Historic Tour of Bega 1.BEGA TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE 1875
The Bank of NSW, the second bank in Bega. Managed originally by 24 year old, William Allworth. It remained a bank until 1884, then had a varied history of occupation ranging from a bakery to a police station. It is now the home of Cumquat Gallery and the Bega Tourist Information Centre.
2 CENTRAL HOTEL 1890
Built by Daniel Gowing for his daughter, Mrs Kelly, this was a favourite place for commercial travellers around the turn of the century. A sample room was reserved for them to display their wares. Horses and carriages entered through the archway to reach the fine brick stables at the rear.
3 COURT HOUSE 1881
Built in 1865, the slab courthouse soon proved unsuitable, being replaced by a brick building with a gaol erected at the corner of Carp and Gipps st in 1865. After renovation in 1873, it was replaced by the present building in 1881.
4 ROSEVEAR & HALL JEWELLERS
Acknowledged In Bega’s early days as the leading watchmaker and jeweller on the South Coast. The curved shop front is registered with the Heritage Council. Countinue along Carp St. across Church St. intersection then turn right into Church St and follow it for about 75 metres.
5 RED CROSS BUILDING 1880
Mr West a Guardsman from England, built this fine building and opened a pharmacy downstairs. The top storey was the famlly residence. Mr West was always known as “Half a crown”, as his favourite statement was, “They used to call me half a crown but now I’m two and sixpence”
6 ST JOHN’S CHURCH 1878 St John’s Church
In 1854 a school house, which served as a church, was erected on these grounds. A weatherboard church was built to 1858 and the existing building, which was designed by Edmund Blackett, was completed in 1878.
7 BEGA FAMILY HOTEL 1857
The first Family Hotel was a timber building. James Rixon was the first licencee. Thomas Underhill, the first white man to travel from Cooma to Twofold Bay, purchased the freehold and the Underhill family held the licence for nearly 60 years The museum which now occupies the building is one of the best in NSW and well worth a visit.
8 VICTORIA INN 1858
This large building built from local bricks, had ten bedrooms, a kitchen, stables and a coach house. It was one of the first brick buildings in Bega. From 1863 to 1865 court proceedings were held here in the winter because the slab building in Carp St was too cold. Mumbulla Council occupied the building in later years. It has now been divided into two private residences. Cross Auckland St and continue down.
9 BEGA PUBLIC SCHOOL 1860
Opened in February 1860 with an average of 28 pupils for the year. School fees were about one shilling per week. A brewery was opened by Sharpe Bros. in 1882 on land opposite the school. Nearby was Miss Otton’s store and the first newspaper office, “The Gazette”.
10 COMMERCIAL BANK 1867
Bega’s first bank, a branch of the Commercial Bank of Sydney, Ltd. was opened with Mr J. G. Beazley as manager, In anticipation of Bega’s Commercial Prosperity.Cross over and return along Auckland St to Carp St.
11 FACADES Begs’s first “Picture Palace” stood where Easdowns photographic shop now trades, and beneath the facade dated 1912 was a saddlery and later a garage. The notation “established 1868″ referred to the Standard (later the Southern Star) Newspaper.
Cross Auckland St.
12 BALMAIN BROS. WORKSHOP
Originally Whyman and Brookes blacksmith’s shop. The land on which Auckland Plaza is now situated was the site of Bega’s first cordial factory which was opened in 1879. Deep wells are still below the buildings.
13 LYCEUM HALL 1882 Originally built for the Bega Philharmonic Society to accommodate 800 people. .The original walls and roof remain. Bought by William Balmain in 1909 for his motor works
Continue along Carp St.
14 WAR MEMORTAL 1922
Erected by the people of Bega to commemorate the men who fought in the first world war and opened by the widows of those killed. A time capsule can be seen on the side of the memorial.
15 LONE PINE TREE A pine tree which was grown from a seed of the original “Lone Pine” at Gallipoli, was planted in the park In 1967 by the then Governor, Sir Roden Cutler. A small plaque commemorates the event. Proceed along Zingel Place to the highway, turn right and continue up the hill.
16 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1870 Built from local stone. Now deconsecrated.
Continue up the hill.
17 WESLEYAN CHAPEL 1869 The first brick church to be built in Bega. The brick house on the corner further up the street was the ‘Alwyn” Private hospital.
Cross the road.
18 ST. PATRICKS PRESBYTERY 1868 Built as a residence for the first pastor of the Twofold Bay Misslon district, Father Patrick Stattery.
Continue up the hill.
19 ST. PATRICK’S CHURCH
A weatherboard chapel was built on this site in 1865. The brick building was completed in 1882.
20 ST.JOSEPH’S CONVENT 1891
The first catholic school was begun in 1869. A school room was built in 1872. In 1883 the Sisters of Charity tookover the school and this two-story building was opened in 1891
21 BOER WAR MEMORIAL 1906
The land where the memorial stands was part of the old Market Reserve. The stone for the memorial came from Zieglers quarry on Tathra Rd.
22 SHOWGROUND PAVILION 1905
The first pavilion was a bark shed erected in 1876. An iron pavilion followed in 1887, costing 17000 pounds. This brick building erected in 1905 was reputedly, “The best on the coast”.
23 GAS WORKS 1885 Bega Council opened the first Municipal Gas Works in the Colony In 1885. At that time the population of Bega was 2049 and Wollongong was 1680.
Return up Upper st turn right in to Parker st through the intersection of Carp st then turn right into Bega st and continue up the hill.
24 LITTLETON HOUSE 1890
Built by the first mayor of Bega, Thomas Rawlinson, as a wedding present for his son, the building opererated as the Church of England girl’s boarding and day school until its closure around 1907 when it became the rectory for the Church. During the 1940’s and 50’s it reverted to the high school girl’s hostel. The final official role of the building was as the home of the Bega TAFE.