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Adelong, NSW

Historic gold mining town

Adelong is one of those small country towns where time has stood still. The tree-lined main street is edged by shops with quaint veranda facades. The two pubs, typical Aussie country hotels, look unchanged since the 1940s and the locals still stop and chat on the main street as people do in a country town with a population of less than 1000. Adelong barely deserved to be called a town until gold was discovered in 1853. Two years later there were 2,000 miners spread across the narrow valley and by 1860 the town had grown to around 20,000. Today its appeal lies primarily in the beauty of its main street, the outstanding Sculpture Trail walk beside Adelong Creek and the excellent remnants of the goldmining era which still exist at the Adelong Falls Reserve

Location

Adelong is 411 km south-west of Sydney via the Hume and Snowy Mountains Highways. It is 340 m above sea level.

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Origin of Name

No one knows precisely what Adelong, or a word which sounded like Adelong, meant in the local Wiradjuri language but it is now accepted that it either meant 'along the way' or 'river on a plain'. As Adelong is in a valley, the last definition seems doubtful.

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Things to See and Do

An Historic Walk Along Tumut Street and Beyond
There is a delightful historic walk along the main street (Tumut Street) which passes most of the town's historic buildings. It includes the Royal Hotel, the Bank of New South Wales (1882), the Hotel Adelong, the Post Office (1886), the Apex Park and The Old Pharmacy (1877); and on the corner of Havelock Street is a rare example of a miner's cottage dating from 1873. There are informative signs with historic photographs outside the buildings. In Havelock Street is St Andrew's Presbyterian Church which was built in 1878 and in Lockhart Street is the Wesley Uniting Church, built in 1886. The site had been used by Methodists since the beginning of the goldrushes. Services were held there as early as 1853 and a simple church was built on the site in 1866. Campbell Street is the setting for the Police Station and the Court House which were both built in 1874. On Gilmore Street the Adelong Public School (1877), with its church-like main school building and steep gables, has been listed by the National Trust. In Gundagai Street, St James Catholic Church dates from 1862. It was consecrated in 1868 by Bishop Polding, the first Catholic Archbishop of Australia. From the Catholic church it is only a short walk back to the Royal Hotel.

The Walk Beside Adelong Creek to Adelong Falls Reserve
The walk beside Adelong Creek is a delightful way to spend a few hours (the walk is flat and takes about half an hour each way) and the path includes signs which explain the history and processes of gold mining in the area. At various points the visitor gets information like "The 8 metre waterwheel was built in 1870 to power the entire mill … it could generate 37 kw" and, at the Reefer Gold Battery, the function of each of the parts – the flume, the waterwheel, the buddle, the holding tanks, the reverbatory furnace – is explained.

Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail
The Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail is a public collection of over 35 sculptures in seven locations across the Snowy Valleys. Sculptures by artists from across Australia and the world are being installed in the towns of Adelong, Batlow, Tumbarumba, the hamlet of Tooma and the Tumbarumba wine region cellar doors at Courabyra Wines, Johansen Wines and Obsession Wines. The sculptures will be installed in three phases: 5 May, 2022, late 2022 and April 2023. 
Over 20 sculptures were installed by 5 May, 2022 including: 
• Adelong Creek Walk – ten sculptures
• Batlow – four sculptures and two shop art projects on Pioneer Street 
• Courabyra Wines – two sculptures
• Johansen Wines – two sculptures 
• Tumbarumba – six sculptures (including three sculptures installed in December 2021 gifted by the Friendship Society of Denmark, Australia and New Zealand) and one shop art project on The Parade 
• Obsession Wines – one sculpture 
• Tooma – one sculpture 
The sculptures to be installed in phases two and three are being made specifically for the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail following visits to the area by artists. 

