There are lots of historic towns studded through NSW that like to celebrate their past with annual heritage festivals, but Goulburn, in the Southern Tablelands not only has more to celebrate than most, it likes to swing when it does. For a week in March (Saturday 13 - Sunday 21 March 2004) the city's history comes alive through the unlikely medium of jazz at the Celebration of Heritage, Jazz and Roses.
At the confluence of the Mulwaree and Wollondilly Rivers, Goulburn is one of Australia's oldest settlements - indeed it has the distinction of being the country's first inland city, officially proclaimed as such by Queen Victoria in March 1863.
Wander through the town centre, and you'll find plenty of examples of fine colonial and Victorian architecture, many with an interesting tale or two lurking behind their impressive facades. Like St Saviours Cathedral, where in the cemetery behind the magnificent church you'll find the graves of William Hovell, First Fleet convict Mary Martin and Admiral Gore RN who was the son of Lt Gore who sailed with Captain Cook.
It was William Hovell, who along with Hamilton Hume, explored and opened up the way from Sydney to Melbourne in 1824. However, while Hume may have discovered Lake Bathurst in 1818, the first European to see what would become known as the Goulburn Downs was ex-convict John Wilson in 1798. The country was declared the Goulburn Plains, in honour of Henry Goulburn, the Secretary of State for War and Colonies at the time, by Governor Macquarie in 1820. By 1848, Goulburn was a bustling township of some 1200 residents.
Take a wander down Grafton Street and you'll see a bright red letterbox that was installed in 1859. The high mail slot was so that people on horses could post their letters without having to dismount. Goulburn Public School, in Bourke Street, was opened by Sir Henry Parkes (the father of Federation) who was then the President of the Education Department, in 1868. Caroline Chisholm's Immigration Barracks were in the school grounds until they were demolished (despite numerous protests by historians) by the Education Department in the 1970's. Caroline Chisholm, one of the most remarkable Australian women during the first half of the 19th century, would meet every immigrant ship as it berthed in Sydney so that she could organise employment for the girls in country areas.
From Victorian grandeur to art deco splendour, The Goulburn Post Building in Auburn Street is a great example of an Art Deco building. The newspaper, one of the oldest in Australia, was established in 1870, but amalgamated in 1927 with the Goulburn Herald that was founded in 1848. Around the corner, Elmslea Chambers is an outstanding example of the Rococo style of architecture that was popular in the 1930's. The tile facade features a fine relief of birds, flowers and leaves and also includes carvings of the head of a sheep and typical Art Deco sunbursts under the windows.
The Old Fire Station, in Montague Street was built in 1890. The bell was at one time the loudest in Australia, and was cast by Vickers, Son & Co of Sheffield, England and weighed in at 758 lbs. The bell now hangs at St Nicholas Church in Kinghorne Street.
Another building of note that you can't miss whilst wandering around the city is the Goulburn Court House. Completed in 1888, just before Queen Victoria celebrated her Jubilee year, it was designed by one of the most respected architects of the day, Colonial architect James Barnett, who also designed the General Post Office in Sydney. Just around the corner is the old Goulburn Court House built in 1849. Goulburn was described in the local press at the time as the "nursery of bushranging", so it was here that a law was passed making it illegal to harbour bushrangers - marking the beginning of the end for bushranging - or so the authorities hoped.
In the centre of the town is Belmore Park, a great place to sit with a cool drink or hot coffee and take a break - and so it has always been. From as early as 1843 it was an open market place edged with a picket fence. In 1869, it became Belmore Square when the Governor, Lord Belmore, and his wife were in Goulburn to officially open the extension to Goulburn of the Great Southern Railway. Lady Belmore planted an oak in the centre of the park which is still there today. The fountain, built in 1898, is a duplicate of the Diamond Jubilee fountain in St Leonards Park in Sydney.
As part of the weeklong festival many of these historic buildings will be open for guided tours. Take your pick from tours of Garroorigang Historic Home, the Rocky Hill War Memorial and Museum, the Historic Water Works, tours and tastings at Goulburn Brewery, antiques fair, tours of Landsdowne Park homestead and vineyards, Kenmore Hospital Museum or St Saviours Cathedral. There will also be seminars on topics such as colonial architect Francis Greenway, Goulburn's historic pipe organs and restoring old photographs.
Combined with the heritage festival is the annual Rose Festival (13-14 March). In a city well known for its beautiful roses, especially in town parks and gardens, the rose festival is a must for garden lovers. There will be more than 10,000 roses on display at the Goulburn Soldiers Club Auditorium as well as competitions and guest speakers. There will also be demonstrations on distilling rose oil, card making, quilting and art exhibitions.
The final leg of this three-pronged festival is the music - jazz - and there will be a host of jazz performances in and around the city. Saturday 8 March is the big day at Goulburn Water Works where there will be an afternoon of jazz with greats such as classical jazz Clarinet quartet, Clarity; the A Capella group Idea of North, and jazz legends, Galapagos Duck. There'll also be markets, a BBQ and kids activities. Later that night there is a tribute to Johnny Dankworth and Cleo Lane at the South Hill Homestead, Garroorigang Road.
For more information on Festival events visit www.igoulburn.com or call Goulburn District Tourism, 1800 353 646.
Spend a night at one of the Peppers' properties and enjoy a complimentary breakfast when you book with your NRMA Member Card. Find out more...
4WD
