries on 23 November.
1880: Death of Yarri. He is buried in the Catholic section of the North Gundagai Cemetery.
1880: Bongongo Public School opened with Cornelia Richards as the first principal.
1881: South Gundagai Public School opened; Timothy Nicholls was the first principal.
1882: Muttama Public School opened; Mary Long being the first principal.
1882: Jugiong Public School opened; Hannah McAuliffe was the first principal.
1883: St John’s Rectory built.
1884: The opening of Tarrabandra Public School; Esther Marshall was the first principal.
1885: A second St Patrick’s Church, replacing the one completed in 1859 was opened by Father Finnigan. The church overlooks Sheridan Street.
1886: The railway to Gundagai was completed.
1886: On 23 July five Sisters of Mercy from Goulburn opened St Patrick’s School.
1887: Dr Charles Louis Gabriel commenced his medical practice in Gundagai. Dr Gabriel is also renowned for his photographs of Gundagai at the turn of the century.
1888: The first P and A Show was held. James Robinson was the first president, a position he held until 1905.
1889: Gundagai was declared a municipality.
1889: The Convent School building was constructed on the corner of First Avenue and Homer Street.
1894: Edward Battye discovered the Prince of Wales gold mine at Reno. It became Gundagai’s biggest mine and led to a population boom at Reno.
1894: In October the Long Tunnel gold mine at Kimo opened.
1896: The northern timber viaduct of the Prince Alfred Bridge was realigned.
1897: McCabe’s Cordial Factory was opened in Bourke Street by Charles McCabe. The factory, which operated for 80 years, was later owned by Jack Jones who worked at the factory from 1889-1962.
1898: The Brungle Public School opened, with Ellen Thomas as the first principal.
1898: The first street lights (11 oil lamps) were installed in Gundagai.
1898: The Sullivan family’s, The Gundagai Independent, was first published on 2 September.
1899: The Catholic Church at Gobarralong opened on 23 April.
1899: St James Church in Luke Street South Gundagai opened. The church operated until 1965 when it was demolished and replaced by a modern structure.
1902: The Boer War Memorial, in front of the Court House, was unveiled.
1903: The Back Station Creek School opened; Stuart Nicholls was the first principal.
1903: 12 October – The railway line connecting Gundagai and Tumut opened.
1904: A new Gundagai Hospital opened on 25 May on 10 acres of land donated by “Kimo’s” Robinson family.
1908: Installation of the Gundagai Telephone Exchange. By the following year there were 36 subscribers in the local telephone directory.
1908: The Gundagai Butter Co-operative opened in Mount Street, South Gundagai.
1909: The town water supply was turned on.
1910: The scouting movement commenced in Gundagai.
1913: The ANZ Bank opened in Gundagai.
1914: The Gundagai branch of the Red Cross was founded.
1915: The “old” Council Chambers was erected.
1916: A swimming club was formed in Gundagai. Until 1965 events were held at the swimming reserve on the Murrumbidgee River on the western side of the railway bridge at South Gundagai.
1919: Members of the Castrission family purchased the café at 142 Sheridan Street, which later became known as the Niagara Café.
1921: “Along the Road to Gundagai” written by Jack O’Hagan.
1925: The Gundagai branch of the Country Women’s Association was formed.
1925: Gundagai experienced a major flood.
1927: Death of Dr Charles Louis Gabriel, a doctor in Gundagai for more than 40 years. He is buried in the Catholic section of the North Gundagai Cemetery.
1928: Electricity became available in Gundagai on 20 February.
1928: The foundation stone of the World War 1 Cenotaph at the eastern end of Sheridan Street was laid. Frank Rusconi was responsible for its construction.
1929: Gundagai’s Freemasons built the Gundagai Theatre.
1930: Formation of the Gundagai Town Fire Brigade.
1930: A new Methodist Church opened in Punch Street.
1931: Jack Smith bowled Don Bradman out for 86 runs, during Bradman’s visit to Gundagai as part of the touring Kippax XI team.
