The statue of Captain Thunderbolt

 

Uralla
Town famous for its connection with the legendary bushranger Captain Thunderbolt
Uralla is a typical rural service town of some 2300 persons situated in hilly country 1005 metres above sea-level on the Northern Tablelands of New England region of New South Wales. It is 502 km north-north-east of Sydney, 488 km south-west of Brisbane and 23 km south-west of Armidale. The district is renowned for superfine wool and cattle and characterised by extensive protrusions of granite.

Uralla calls itself ŒThunderbolt Country¹ and the town's chief claims to fame are the grave of notorious bushranger Thunderbolt (Fred Ward) and Thunderbolt Rock outside the town, a large granite outcrop which has unfortunately been covered by graffiti in recent times.

The Anaiwan Aborigines occupied the area prior to the arrival of Europeans and it is from their language that the town's name derives. It is said to refer to a ceremonial meeting place and lookout, situated on the top of a hill - possibly a reference to the two hills at the town's north-western boundary.

The first white settler in the district was Edward Gostwyck Cory (see Paterson and Wangi Wangi). He sold his property in 1834 to William Dangar who passed it on to his brother Henry who surveyed much of the Hunter Valley and the Liverpool Plains in the 1820s and 1830s, acquiring vast amounts of land in the process.

In the 1840s a tiny settlement sprang from what began as a shepherd's out-station on the banks of Rocky Creek, at the southern boundary of the 'Saumarez' sheep station, established in 1834 by Henry Dumaresq (see entry on Armidale).

A townsite was reserved in 1849 where a branch track departed from the Great North Road heading north-west along the Bundarra River. At this intersection Samuel McCrossin established an inn, where the town's bowling greens are now located.

However, the town really began with the discovery of gold at Rocky River in 1851. A goldrush began the following year. The village was gazetted in 1855.

New and more substantial finds at Mt Jones in 1856 caused a renewal of activity which soon made the fields the largest in northern NSW with some 4000 or 5000 miners on-site. Sluicing operations began in 1857 and large numbers of Chinese arrived in 1858 to rework the original alluvial field. Chinese miners soon outnumbered Europeans, leading to petitions demanding restrictions upon immigration. They moved on to other fields when the surface gold was depleted in the 1870s. Tunnelling by larger enterprises commenced in the 1860s and continued until the early twentieth century.

The area also prospered from pastoral and agricultural pursuits. Wheat was a major focus and McCrossin established a large mill at Uralla in 1870. Still standing it now houses a museum.

By 1871 the population was 254. Although wheat returns diminished due to competition from South Australia in the 1870s Uralla prospered as a service centre to the wealthy farming community. Local newspaper, the Uralla Times, was established in 1873.

The town was declared a municipality in 1882 when the railway arrived. The population, increased to 819 by 1891, dropped to 681 by 1901 and jumped up to 1590 in 1911. After the First World War land was resumed at Kentucky, south of Uralla, for soldier settlement and orcharding began.

The Uralla Show is held each January. The town markets occur on the second Sunday of the month from September to May. There is an 18-hole golf course.

Things to see:  

Visitors' Centre and Thunderbolt
Uralla's Visitors' Centre is located at the corner of Bridge St (the name of the New England Highway as it passes through town) and Salisbury St. They have pamphlets outlining a self-guided heritage tour and can answer most questions, tel: (02) 6778 4496.

Uralla is closely associated with the bushranger known as Thunderbolt (alias Fred Ward) and at this same corner is a lifesize statue of the outlaw on a horse. Nearby, just along Salisbury St, is a plaque dedicated to Constable Walker who killed Thunderbolt to the south of Uralla in 1870. Also at the corner is a stand which plays pre-recorded messages relating to Thunderbolt's life and death.

Ward was born at Windsor c.1835. He was sent to Cockatoo Island Gaol in Sydney Harbour for ten years in 1856 for horse theft. Receiving a ticket-of-leave in 1860 he was soon charged with another horse theft and sent again to Cockatoo Island to serve out the remainder of his original sentence with an additional five years. In September 1863 he escaped with Fred Britten and swam to shore.

