Sat, 7th November, 2015 Berrima River Reserve Camping Area, Berrima (exploring Berrima history)

Lovely sunny morning. So nice to wake up with the sound of the birds chirping (though the drone of the Hume Highway can be heard lightly in the background).

Heard from Andrew and Steve will take the truck over at 2pm. Charlie Windle rang and we will catch up with him tomorrow morning as Bowral is just up the road.

Steve found an article on The Cronut in our Readers Digest. It was launched in May 2013 in a bakery in New York. It is a triumph of hype and marketing, with queues forming around the block two hours before the bakery’s 8am opening (leading to entrepreneurial New Yorkers who will line up, then deliver – for an 800% mark-up on the $5-a-pop price). The one we had the other day was nothing like the original’s description – Using the buttery layers of a croissant, filled with cream, then adding the shape and fried finish of an iced doughnut. He trademarked it ‘Cronut’ but it has appeared as Dossant and Codo by others in Singapore, Sydney, London, Manila and elsewhere. The recipe of course is secret so the calorie count of a Cronut can only be guessed about 2000kJ. Glad we only had a third of the one the other day!!

After a cuppa we headed upstream to walk into town. First was the magnificent Court House designed by the same chap, Mortimer Lewis, who did the one in Hartley on the Blue Mountains. This one was constructed between 1835 and 1838.

Went inside to check it out. The chap said he has 7 convict ancestors, a couple from the 1^st Fleet too. We commented on the fact that most of the convicts who were sentenced because of minor chargers, stealing food etc probably ended up with a better life by being sent to Australia. Most went on to be land owners and helped build Australia. Unfortunately there were also the murderers etc that should have just been hung!! I think a lot were after they came here anycase. He showed us an adze that was used to hand-shape the door out of cedar to suit the circular room.

It is now a tourist attraction with a history slide show and a sound &light show in the courtroom. I will come back later to check it out.

Across the road is the Berrima Gaol. It’s construction was also supervised by Mortimer Lewis over a four year period from 1835 to 1839. During WW1 the German internees were housed here each night. It is still used as a jail today.

Lovely rose garden with an interesting fence with the rocks on top.

Next to that is the Governor’s House with more lovely roses. It was built in 1898 as the residence for the Governor of Berrima Goal. Later it was used as a police station in the 1930s.

Down the road to the Surveyor General Inn, Australia’s oldest continuously licenced Inn. It was built by William Harper in 1834 and was first licenced to his son James in 1835.

Went into the Public Bar to find out about watching the V8s today. The barman choses the channel so will call in later and see what he is watching. There was a sign made by the inmates of the gaol that states “if our barmaids look good, then you shouldn’t be driving”.

Wandered around checking out all the old bits and pieces they had on display.

This lovely building was formerly the first Bank and before that a Bakery (circa 1836) and is now National Trust classified.

Next was the Victoria Inn which was built by Joseph Levy in 1835 of sandstone bricks and decorated with sandstone quoins on the corner of the building. Further rooms, a coach house and stables were built behind the inn.

Then the Coach and Horse Inn (also known as Doyle’s Hotel) was built in 1837.

Next door was the Berrima Inn which rests upon the first land purchased in 1833. It was the first Inn built in 1834 and was made of sun-dried bricks in the colonial design. The original doors, door & window frames, hand-made nails and hinges still remain. The worn window ledges were caused by serving patrons drinks through the windows. At the height of Berrima’s commercial success, 13 inns existed servicing the coaches, bullock drivers and travellers as well as the local inhabitants. Unfortunately when the railway came to towns nearby a lot of the inns closed down.  Of course they are all residences now which is great as they are now being preserved. Obviously the town is upset about coal mining as there are signs everywhere.

Walked around the park then across the Berrima Bridge. Looking downstream of the Wingecarribee River. The history sign said in 1831 the population was 400 and the elevation is 600m.

Some ducks were ducking so they wouldn’t be spotted!!

St Francis Xavier Catholic Church was built in 1851 on the site of the convict stockade. The convicts were working on the old Hume Highway, called the Great Southern Road.  The Church was designed by Augustus Pugin – I remembered that name and found in my blog that he also designed St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Colebrook, Tassie in 1843. He is considered the ‘father’ of the Gothic Revival movement in England. Pugin also designed the British Houses of Parliament, including the famous Big Ben.

Back across the bridge – looking upstream.