1932: The Dog on the Tuckerbox monument was unveiled by the Prime Minister Right Hon. J A Lyons during Back to Gundagai Week celebrations.
1932: The Gundagai Scout Hall, near the old Council Chambers, was opened on 29 February by NSW Governor Sir Philip Game.
1934: On 27 November the Gundagai Bowling Club green was opened. The club had an initial membership of 50 bowlers.
1935: The Nangus Public School opened with Harry Burke as its first principal.
1937: Jack O’Hagan wrote “Where the Dog Sits on the Tuckerbox”.
1937: The Gundagai-Tumut Ambulance Service was established as branch service of Wagga Wagga.
1939: The Gundagai-Tumut Ambulance Service was established as a separate district.
1939: The first club house for the Gundagai Bowling Club was opened on 19 November by Shire President, H P Carberry.
1940: Gundagai’s sewerage scheme commenced operations.
1941: A Civic Association was formed in Gundagai.
1942: At the Niagara Café, Jack Castrission hosted a late night visit by Australian Prime Minister John Curtin, along with Ben Chifley, Arthur Fadden and Senator McKenna.
1944: Gundagai Public School became a Central School, operating as such until 1967 when it reverted to a Primary School following the opening of Gundagai High School.
1946: Butcher Roberts Pty Ltd opened.
1946: The first meeting of the Gundagai District Services Club was held on 29 December.
1946: Gundagai won the Group 9 Rugby League grand final.
1948: Gundagai Rotary Club received its charter.
1949: The Gundagai District Tennis Association was established with 16 teams in the competition.
1951: The Gundagai Shire Public Library opened in February.
1952: On 7 June fanatical football supporters had to be evacuated from Anzac Park during a Maher Cup match against Young as flood waters from the Murrumbidgee rose quickly.
1953: Anzac Park gates were opened on 6 June by Hon. W F Sheahan, Attorney General.
1954: The official opening of the Gundagai District Services Club building on 30 September.
1956: Back to Gundagai Week.
1956: Gundagai District War Memorial Building opened.
1957: May 12 – a new Bowling Club House was opened.
1957: On November 18 Hon. W F Sheahan opened the new Gundagai Tennis Courts and Club House.
1958: The Gundagai Apex Club received its charter.
1958: From April social and female membership of Gundagai Bowling Club was permitted.
1959: The first meeting of the Gundagai Women’s Bowling Club was conducted.
1961: Golden Corroboree celebrations. The name originated from a competition won by Paul Foley. “Golden” refers to the centenary of the discovery of gold and “corroboree” relates to all ex-residents who would be returning to Gundagai for a grand reunion. During the celebrations the Sheahan Drive, in honour of State Member for Burrinjuck, W F Sheahan, was dedicated.
1961: On 24 April the Gundagai Anglers Club was formed.
1961: On 4 November extensions to the Gundagai Hospital were opened by Member for Burrinjuck and Minister for Health Hon., W F Sheahan.
1961: On 6 November “Burragundy”, the ‘Old People’s Units’, were opened at Jones Creek on the western end of Punch Street.
1962: A new Library was opened in Gundagai.
1962: During his visit for the Golden Corroboree celebrations, the Premier of NSW, Hon. R J Heffron, laid the foundation stone for the new Gundagai High School.
1963: Gundagai were Group 9 Rugby League premiers, defeating Tumut 18-5 in extra time. Gundagai also won the Maher Cup this season.
1965: Opening of the Gundagai War Memorial Swimming Pool on 22 November by NSW Premier Hon. R W Askin.
1967: The secondary section of Gundagai Central School became a High School in its own right with Mr Kevin Lane as the first Principal.
1967: In November the Gundagai District Service Club Tennis Courts opened.
1968: Gundagai soldier Neil McInerney was killed in action in the Vietnam War, on 2 October.
1968: Hon. T L Lewis, Minister for Lands, unveiled a plaque at Stan Crowe Oval. The oval is named after Mr S B Crowe to recognise his services as a Councillor of Gundagai Shire for 15 years, including 3 years as Shire President.