For the next six and a-half years he robbed mail coaches, as well as roadside inns, stores and private homes from Maitland north to the Queensland border and west to Bourke. At times he worked with a gang but, while his superior skills as a horseman were probably responsible for his evading capture for so long, his accomplices were not so lucky and, consequently, he often worked alone.

In an inequitable society bushrangers were often seen as romantic Robin Hood figures, particularly by members of the disadvantaged majority who did not always have much respect for the system of law and order. Thunderbolt acquired a reputation, both locally and nationally, as a gentleman. It was said he was always polite, particularly to women, and he never killed anybody. Others, of course, considered him a scoundrel.

One apocryphal story asserts that, after bailing up a group of German musicians who were headed for Queensland and who pleaded with him not to proceed with the robbery, Thunderbolt promised that if he had luck at the horse races he would repay them. He induced a song from them, obtained their Queensland address and duly sent them their money back, with interest. In another version he never took the money. In any case the story typifies popular perceptions of his generous and decent spirit.

On May 25, 1870 Thunderbolt held up a hawker at Blanch's Inn. The Uralla police were alerted and Senior Constable Mulhall and Constable Walker investigated. When they arrived Ward was, by chance, trying out a new horse and hence fled on an inferior and unfamiliar animal.

Shots were fired on both sides while Walker chased Ward westwards for about 3 km along a ridge. At Kentucky Creek Ward left his horse and swam across.

There are different versions of this story. It seems clear that the constable shot Thunderbolt's horse, thereby ensuring he didn't return to it at a later stage of the chase. The two then met upstream. In one version it is said that, after Ward refused to surrender, they both plunged into the creek and moved towards each other with revolvers drawn, but Ward was out of ammunition. Thunderbolt was shot, allegedly with Walker's last bullet. He dropped into the water, then resurfaced and lunged at Walker who hit him on the head with the gun butt. When he rose again blood was pouring from his mouth and he died.

 

McCrossin's Mill Museum and Thunderbolt Gallery
From the information centre head south-east for one block to Salisbury and Maitland Sts. Near this intersection is one of the town's main attractions, McCrossin's Mill Museum, located in a three-storey flour mill built of brick and granite in 1870 by Samuel McCrossin who opened the town's first inn around 1850. Adjacent are some old stables built in the 1860s in association with McCrossin's Post Office and Store which was located where McRae's Store is now situated.

The museum contains a Thunderbolt exhibition, including an effigy of his body on the table the corpse was laid out upon. There is also a series of paintings relating to the bushranger, an Aboriginal diorama, a Rocky River Goldfields exhibition, including a recreated Chinese joss house which features the contents of an actual joss house from the mid-19th century goldfields.

Other displays include an exhibition of cricket bats, the touching Corporal Cecil Stoker exhibition, relating to a local soldier whose possessions were found bricked up in a chimney, and a collection of rustic tools .

The museum is open daily from midday to 5.00 p.m. and from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. in school holidays, tel: (02) 6778 3022.

 

New England Brass and Iron Lace Foundry
Continue on to the end of Salisbury St. Opposite is the New England Brass and Iron Lace Foundry which has been operating since 1872. It is open from 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. daily. There is a small admission fee and coach tours are welcomed by appointment, tel: (02) 6778 5065 or (018) 659 718. Note that East St is discontinuous and hence the foundry cannot be reached from the western end of the street.

 

Town Walk
Return to McCrossin's to start the heritage walk. Opposite the museum, near Maitland St, is the old Literary Institute (1886). 'Gartshore', at the south-eastern corner of Salisbury St and Elizabeth Lane, dates from the 1880s, as does the house diagonally opposite.

Return to Maitland St and turn right. In the block between Salisbury and Hills Sts are some attractive late 19th century residences, including 'Monleys' (1880s) with ornate cast-iron lacework and servants' quarters to the rear. On the right-hand side is the Masonic Hall (1884). At the corner of Hill and Maitlands Sts is the brick courthouse with its rendered Classical facade and portico (1883-85). Opposite is the Uniting Church.

Turn right into Hill St. At the T-intersection turn left into Duke St to the railway station and stationmaster's residence (1882).

Return along Hill St. Between Maitland St and Bridge St, to the right, is the post office (1885). Almost opposite is Coopers Hardware Store, built in 1876 as a skating rink.

