The Yass Court House

 

Yass (including Bookham, Jerrawa and Bowning)
Pleasant service town surrounded by some of the best sheep grazing country.
Yass is a rural town of some 5500 people located on the Yass River, a tributary of the Murrumbidgee. Recently bypassed by the Hume Highway it is 282 km south-west of Sydney and 62 km north of Canberra at an elevation of 505 m. Yass Shire incorporates Binalong, Bookham, Bowning, Burrinjuck, Murrumbateman and Wee Jasper.

Although traditionally centred on wool, merino studs and agriculture, a number of wineries and vineyards have sprung up to the south of town.

Prior to European occupation there was a large Aboriginal population in the area, mostly Ngunnawal people. Indeed, in spite of endless jokes all suggesting that the town's name is a lazy Australian variant of 'yes', it would seem that the town's name derives from the Aboriginal word 'Yhar', said to mean 'running water'.

In 1821 the exploratory party of Hamilton Hume became the first known group of Europeans on the Yass Plains. Hume returned with William Hovell in 1824 during their ground-breaking expedition to Port Phillip Bay (Melbourne).

Settlers followed them, bringing flocks of sheep which represented the start of the local wool industry. A bush track joined the Goulburn and Yass Plains by 1825. A village began to develop around 1830 when settlement began on the south bank of the river. An Inn, one of many on the Sydney-Port Phillip Bay Rd, was erected by a river crossing which was located where the railway bridge now stands (at the end of Dutton St). A second crossing was (and is) located further upstream (at the end of Warrambalulah St). It led to the development of North Yass. The settlement soon became an important stopping place on the road from Sydney to Melbourne.

The first survey was conducted in 1834, a local storekeeper became the first unofficial postmaster in 1835 and the township was gazetted in 1837. A courthouse and gaol were built in 1837-38. Anglican and Catholic churches had been erected by 1841.

In 1839 Hamilton Hume returned to Yass and purchased 'Cooma' where he lived with his wife until his death in 1873. He made a substantial contribution to the development of the wool industry in the area and is buried in the Anglican section of the Yass cemetery which is 3 km from the town centre via Rossi St. In 1840 the Whitton gang shot and killed Hamilton's brother John at Yass.

In 1848 the township had 274 inhabitants, mostly clustered around Warrambalulah St where there were a number of stores and some simple dwellings. This area was devastated by the floods of 1850 and the southern and northern settlements were isolated from each other. Thus the first bridge, designed by Edmund Blacket, was constructed between the two river crossings in 1854.

Ben Hall's bushranging gang harried travellers and mail coaches in the district in 1863-64. One gang member, Johnny Gilbert, was shot dead at Binalong (37 km north-west) in 1865.

 

Main street of Yass

 

That same year the first government school opened, although there were already seven private and three denominational schools. There were also 27 inns at or near Yass by 1870. The town became a municipality in 1873 and the railway arrived in 1876, proving a boon to the nascent fruit-growing industry. At the outset of the 20th century Yass was one of three sites considered for the national capital.

One of Australia's best-known poets, A.B. 'Banjo' Paterson arrived in the district in 1871 aged 7, passed his childhood here and later bought a property in the Wee Jasper area so that his children could experience country life. Poet and priest Patrick Hartigan (aka John O'Brien) was born near Yass in 1878 and he studied at the local convent school as a youth.

'Merryville', one of the country's most famous sheep studs and arguably its leading fine-wool establishment, was set up in 1903 by Sir Walter Merriman.

The Pride of Erin Festival and Yass Show are held in March and the Yass Arts-and-Crafts Festival in November.

Things to see:  

 

Public park behind the Yass Information Centre

 

Tourist Information and Hume and Hovell Walking Track
The Yass Visitors' Centre is located in Coronation Park, tel: (02) 6226 2557. There is plenty of parking space and a full range of amenities.

Pamphlets are available outlining the town's antique, old wares and specialty shops, museums, wineries, outdoor activities, and its art-and-craft galleries.

It is also part of the fully-signposted, 440-km Hume and Hovell Walking Track which retraces a portion of the explorers' steps during the 1824 expedition to Port Phillip. You can, of course, walk any given sub-section. The visitors' centre has further details.

For the less ambitious there is the Yass Town Walk and Town Drive. Maps for both are available from the visitors' centre.

 

Yass and District Museum
A good place to start an exploration of the town's history is the Hamilton Hume Museum, very near the visitors' centre in Comur St. Displays relate to the history of Yass from the pre-colonial period, including a photographic collection and a display on the wool industry. The 'Parallels' exhibition looks at the correspondences between the Yass of the 1890s and that of the 1990s. There is a scale model depicting the appearance of Comur St in 1895 and another display on the life of Hamilton Hume. Check with the visitors' centre for sometimes variable opening times. There is a small entry fee.

