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Stop and Smell the Flowers
Yass is a charming heritage town south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway. I’d driven past or through many times – but had never actually stopped! (iPhone6)
Do you find you tend to ignore your own backyard?
I often do. I’ll go to great lengths and distances to visit places afar, while making little time for sights closer to home.
But, away from the more-populated coast, country New South Wales (like country Queensland) has some attractive old towns, with interesting histories, and main streets lined with old colonial and federation architecture.
Take Yass, for example. First settled by Europeans in 1830, this charming sheep-farming community boasts a number of well-preserved 19th-century heritage buildings. Sitting where it does, 280 km (174 mi) south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway, it was on our path if ever we drove from Sydney to Melbourne. We’d remark on the signposts – the name amused my children – as we skirted it enroute to Canberra or the Snowy Mountains.
Then, finally, it landed more squarely on my path. We were travelling south from the Hunter Valley and had appointments in Canberra. An overnight stop in Yass made sense.
And when we took our walk in the morning, we were rewarded.
Later that same day, on our way home to the Far South Coast, we stopped for a photo-walk in the equally-historic town of Bungendore on the other side of Canberra. Laid out in a Georgian-influenced grid by colonial government surveyor James Larmer in 1837, this small town on the Kings Highway near Lake George grew after the railway arrived in early 1885.
I’d been through Bungendore many times when taking the alternate route between Sydney and the Snowy Mountains. I loved stopping there for coffee and a visit to the most-excellent Wood Works shop in the centre of town, but had never explored further.
I couldn’t find much information about some of the buildings in town, but we enjoy our unstructured walk-about.
Both towns were a delight and well worth visiting.
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Yass Valley Courthouse
Designed by Scotsman James Barnet, who was the serving Colonial Architect for Colonial New South Wales (1862 – 1890), this building opened in 1880, replacing an earlier 1847 structure. (iPhone6)
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National Australia Bank
Surveyor and architect John Frederick Hilly designed a number of churches and public buildings in Sydney. This bank building – originally belonging to the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Limited – was built in 1872. (iPhone6)
Westpac Bank Building
This beautiful Victorian building, dating to 1886, originally housed the Australian Joint Stock Bank. Bank of New South Wales (Westpac) took the building over in 1931. Today – like so many other rural services – it is permanently closed. (iPhone6)
Reflections of the Old Railway Bridge
Yass was connected to the New South Wales Government Railways’ Main Southern railway line in 1892. This heritage-listed, single span lightweight bridge across the Yass River carried the Yass Town Tramway. It was the first American-style Pratt-truss railway bridge in NSW. Although it closed to regular service in 1988, it is still sound. (iPhone6)
Spring Blossoms
It is October, so the fruit trees of Bungendore are in full bloom.
Bungendore Real Estate Agent
Many of the businesses in town occupy charming old country buildings.
Royal Hotel
Originally opened in 1883, the Royal Hotel features the elegant ironwork typical in Australian buildings from the period. It closed in 2020 (some years after this photo was taken) for a complete internal renovation, reopening for business early this year.
Gibraltar Street
Philip’s Anglican Church
One of many churches around town, the old stone building housing St Philip’s was finished in 1865. As far as I can tell, the church has operated continuously since then.
Corrugated Iron and Brick Chimney Pots
Bungendore Post Office
Built in 1882, the post-office complex includes a three-bedroom residence in a separate building from the business.
A Leafy School of Arts Building (1890)
Gallipoli Memorial
Most Australian towns have a tribute to the soldiers they lost on the Gallipoli Peninsula in WWI (see: In Remembrance of the ANZACs).
Empty Lots and Old Buildings
St Joseph’s Convent
This impressive double- and triple-brick two-storey building opened in 1891, and often housed Australia’s only beatified Catholic saint, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. It is now privately owned.
A Bee in the Capeweed (Arctotheca Calendula)
A Gate on the Wild Garden
I can’t help but admire the old ironwork that was a feature of so many properties.
St Mary’s Catholic Church
Opened in 1862, this church is still in use.
Inside St Mary’s
It was closed, but I had a peep through the window.
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo – Cacatua Galerita
These noisy birds are everywhere; they love the seeds in the tall trees.
Wisteria
This is another common sight in spring: wisteria was popular with early settlers, and can be seen in hedges everywhere.
Bungendore Shops
It is time for afternoon tea, so we make our way back to the tourist centre.
Bungendore Wood Works
This is my absolute favourite spot in town: full of beautiful artworks crafted from fine woods. I often bring overseas visitors here.
The Hannah Cabinet
This magnificent piece inside the Wood Works was painstakingly crafted by Geoff Hannah over six and a half years. After this photo was taken, the cabinet was acquired by Lismore Regional Gallery, where it was damaged in the devastating floods of 2022 (see: ABC Flood Damaged Artworks).
The Wood Works has lots of smaller pieces, and I usually end up going home with something new – whether for myself or as a gift.
They also have a coffee shop – and that’s where we ended up before finishing our drive home.
Until next time!
Pictures: 25October2016