Turn right into Bridge St. On the right is an arts and crafts shop built in the 1870s as Bardsley's Wine Shop. At 34 Bridge St is a house dating from the 1870s. Over the road is the Coachwood and Cedar Hotel-Motel built upon the basis of the Great Northern Hotel (1881).

At the corner of Bridge and King Sts is St David's Presbyterian Church (1904). Opposite is the Rock Hunter's Rendezvous with a large collection of precious stones and gold relics, housed in the old Commercial Hotel (1870s). Also on the same corner is the Blue Trail Garage, originally Kirkwoods Store (1860s).

Turn left into King St. At no. 55 is a brick cottage dating from 1885, built on the site of Kirkwood's Flour Mill.

Turn left into Queen St and to the immediate right is Alma Park, situated upon Uralla's first cemetery. A Cobb & Co. changing station was also on this site.

Turn left into Hill St. To the right, at no. 48, is 'Gunyah' (1905), once the home of the Uralla Times' editor.

At the corner of Hill and Bridge Sts is the National Australia Bank building, erected in 1892 as the Australian Joint Stock Bank. The Thunderbolt Inn, over the road, dates from 1909 when it was erected as the Imperial Hotel.

In Bridge St, between Hill and Salisbury Sts, to the right, are Reg Stoker's Store (1870) and the Salvation Army Citadel (1872).

Cross over Salisbury St past the information centre. At 112 Bridge St is the old Court House Hotel (1870). Opposite is the former Oddfellows Hall (1888). At the corner with Park St is St John's Anglican Church (1886-88).

Turn right, along Park St. At the corner with Queen St, is the original Uralla Public School (1871), now the Matrons Hospital.

Continue along Park St, turning left into Uralla St. At the intersection with John St is the Uralla Cemetery and Thunderbolt's Grave.

 

 

The grave of Fred Ward - Thunderbolt

 

Thunderbolt's Grave
The grave is clearly marked and located on the eastern side of the cemetery. There is still a body of local opinion that the grave contains the remains of Thunderbolt's brother-in-law and that Ward was actually killed in a brawl in the USA years later. However, the corpse was positively identified by an friend of Ward's at the post-mortem. It is also widely accepted that the body put on display for some time prior to burial. A plaque at the cemetery outlines Thunderbolt's career.

 

Military Museum
About 500 m south of the visitors' centre along the highway, just over East St and on the right-hand side, is the Uralla Military Museum, open seven days a week from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., tel: (02) 6778 4600. It has an interesting collection, including personal material and items pertaining to national military history.

 

 

Thunderbolt Rock

 

Thunderbolt Rock
Thunderbolt's Rock is essentially a large granite outcrop which has been attacked by graffitists. It is located on the eastern side of the New England Highway 7.2 km south of Uralla. Although it is claimed that Thunderbolt used the outcrop as a vantage point and hide-out it is possible that he had little if any real connection with the agglomeration, but Blanch's Inn, where the final ride of Thunderbolt started, was located only about 300 m further south of the rock, on the opposite side of the road. A few old bricks remain and a depression in the ground where the cellars were located.

 

Horseriding
Harlow Park Horse Riding is located 4 km from Uralla in Gostwyck Rd. They offer rides varying in length from one hour to pack horse treks of several days duration. There are also riding camps for children and riding holidays, tel: (02) 6778 4631.

Wilderness Rides offer guided treks within the New England Blue Mountain Gorge, 30 km east of Uralla via the Gostwyck Rd, tel: (02) 6778 4631. Both organisations will arrange transport to their area if desired.

 

Gostwyck
Head east out of town along East St. In about 10 or 11 km, to the left, is Gostwyck Chapel, a beautiful little building at the end of an avenue of 200 elm trees on the grassy banks of a willow-bordered stream. Vines cover the chapel in a blaze of autumnal reds around April. .

