Goulburn Dec 31st 2010-Jan 1st 2011

We stayed in our caravan at the Goulburn Big 4 and had booked an ensuite site.  This would be the worst Big 4 we have ever been to, the site was dirt very, very uneven, with large pot holes created by rain that had washed away the dirt causing us to build the caravan up on one side to level up, with the concrete slab for our awning, with the money you pay for the Big 4 parks we expected it to be better would not go back to this park again.

Goulburn War Memorial 




was built in memory of the men of Goulburn and the surrounding district who fought in World War I and was opened in 1925.  The War Memorial is a square tower of stone conglomerate and concrete standing 20 meters high on Rocky Hill.  Inside the tower is a tablet inscribed with the names of the men and women who enlisted from the district.  The view from the lookout at the Memorial gives wonderful views of Goulburn and surrounds.  A valuable collection of World War I artefacts is in the cottage adjacent from the memorial we were too late in the day to visit the cottage but will return again to visit.

We walked up Montague Street admiring all the heritage buildings of which two are the work of E C Manfred No 44 and No 27.  Goulburn has buildings with so much history and wonderful architecture Goulburn Club, Dimmey’s Store Front and tower, Old Fires Station, Baptist Church, Former Town Hall, Roman Catholic Bishop’s House and the Mechanic’s Institute.  One of the most spectacular buildings is St Saviour’s Cathedral, the first church of St Saviour’s was built in 1839.  When Bishop Mesac Thomas arrived in Goulburn in 1864 he had in mind to build a Cathedral and by 1871 the disocese was beginning to raise the funds to construct the Cathedral which eventually commenced in 1874 the stone used to build the Cathedral was brought in from Marulan and the bricks of the old church now form the floor of the Cathedral and the building was completed in 1884, though with a spire and bells which Edmund Thomas Blacket had included in his design, these were added in 1988.

 As we arrived at the front of the Cathedral there was a sign indicating a tour in a few minutes so we decided to wait and have a look thinking it would just be around the inside of the church.  As Gil and I were the only ones to do the tour we were taken up the narrow stairs to the bell tower and what a magical moment to see all the bells locked in together, big, small with various tones and to listen to the history in how they arrived in Australia, absolutely wonderful.   After this exciting experience we were taken to the Bell Room and Gil had a go at ringing the bells, what a great experience absolutely wonderful.  St Saviour’s Cathedral is one of the most beautiful Gothic Cathedrals in Australia, the style is technically known as “Decorated Gothic”.  If you have the opportunity to visit Goulburn do not miss a possible tour of this wonderful Cathedral.

A visit to the Goulburn Historic Water Works takes you back in time, the view from the street is wonderful this beautiful building on the other side of the weir and Wollondilly River that is so still shows the reflection of the building in the water, it is a perfect picture.   In the 1880’s this provided drinking water to Goulburn and has remained intact with a pumphouse and working steam beam engine.  This unique facility in the only complete, workable, steam powered municipal water supply left in its original location in the Southern Hemisphere.  This is another of must see places in Goulburn we walked around watching the steam pump working and in other rooms other machinery on display this is another must see place, really wonderful.

St John’s Orphanage would be one of the saddest sites we have ever seen, a magnificent building which was used for the care of orphaned boys during the war to be left to rot from total neglect.  2000 boys passed through this orphanage from 1912 to the time it closed in 1978, tremendous care and dedication by the Sisters of Mercy that took on the rolls of parents, educators, nurse’s and administrators to give these children quality of life, it is a shame this building was not taken care of and put to another use.

There is so much history in Goulburn but some of it is so neglected and left to waste away a total shame.

View from Memorial Lookout 

Old Goulburn Brewery is an amazing part of our Australian history and well worth a visit.  Brewing is a very old art of civilization and this is one of the oldest breweries establish in Australia prior to 1840, the Bradley Grange survives intact as an integrated set of buildings housing the various activities associated with brewing, malting, milling, coopering, smithing and stabling.  Construction was underway in 1833 and the brewery was designed by the convict Francis Greenway for Jonas, Thomas and William Bradley and was completed in 1836.  The complex was reopened in 1990 where you can taste the real ales, brewed in the traditional way, it has a restaurant, art gallery and accommodation.