- New England Hotel. Walcha has had several hotels since
its first settlement. Built between 1850and 1860’s, this
was Walcha’s first New England hotel owned by the MacDonald’s. The Hotel still stands at its original site.
- Brown’s Bake House. This was the old Royal hotel, owned
by George Andronicus, built in 1889. It was later guttered
by fire on the 28th of August 1938. This building was later
rebuilt on the same location and named the New Royal Hotel. It is now use as a Bake House and Coffee Shop, also
caters for dinners and lunches.
-Walcha Library. This building was first established
in 1901, as the Walcha Shire Chambers. Today used
as the Walcha library, established in the building in
1952.
- National Australia Bank. This building was first located in Fitzroy Street as Walcha’s Commercial
banking Company, opened on the 16th of June 1873.
The building was purchased from the Ewing family
in 1947 and is now the Walcha Ex-Services Memorial Club. A corner store was located here facing Armidale. It was later knocked down and a new building for the bank was built and reopened. Which is
now the National Australia Bank.
Tour Our Historic
Buildings of Walcha
- The Walcha Witness. It was from this building that Frank
Townsend issued the first newspaper, the Walcha Witness,
in June 1889. The printing Press was later moved and the
premises was later demolished by fire in 1932. The first
building was built on land adjoining and early Aboriginal
Corroboree ground.
•
- Mc Hatton Park. With its picnic tables, bus shelter and
toilet block. Also take note of the Sculptures; “Weather
signs” by Stephen King 1996, and ‘The Family’ by Tom
Deko 1998. It is hard to believe but this park was once the
scene of a tragedy that claimed the lives of three people.
The federal Coffee Palace (boarding place) and Walcha Cottage Bank (Commercial Bank of Sydney) also shared this
site.
Run by Miss Gibson, which was awoken by fire 3am, April
3rd, 1926. Nine people had a miraculous escape, most of
which jumped from the top floor. The bank was opened in
1873. This building was a ‘miserable structure, unsuited
to the climate and built on low damp land’. It was being
relocated in 1877 to the Memorial Club, and to where it
stands now as the National Australia Bank.
•
Court House. The Court House was built in 1878. The
structure of the building is of interest with the iron
stone foundation, the brick construction in colonial
bond, the granite stone windowsills and cedar
woodwork and furniture. Situated on the corner of
derby and Apsley streets.
-Fenwicke House. John Hamilton brought the block of
land in 1855. Where he later built this delightful
terrace style home in 1889. In the early 1900’s the
Hamilton sisters taught music here. The big window
out the front was put there for a tailor, Mr Howe, who is
remembered sitting in the widow sewing and mending
suits. The upstairs rooms of the house in 1906-1912
were used for delivering babies. The Mc Donald family
later lived here from 1919 till 1969. Witnessing the
flood on the 12th of January 1962, where the water rose
over one meter. John Fenwicke helped the family out of
the raging water. It was later used in 1979 as an art
gallery, tearooms and the upstairs was rented. It was
named The Parmenter Gallery. The owner at the times
maiden name. It was continued as an Art Gallery, and
in 1989-90 was extended further ,building an office at
the rear for the growing insurance business.
- Ang e
l a House. James W Rae f irst purcha sed this bloc k of la nd in 1856.It wa s then sold in 1881 to Reuben C Holledge. Mr Holledge sold it 18 months later to DrC Schrader. Who built the bric k section, with its wid e veranda sfac ing Hill Streeta nd subsequently na med it Anglea House. He conducted surgery f rom the house for alm osta deca de. Dr Sc hra der then sold the house to Mrs Hamilton and he returned to Sydneywhere he died in 1892. The house is now a Bed and Brea kfa st.
- St Pa ul’s Presbyteria n Church. Theexisting churc hwas opened in 1888 on la nd boughta nd donated by Abra ham Niv ison. Orig ina lly it wa s named St Ma ry’s Presby terian Church, the name wa s latercha ng ed in1915. This building replacesa wooden building erected in 1857, af ter three yea rs ofa ttempts to have a Presbyteria nc hurch esta blished in Walc ha. A Sunday sc hool was esta blished here in the early 1870’s. The Mase beside thec hurch was built a round 1904.
- Erra tt House. G H Erra ttc ame to Walc ha in the late 1850’s and esta blished a g enera l store, which the fa mily ra nf ormore than a century . T he residence is one of the ea rliest building s in Walc ha, and is still used bymembers of the Errattf amily .This building is nowa n Antique store.