The chapel is part of the Gostwyck property, purchased by Edward Gostwyck Cory in 1832. Cory was an early European landholder in the Hunter Valley. He sold the property in 1834 to William Dangar who then passed it on to his brother Henry. Henry became famous as a pioneering surveyor of the Hunter Valley and Liverpool Plains in the 1820s and 1830s. He also became a wealthy pastoralist with extensive runs in the Hunter and New England areas. Henry established Gostwyck in 1834. He also designed and built the 'Deeargee (originally 'Gostwyck') Woolshed' in 1851. To see the woolshed continue on in an easterly direction for a short distance and turn right into the gravel road.

One of the largest and oldest woolsheds in Australia on one of New England's oldest stations it is an octagonal building with a diameter of 15 m. It was used by 24 blade shearers working in a circle with a 22-m tail through which the sheep passed from their pens to the shearing floor. It also became one of the first sheds to use a Wolseley shearing machine (1890). The three-tier roof possesses a clerestory of glass ventilators allowing shearers to work in a well-lit and well-ventilated open-plan environment.

The woolroom is a brick building which connects to the shed on its southern side. Built shortly after the shed

A.A. Dangar acquired the property in the 1860s and planted the elms between the homestead and chapel. He transferred the property to his son Clive in 1911. His widow built the chapel after he was killed in the First World War.

Visitors can visit the site and inspect the externalities but are not permitted inside the buildings.

 

Dangars Lagoon
At the intersection of East St and Duke St the road to Walcha heads south. In about 3 km it passes Dangars Lagoon Nature Reserve on the left. This is a wetland haven with over 100 bird species which are listed in a pamphlet available from the Armidale office of the National Parks and Wildlife Office, tel: (02) 6773 7211. There are picnic facilities and a viewing hutch approached by a screened walkway.

 

Salisbury Court
Continue south along the same road. About 10 km from Uralla it crosses Salisbury Waters, a headwater of the Macleay River system. Beyond this point, to the right, is Salisbury Court, a single-storey stone house built by Matthew Henry Marsh (1845-47). It is open for inspection but only to coach groups, tel: (02) 6778 4496. Morning teas and lunch are served on the verandah ad there is a guided tour.

Salisbury Court has a six-panelled front door, French shuttered windows and a shingled roof, now covered with iron. The wooden verandah and verandah posts were replaced with stone and a wing was added at the rear c.1890. The outbuildings include an adobe structure which was a dairy.

The property was first squatted by Edward Gostwyck Cory and acquired by Marsh in 1840. He settled there after briefly returning to England where he married.

 

Rocky River Goldfields
The old Rocky River Goldfields are about 5 km north of town along the Bundarra Rd. There isn't a lot to see other than small holes in the ground, although the site is quite historic. Gold was found here in 1851 and a goldrush ensued. New and more substantial finds in 1856 on Mt Jones caused an intensified renewal of activity which made the fields the largest in northern NSW with some 4000 or 5000 miners on-site. Sluicing operations began in 1857. Large numbers of Chinese arrived in 1858 to rework the original alluvial field located at Maitland Point. They moved on to other fields when the surface gold was depleted in the 1870s. Tunnelling by larger enterprises commenced in the 1860s and continued until the early twentieth century.

The area is a little unsafe now owing to subsidence so the best way to investigate the site is with Uralla Goldfield Tours, tel: (02) 6772 6828.

There is a picnic area by the river where you are free to frolic.

 

Fossicking
Fossickers can investigate the Rocky River area to the west of town. Head south along the highway a short distance and turn right at the Kingstown turnoff. There are some well-signposted fossicking areas about 6 km along this road with toilets, barbecues, picnic areas and fresh water. Equipment can be obtained from the visitors' centre.

 

Mt Yarrowyck Aboriginal Cultural Walk
About 23 km north of town along the Bundarra Road you will see the Armidale turnoff on the right. About another kilometre past this there is a small signpost directing you to turn right onto the gravel road which leads to a carpark and picnic area where there are plaques pointing out the highlights of a 3-km loop walk to an Aboriginal rock art site in a small shelter on the south-western slopes of Mt Yarrowyck. On a 2.7-m rock surface are some red ochre paintings, dominated by bird track motifs. There are also stick figures and other geometric shapes with the red pigments and technique being considered characteristic of the New England area. It is not a spectacular ceremonial site but an information cave that told passers-by what type of food was available.

 

 

 

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Uralla