Delving further into Australia’s Heritage History.

 

Goulburn Brewery

Bungendore had been such a pleasant surprise and we had spent longer there than intended. But now we were on a mission to visit the heritage homes and brewery that only opened on weekends in Goulburn.

Well we were disappointed as the first home on the list, Riversdale, was closed. But not to be deterred we moved on to find the brewery.

I felt I had just walked into an old brewery in Europe, but no this is in Goulburn, country town Australia. It is only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and we had made a special trip to visit it. It was fascinating.

Along the red brick path lined with spring bulbs.

Through the gate in the white picket fence.

Taking photos all the way.

Round the corner into a most delightful courtyard.

Rosemary in front of the window and creepers covering the walls.

A gallery and museum is on the top floor.

What a very interesting person Francis Howard Greenway (read his biography here, it is a fascinating story)   Born at Mangotsfield, near Bristol, England in 1777,  he became an architect. In March 1812 he was found guilty of forging a document. He was sentenced to death but the penalty was later changed to transportation for fourteen years. He arrived in Sydney in February 1814.

Greenway’s face was shown on the first Australian decimal-currency $10 note (1966–93), making him probably the only convicted forger in the world to be honoured on a banknote. 

Be careful Jack, watch your step. These are well-worn flag stones.

Funny place to store a ladder.

We will use conventional stairs to see what is upstairs.

First room we peer in is very dark, can’t find any light switch. We wander around and discover it is an old bar area. We later learn they run special events up here, but that must be in the summer as it was freezing cold today.

We move on to the next room.

A large dining area. More light in here from the windows, but still very cold. We move on and up some more stairs, and find a gallery/museum of old brewery machinery and an odd assortment of “stuff” that Francis Greenway had accumulated. He had a passion for mathematics.

There was a lot of interesting reading, a lot of it beyond my comprehension, I never excelled at maths, but by now the cold was seeping into our bones. It is lunch time and hopefully it will be warmer down stairs.

This is better, no log fire but the heaters are on and pumpkin soup is on the menu. Perfect.

Another couple are ordering lunch. No one else had been up stairs.

This is Australia’s oldest brewery and it brews Real Ales in the time-honoured traditional way with no preservatives. We bought a couple of bottles to take home and yes it is very refreshing..

Warmed up, refreshed and relaxed we still have time to find the last heritage house on my list of places to see.

Garroorigang Historic Home.

A beautiful privately owned heritage home on the outskirts of Goulburn NSW where visitors can enjoy a personally guided tour through 157 years of living Australian history in the unique setting of a lived in family home. As a result Garroorigang ( Garroorigang is an Aboriginal word for black swan) retains the warmth and aura of a family home, steeped in time, affording visitors a rare personal view of life over much of Australia’s history. 

The present owner, Stuart Hamilton Hume greeted us as we stepped out of the car. He was busy weeding and tending the garden but he stopped to take us inside and introduce us to his wife, Anne. Then he went back to his chores. Anne and Stuart are totally dedicated and passionate about their home and Anne guided us through telling us stories and anecdotes as she took us from room to room filled with history. The magnificent antique furniture gleamed with the care and love that had been lavished on it. Impressive dining table and sideboard, four-poster beds draped with lace and velvet. Copies of the original wallpaper set the scene in each room. Paintings, photographs and many original tapestries, that had been created by Stuarts mother, hung on the walls, and interesting memorabilia every where. I have visited many heritage homes as I travelled around Australia and this would be one of the truly great experiences, it had the atmosphere and feel of a house loved and cared for.

We could not take photos in the house, just the outside, but to read the full and interesting history go to this link

The buildings on the left were originally the stables but were converted into a classroom in 1868. Students received a classical education including Greek, Latin and French in a curriculum also heavily influenced by the Headmaster’s passion for cricket.

I’m so pleased we went back to see these unique, old heritage buildings.