 

The Yass Town Railway Museum
From the museum walk along to the Lead St intersection and turn left. To the right is the old railway station which was built when a tramway was opened in 1892. It became a railway line in 1917 (closed in 1988). The station has the shortest platform in Australia. It now houses a railway museum which is open daily from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m., tel: (02) 6226 2169.

 

Comur St
Since Yass was bypassed in 1994 the main street of Yass has had a major facelift with an emphasis on heritage. Old buildings have been repainted, wrought-iron verandahs restored, heritage lights installed and the streetscape attractively landscaped.

Between Lead and Meehan Sts, to the left, are the old mechanics' institute (1869), now the F.L. Kelly building, the former Bank of NSW (1886), now the Sheep's Back Gallery, the old AJS Bank building (1885), now the Westpac Bank, and the Royal Hotel (1849), the town's oldest continually-licensed premises. Bushranger Frank Gardiner was arrested at the Royal in 1854 when it was known as Hart's Hotel. The National Bank building over the road dates from 1872 and retains horse hitching posts facing the street.

The Classical Revival post office (c.1880-84) is an imposing edifice by James Barnet with three-storey clock tower and cast-iron hitching posts.

 

Meehan St
Turn left into Meehan St, passing, on the right, the original St Augustine's Catholic Church (1838-41), now the chapel for Mt Carmel College (also to the right) which dates from 1878 and which was used as a girls' boarding school until 1993. Behind them is the presbytery (1839), which is one of Yass's oldest surviving residences.

 

Rossi St
Take the first right into Dutton St, following the old tram line (used between1892 and 1988), then turn left into Rossi St. To the left are the masonic hall and the old Methodist Church (1871). The parsonage is further along Rossi St, near the top of the hill.

Return along Rossi St, cross back over Dutton St and, to the left, are the police station, built c.1836 as the gaoler's residence, and, on the corner, the Classical Revival courthouse (1878-80) with its landscaped gardens and colonnades, designed by James Barnet. Together they recall the days when Yass was a major town on the road between Goulburn and Melbourne.

On the other side of the road are The Globe Bed-and-Breakfast, built as the Globe Hotel by an ex-convict in 1847, and, on the corner, the old Southern Store (1858).

 

Comur St Continued
Turn right, back into Comur St. In this block, to the right, are the Williamson building (c.1860), the Oddfellows' Hall (c.1887) and the Yass Post Office (c.1884).

Return back along Comur St, across Rossi St. The white house with a white picket fence, to the left, was built in 1837 as the Rose Inn. Adjacent is Cobblestone Cottage (c.1836). Originally a store, it once housed the town's second unofficial post office. The town's first banking agency was established around 1850 in an extension of this building.

 

Riverbank Park and Yass River Walk
Turn left into Riverbank Park which has all appropriate amenities. Walk along to the railway bridge (1892). It was here that the original river crossing was located (as part of the Sydney-Port Phillip Rd) and here that the settlement of Yass began around 1830. An inn was established by the crossing and other stores then emerged around it. In 1834 this area became the site of the first town survey and allotments sale.

Walk back through the park, along the riverside, passing under the road bridge to the corner of Warrambalulah and Church Sts. Turn right into Church St to continue the historic walk or follow Warrambalulah St to Walsh's River Crossing which enabled the development of North Yass. Here you can join the Yass River Walk to the weir (2 km return).

 

Anglican Church
At Church and Rossi Sts is St Clement's Anglican Church, a Gothic Revival design by noted colonial architect Edmund Blacket which was built of stone rubble (later cement-rendered) between 1847 and 1850. The tower and spire date from 1857, the bells from 1868 and the north aisle from 1877-79. The rectory on the opposite corner was built from 1841-43.

 

Police Residences
Turn left into Rossi St. To the left, near the corner of Rossi and Demestre, are two former police department homes with stables (1880s), from the time when Yass was the headquarters of the area's mounted police.

 

Demestre St
Turn into Demestre St. To the right is 'Devonia' (1860) which has served as a private residence, ladies' grammar school and nursing home. Cross Meehan St and to the right, at no.29, is 'Demestre', a small white weatherboard cottage which was, in 1878, the birthplace of Father Patrick Hartigan who, under the pseudonym John O'Brien, wrote the once-popular book of poems 'Around the Boree Log' (1921).

Turn right into Lead St and walk back along to Comur St. On the corner is the Commercial Hotel, first established in the 1840s. Head back along Comur St to the visitors' centre.

