Town and District of Gunning, 1875

Yass Street, Gunning in 2005 (Photo by Peter Ellis CC-BY-SA-3.0)

The following description of the town of Gunning appeared on page 2 of the Goulburn Herald and Chronicle on 3 November 1875. This is one of the best primary sources indicating the locations and uses of the buildings in the main street and surrounds, many of which remain in existence today. The full article can be viewed on Trove.

Town and District of Gunning

The houses of Gunning were described not long since by a writer in the Town and Country Journal as the "pig-sty style of architecture;" but were he to visit the neighbourhood now such a charge would no longer be a fair one, such extensive alteration and improvements having been made by most of the leading townsmen that Gunning has become almost a new place. Nestling in a pretty valley surrounded by low hills, on a tributary creek of the river Lachlan, the traveller comes upon the town almost before he is aware of it -- a turn of the road - a steep slope --and lo! Gunning is at his foot.

On entering the town from the road from the Goulburn side, a handsome and substantial bridge is crossed, spanning the Gunning creek, which adds much to the appearance of the locality. Immediately on the left is Mr. Grovenor's inn, long known as a court-house, and one of the well-known stopping-places in bygone days. A few yards further on and the telegraph office is reached - an unpretentious and but temporary building - where Mr. Foley, the operator, finds plenty to do. Passing Mr. Lawless's inn and other buildings we come to the really handsome stone store of Mr. A. S. Jones, which with its plate-glass front and wide verandahs, would be an ornament to many a larger town than Gunning. Passing the bakery of Mr. Hourn, the new store of W. Reynolds and Son, now in course of creation, is rising up sufficiently into view, and will be a substantial structure, all of brick with iron roof. Further on, on the same side, the public school occupies not the least imposing position. Here we find large class-rooms well ventilated, a commodious teacher's residence and pretty garden, while under the active and careful superintendence of the well-known teacher, Mr. Pitt, some one hundred and thirty children daily receive instruction in something beyond the three R's. At the time of writing this a public examination for the junior certificate of the university was going on under the Rev. H. E. Taylor as supervisor; there were eight candidates as against three last year, all of them from the public school. Mr. Pitt was successful in passing all the three candidates last year. We wish him heartily a similar success this year, for we are sure he deserves it. Gunning is to be congratulated in having so enterprising and energetic a teacher. 

Passing down the opposite side of Yass-street, we come first to a new court-house, a neat brick structure, containing lock-up cells, magistrates' room, and court-room, besides accommodation for two policemen and their families. Mr. H. Saxby's store and residence, situated in a luxuriant garden, next strikes the eye. All the buildings are substantial, and of brick. Mr. Saxby is the senior magistrate of the place, and an old resident. Messrs. Wright, Heaton, Barber, and Co. have established a carriers' agency next door, where they combine a flourishing business in hay and corn. Mr. Bell's bakery and Mr. Wilson's two-storied public-house (all of stone) are next passed, and we come to the saddlery business of Mr. Passmore, which is carried on in a commodious brick building owned by an old resident, Mr. Rudd. The dispensary of Dr. Hunter following, we next stand before the old Gunning mill, a large two-storied brick building of ancient architecture, standing

Somewhat back from the village street

Like an old-fashioned country seat,

but where a steady and flourishing business is carried on by Mr. Farquhar. One or two substantial private houses and the store of Mr. Conolly brings this part of the street to an end. Here the post-office has been carried on under the efficient care of Mr. F. Conolly, to whom we hear the townspeople are about to present a substantial proof of their esteem. 

Crowning the neighbouring hills there are several other buildings which must not be unnoticed. On one side the Roman Catholic church, a white-washed building with a low spire of galvanized iron, is conspicuous; while behind the main street rises the Church of England, a granite building, supported by an elegant brick parsonage of which the Rev. Mr. Taylor is the incumbent. Again, a little to the west, there are rising up the walls of a new and handsome Wesleyan chapel to replace an old edifice standing on Gunning Flat, built as far back as 1847. The residence of the Rev. W. Hill, Wesleyan minister, a substantial brick building, is opposite the new chapel.

Passing up the Dalton road a few yards, quite a new township lies before us. Here Mr. Bean, the well known host of the Frankfield Inn, has erected a large two-storied hotel to command a view of the railway station and to secure the passenger traffic. Mr. Line has also erected a new public-house opposite, so that there will be no danger of travellers being inhospitably received in Gunning. A brick shop is building also - it is said for Mr. Benson of Goulburn - to be used as a drapery store. A smithy just built also helps to fill up this side of the street. The railway-station occupies a commanding site a little further on. Here platform, goods-shed, and other buildings to be erected, will form a large addition to this side of the town. In the immediate neighbourhood of Gunning there are some good houses used as private residences, of which we may mention Mr. Best's of Albert Vale, so close to the railway that the line could not have come nearer without destroying the kitchen itself. Mr. Rudd, one of the oldest inhabitants, has a neat cottage and garden on the hill, where also are the pound-yards; while near the creek there still stands the old parsonage built by the Rev. T. Cartwright some thirty or forty yours ago. Mr. Roberts, station master, has rented the stone cottage and garden be longing to Mr. Mearn. 

Five roads cross at Gunning; that from Lake George and Currawang via Collector; that from Queanbeyan via Gundaroo; that from Burrowa via Dalton ; that from Grabben Gullen and Wheeo via Byalla ; and the main Yass and Goulburn road. Along those roads and in their neighbourhood there are some fine properties.