- Post Off ci e. Thef irst Post Off ci e was established in1851 and the present buildin g was fin ished beingc onstruc ted a nd reopened on the 16th of June 1884. it hashad sev era l a lterations to the front and side of the building since it wasf irst established.
Take A leisurely stroll
around the town and
experience some of our
spectacular historical
buildings.
( walking time 1 hours)
Tour Our Historic
Buildings Of Walcha ….
!Walcha - The early spring of the year 1818 saw the arrival
of john Oxley, surveyor general and explorer. Hoping to
follow the Macquarie River to the outlet. ( Frustrated with
his endeavour, he turned eastward. Only to find in the distance several campfires, which appeared to be many natives.
- St Andrew’s Anglican Church. This church was the
third church to be built in Walcha, but is now the earliest
mercial Hotel, which was built by Hardaker in the
church still standing on its original site in Walcha. Conearly 1860’s.
struction commenced in 1862 with stone quarried from
the old Walcha station, known as
“The villa Wolka”
Originally known as St Paul’s Church, it was renamed St
Andrew’s in the 1870’s. The church interesting stained
glass windows dedicated to the early Pioneers of the district. The new church was built in 1963 and the Parish
Hall was built in 1954.
- Anglea House. James W Rae first purchased this block of land in
1856. It was then sold in 1881 to Reuben C Holledge. Mr Holledge sold it
18 months later to Dr C Schrader. Who built the brick section, with its
wide verandas facing Hill Street and subsequently named it Anglea
House. He conducted surgery from the house for almost a decade. Dr
Schrader then sold the house to Mrs Hamilton and he returned to
Sydney where he died in 1892. The house is now a Bed and Breakfast.
Aboriginals – The first contact with Aboriginals in the local
area seemed to be by John Oxley’s party in 1818. The
Nganyaywana, Ennewen, Himberrog and the Thungutti .-
Ex-Services memorial Club. Alexander Mitchell constructed
the older portion of this building for the Walcha Brach of
the Commercial banking company of Sydney in 18761877. By the end of 1877 the building was re-located opposite the Post office in Derby Street. It is now the local
EX-services Memorial club.
- Mitchell’s Residence and Flour Mill. Alexander Mitchell
came to Walcha from Lancashire, Scotland in 1854. In
1857 he set up business in Uralla as a builder and contractor. He moved to Walcha in 1870 to establish a general
store, run the flourmill, opened the bank and continue
contracting for public and private buildings.
- Commercial Hotel. Thomas Bath, who was born in Wiltshire, England in 1836, came to Walcha with his parents
as a child. In 1873 he purchased the Walcha Hotel, which
he ran for eight years. In the 1880’s he brought the Com-
-St Patrick’s Catholic church. This church was built in
1881 and extended again in 1955. The first Catholic
Church, a timber structure, had been built in 1859, but
was later demolished. The Convent and School were built
later this century.
Walcha has the oldest catholic Cemetery in the Diocese,
located on the south side of the Oxley high way to Port
Macquarie.
- St Paul’s Presbyterian Church. The existing church was opened in
1888 on land bought and donated by Abraham Nivison. Originally it was
named St Mary’s Presbyterian Church, the name was later changed in
1915. This building replaces a wooden building erected in 1857, after
three years of attempts to have a Presbyterian church established in
Walcha. A Sunday school was established here in the early 1870’s. The
Mase beside the church was built around 1904.
- Erratt House. G H Erratt came to Walcha in the late 1850’s and
established a general store, which the family ran for more than a
century. The residence is one of the earliest buildings in Walcha, and is
still used by members of the Erratt family. This building is now an
Antique store.
-Pioneer Cottage and Museum Buildings. These
building are typical examples of houses built in
Walcha during the 1870’s. The land on which the
Historical Society’s buildings are located was
granted to Senior Constable Buckland in 1858.
Mrs J.N.B Watts owned the Pioneer cottage, and it
remained in her family until 1962.
The Museum building was moved to its present site
from the eastern end of Fitzroy Street in 1970.
Both buildings were constructed of stringy bark
slabs and roofed with wooden shingles. At a later
date corrugated iron was put over the roofs and
weatherboards covered the slabs on the front of the
houses.
- Post Office. The first Post Office was established in 1851 and the
present building was finished being constructed and reopened on the
16th of June 1884. it has had several alterations to the front and side of
the building since it was first established.