 

Other Historic Buildings
Some other historic buildings (mostly included in the 'Town Drive') are 'Old Linton' in Glebe St (1857) and the historic homes of Grampian St: 'Kerrowgair' at no.24 (1859-66), 'The Elms' at no.30 (1866), almost unaltered and with original outbuildings to the rear (it was once the home of the first mayor who was a great benefactor to the town) and 'Rathluba' at no.32 (c.1860), built for G.C. Allman whose father selected the site of Yass in 1829. There are fine views and picnic tables at Hatton's Corner - also outlined in the drive - and at the top of Pollux St.

Although it is not mentioned in the town drive, it is worth having a look at the Victorian Gothic Revival primary school (1879) on the western side of Laidlaw St, just on the northern side of the Yass River bridge.

 

The Didgeridoo Man
Visitors can watch chunks of wood turned into didgeridoos and learn to play them at 11 Yass Valley Way, tel: (02) 6227 5549.

 

 

Cooma Cottage

 

Cooma Cottage
Cooma Cottage is a single-storey colonial house with gabled coach-house. The original section is an intact weatherboard bungalow, with verandah, dating from 1835 when it was erected for pastoralist Cornelius O'Brien. From 1839 until his death in 1873 it was the home of explorer Hamilton Hume who added numerous brick and stuccoed sections, a pavilioned wing and Classical Revival portico.

Hume was the leader of the first European party to see the Yass Plains in 1821. He returned in 1824 on his crucial excursion to Port Phillip Bay. These trips were responsible for the opening up of Australia, and the local area, to European settlement.

The cottage, 4 km from Yass on Yass Valley Way (near the Barton Highway connector) is now a museum with a display relating to the life of Hume. It is open to the public every day except Tuesday and Wednesday from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. The cost is $4 for adults, $2 for children and concessions and $10 for a family, tel: (02) 6226 1470. The cottage may be closed in winter (check with the visitors' centre).

 

Peter Crisp Art Glass
Peter Crisp is a distinguished glass artisan who has a studio-gallery on the Hume Highway, 14 km from the Yass Service Centre (towards Melbourne). There is also a lavender farm with lavender products for sale, landscaped gardens, and an antique gallery. He is open daily from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. and Devonshire teas are available at weekends, tel: (02) 6227 6073.

 

Paragliding
The Australian Paragliding Centre offers tandem flights and gift vouchers. It also specialises in courses for complete beginners with 2 day introductory courses. It operates all year / 7 days. Contact: 02 6226 8400.

 

Bowning
12 km north-west on Burley Griffin Way (the road to Harden) is Bowning, one of the earliest settlements in the district. Bowning Hill was a landmark noted in the journal of Hume and Hovell. The village emerged as a stopping place on the Port Phillip Rd. It retains some historic buildings - the school, the trooper's cottage on the Binalong Rd, and the Cobb & Co coaching station on Bogolong Rd. In the old railway buildings is Burragorang Glass. It is open most days (check with the visitors' centre).

 

Burrinjuck Dam
Burrinjuck Dam, 57 km south-west of Yass, encompasses 5500 ha and 645 km of shoreline and contains one million megalitres of water (2.5 times that of Sydney Harbour). It was the first major dam built for irrigation in NSW, supplying water to the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Scheme. The dam wall is currently closed to the public owing to construction work.

At the western edge of the dam is the Burrinjuck Waters State Park, 57 km from Yass. The 29-km access road runs south off the Hume Highway 28 km west of Yass. It is popular with campers, waterskiers, anglers, hikers and picnickers. There is plenty of wildlife about and camping sites are available with amenities. An entrance fee is charged for day visitors. Campsites are first-come, first-served, but bookings are essential for on-site vans, flats and cottages, tel: (02) 6227 8114. There are disabled facilities, a liquor-licensed general store, boat ramp and boat-hire, tennis courts, a swimming area and childrens' playground. The Hume & Hovell Walking track passes through the area for bushwalkers. Burrinjuck River Boat Cruises, offering two-hour cruises and a charter service, can be contacted on (02) 6227 7270.

5 km off the road to the recreation area, on the lake foreshores, is Burrinjuck Leisure Resort, tel: (02) 6227 7271. Good Hope Tourist Resort (tel: 02 6227 1234) and Hume Park Tourist Resort (tel: 02 6227 1235) are 17 km from Yass on the eastern foreshores. Taemus Fisherman's Cottage can be contacted on (02) 6227 9229.

The Wee Jasper camping reserves are situated on the dam's backwaters and provide access to the dam via the Goodradigbee River.

 

Jerrawa
Jerrawa, 19 km north-east of Yass, is little more than a locality now. It possesses some old slab buildings and a few homesteads.

 

Bookham
Bookham, 34 km west of Yass on the Hume Highway, is a village amidst grazing properties. There are two attractive local churches, made of local stone.

 

 

 

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Yass