1969: A Pre School commenced operations in St John’s Hall.
1972: ‘Bidgeeridoo’ celebrations were held in Gundagai, comprised of many activities including an art show, ball, celebrity guests, a street parade, re-enactment of the opening of the railway bridge and vintage train rides.
1972: On 14 July the Gundagai Telephone Exchange became automated after 70 years of manual operation.
1973: Formation of the Gundagai Lions Club.
1974: Gundagai experienced a severe flood with the Murrumbidgee River reaching 36 feet 4 inches.
1974: 9 April – construction of the Sheahan Bridge commenced. This was part of the Hume Highway deviation around Gundagai.
1975: The Pre School building in First Avenue opened.
1975: On ANZAC Day the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated.
1975: St John’s Anglican Church was seriously damaged by fire on the evening of 30 June.
1976: The Gundagai Rodeo Club was formed.
1976: Restoration work on St John’s Anglican Church was completed and the church was re-consecrated on 28 August.
1976: In October the Gundagai Primary School opened on the northern outskirts of Gundagai.
1977: Meals on Wheels began in Gundagai.
1977: 25 March – NSW Premier Neville Wran opened the Sheahan Bridge.
1979: The Prince Alfred Bridge Retention Committee was formed.
1979: In November the Sturt Sesquicentenary celebrations were held to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Charles Sturt’s journey down the Murrumbidgee River.
1979: The new Shire Council Chambers were opened by Hon. Harry Jensen, Minister for Local Government.
1981: Gundagai Garden Club began.
1982: Gundagai Soroptimists Club was formed.
1982: Gundagai medical practitioners, Dr Paul Mara and Dr Virginia Wrice commenced work in Gundagai. 1982: In November the 50th Anniversary of the Dog on the Tuckerbox was celebrated.
1983: 26 November – the closure of the Gundagai-Tumut railway line.
1983: Gundagai were Group 9 Rugby League Premiers defeating…….
1984: Baptist Church services began in Gundagai.
1984: A new bridge was built over Morley’s Creek, below the Post Office; on 26 November the northern timber approach viaduct of the Prince Alfred Bridge was closed.
1985: The Gundagai branch of the Cancer Patients’ Assistance Society (now CanAssist) was formed.
1987: A new club house/gymnasium opened at the Gundagai War Memorial Swimming Pool.
1988: The Gundagai Advancement Corporation was formed.
1988: 16 October – 121st birthday of the Prince Alfred Bridge was celebrated with more than 800 people having “Breakfast on the Bridge”. The day also saw the opening of the restoration works to the bridge carried out with funds from the Bicentennial Project grant.
1989: Uralba Hostel (aged care accommodation) was opened by Wal Fife, member for Hume
1989: In September four one-bedroom units were opened in First Avenue for aged persons’ accommodation.
1990: 7 September – a gravestone in memory of Yarri was unveiled at the North Gundagai Catholic Cemetery by NSW Premier Nick Greiner.
1991: Gundagai High School’s Multi Purpose Centre opened.
1993: On the evening of 10 April the Gundagai Bowling Club was destroyed by fire.
1993: The amalgamation of the Services, Bowling and Golf Clubs. On 1 July the Sports Club was built on the site of the old Bowling Club, catering for both bowlers and golfers.
1995: Captain Moonlite was reburied in the Anglican section of the North Gundagai Cemetery.
1995: On 29 April the Bidgee Banks Golf course opened. Successful local golfer, Gerard Power, was the first to tee off on the new course.
1996: Extensions to Uralba Hostel opened.
2000: The Gundagai Bushcare Group was formed.
References edit
Butcher, A C, GUNDAGAI A track winding back, Union Offset Printing, Canberra 2002
Gundagai Independent, Gundagai, N.S.W. : Patrick John Sullivan v. ; 63 cm. Aug 1928-
The Gundagai times and Tumut, Adelong, and Murrumbidgee district advertiser, Gundagai, N.S.W. : James Baker Ellsworth, 1868-1931 v. : ill. (chiefly advertisements) ; 55 cm.