Passed an Alpaca clothing shop – too dear for us. Then the White Horse Inn which is being renovated. As a two storey sandstone building, it was the largest building built in Berrima for private use. It was the home of Ben and Lucy Osborne.

Hampton Court was the Magistrate’s House. James Jerome Higgins was granted land title on 14^th Feb 1835. It was Magistrate Wilshire’s residence from 1873 to 1891.

The Coach House, circa 1840.

The Holy Trinity Church was designed in a simple Gothic Revival Style. The church was built from stone quarried directly behind it.

We then followed the Stone Quarry Walk which took us down to the river.

The old Bakery Cottage, circa 1850. Not sure if the bakery was at the back.

A cute little cottage still stands.

Checked the real estate prices and I don’t think we will be retiring here!!! Lots of little boutique shops along the street.

The Harper Mansion is further up the road.  This fine Georgian House was built in 1834 for James, the first licencee of the Surveyor General Inn. The church bought the house in 1853 using it as a presbytery until 1898. It is now owned by the National Trust.

Pretty colours on the leaves – though the camera didn’t do it justice.

A vintage car goes by.

Finlayson Memorial Church.

Back to the van for lunch. I headed back into the Court House to do the tour while Steve got the truck looked out.

First was a very informative powerpoint presentation of the history of Berrima. Then I wandered through the rooms. This room (Judges’ Chamber) was where the Judges rested before their cases.

A hand basin so they could refresh themselves.

The wall is lined with interesting facts of things that were happening each year in Berrima, Australia and the World. Interesting to note the population numbers in the 1830s in Australia.

Floor plan of gaol and court house.

Some interesting facts and funnies.

Through another curved door into one of the Juror’s rooms. Lots of natural light in here. Three TVs showed different displays of old photos of Berrima buildings, WW1 German Internees then Government and Church buildings. There is a rock which is carved with ‘A Man Kild Here 1837’  on the Old Hume Highway, just north of the village. It commemorates the death of James Blake who was killed in a horse accident. There were also lists of all the convicts arriving on the First and Second Fleets. There was also a beautiful handmade quilt which was made to celebrate the Courthouse’s 175^th Anniversary.

Through the male cell – no luxury here.

Into the main Court room where the light and sound show began. It was the sentencing of a woman, Lucretia Dunkley and her ‘manservant-lover’, Martin Beech, after they brutally murdered her husband, Henry at Dunkley’s farm in Gunning. They were sentenced to death by hanging which happened a few days later. No appeals in those days. They were to buried standing up so they could not ‘Rest in Peace’ and they were to beheaded and their heads sent back to old Sydney Town to be examined. They were buried in the gaol grounds. There was also a serial murderer sentenced here as well after he had murdered 10 people. He murdered a family, mother, father and two teenage children so that he could take over they farm. He told everyone he had purchased it. He was captured because he had murdered another chap before that. 

Very high walls in here. The skylights are covered in this room.

Walked through the female cell then back through another curved door to the front room. Thanked the chap and headed outside. That door was curved too.

Another lovely building – Eschalot Restaurant. Originally known as Breen’s Commercial Hotel. It was built by Francis Breen in the 1860s on the Old Hume Highway.

I walked back down the road towards the park as I had missed taking a photo of the very old oak tree that was planted by Sir Henry Parkes (Premier of NSW and Father of our Australian Federation) on 21^st March, 1890.

Back to the Survey General Inn to check on the V8s. They don’t have Fox Sports so will have to see what time channel 10 is showing it as it wasn’t listed on the TV guide. Might have to just look on my laptop.

Walked down the track by the river and found Lambie’s Well. I presume it is this one but there is a huge concrete one beside it as well.

Everyone has carved them name into the sandstone.

Further along the river, looking back to the well.

Pretty lilies in bloom on the water’s edge.

Back to the van for a cuppa and to start on my blog.

Steve came back after Andrew had put the truck on the dyno and adjusted the fuel pump. He now has a further 9KW of power and 40N.M. of torque so Steve is happy.

Clouds have come over and the temperature is dropping. Will have to put on a jumper!!

Long pants and jumper on as we headed off along the river track hoping to see a platypus. I thought I saw one yesterday where I saw the water dragon. Unfortunately he wasn’t there today. The walk warmed us up but our noses were cold!! V8s aren’t on Channel 10 till 10.50 tonight so we might see if we can see it on the internet instead.