The Sculptures Along Adelong Creek
A few years ago, in an act of great environmental integrity, all the beautiful willow trees along Adelong Creek were cut down. It was necessary – willows are shameless water guzzlers – but rather sad and it certainly gave the creek the appearance of a rather sad and very bald old man.
So, the question was “What to do with the new, clean banks of the creek?” The Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail Artistic Director, David Handley, explains: “The idea … was to create a permanent outdoor sculpture collection in the Snowy Valleys as a new cultural tourism project in response to the bushfires of 2019-2020.”
It was decided that the staff of Sculpture by the Sea (an annual event at Bondi in Sydney and Cottesloe in Perth) would work with a local committee and that sculptures would be placed at Adelong, Batlow, Tumbarumba and Tooma. The highlight would be ten sculptures along Adelong Creek. 
At the time of writing (the first collection of sculptures were installed in May 2022) there are ten sculptures carefully placed along an easy 15-minute walk along the creek. Starting from the Car Park near the Snowy Mountains Highway, they are:
* USAGI Shelter - by Osamu and Masako Ohnishi from Japan - an image of a rabbit head made from aluminium, stainless steel, concrete, acrylic and paint.
* Follow the Signs - by Guiliana de Felice from New Zealand - a series of enigmatic signs made from treated timber.
* A Scene: Dedicated to Handel's The Water Music - by Takeshi Tanabe from Japan - a slab of black granite smoothed and depicting waves
* Gumnut Cap Trio - by Tania Spencer from Western Australia - three copper wire forms hanging from a tree
* Schism - by Michael Le Grand from New South Wales - an abstract form made from steel and painted.
* The Elder - by Ron Gomboc from Western Australia - two tall abstract forms made from marine grade aluminium.
* The Big Wave - by Shaumyika Sharma from USA and WA - a long wave-like structure made from reinforced coloured concrete.
* F.E.H. - by Lubomir Mikle from Slovakia - a squared abstract made from corten steel.
* Pink Eggplant - Akiho Tata from Japan - two large pink eggplants made from granite and painted pink and blue-green.
There is a detailed map and extensive information about each of the sculptures at https://sculpturebythesea.com/snowyvalleys/map-guide. A brochure is available at the Tumut Visitor Information Office.

The Walks around Adelong Falls Reserve
There are three walks around the Falls. The Ferndale Walk is an easy 40 minute loop which passes the Sawyer's Gully waterfall and the Reefer Battery. The Battery Walk takes 30 minutes and includes the wheel houses and the long staircase and the Campsie Lookout Walk is a 15 minute walk along Adelong Creek. What makes Adelong so important is that so much of the gold mining equipment is still intact. This makes it a real gold mining experience where it is possible to see the original battery, inspect the stone ruins and pan for gold just as the fossickers and miners did back in the 1860s and 1870s.

Adelong Falls Gold Mill Ruins
The Adelong Falls Gold Mill Ruins, which are located off Grahamstown Road to the west of the town, is a combination of walks, some falls and pools where it is possible to pan for gold, and the remnants and ruins of Richie's Gold Battery which was built by David Wilson and William Richie in 1870. The area is clearly signposted and many of the ruins are easy to recognise including the Gold Battery, the water wheels which were used to drive the battery, and the old brick chimney.
A brochure explains: "The ruins of the Richie's gold batteries are the remains of a quartz crushing and gold saving installation, which was praised as 'a credit to New South Wales' and which ranked 'foremost of any in Australia' (Department of Mines annual report 1882). The ruins are made up of what was called a 'reefer machine' and was operated from the earliest 'rush' days up until World War I. All the machinery at the site was worked by two large water wheels supplied with water from the Adelong Creek and carried down by races, either cut into the hillside or on wooden trestles."
There is some confusion about the total gold production from the area but it is known that 5 tonnes of gold were delivered to the Sydney Mint from the Reefer Ore crushing mill up to 1914. Certainly tunnels were blasted into the surrounding hills to a depth of 400 metres (the great Victoria mine operators received a bounty of 1000 pounds when their shaft reached 800 feet) and, at its peak, mines with names like Gibraltar, Long Tunnel, Donkey Hill and Lady Mary were yielding as much as 50 ounces to every ton of ore crushed. If you want to try your luck, it is possible to buy panning dishes from many of the stores in Adelong.

Adelong Alive Museum
The Adelong Alive Museum, a simple country town museum, now has an extensive collection of historic photographs and a lovingly created model of the Adelong Falls gold crushing mill, the Reefer Battery. It is an ideal starting point for anyone wanting to understand the boom industry which drove the town's economy from the 1860s until the outbreak of World War I when a combination of declining gold yields and a desire by the miners to head off to Europe to fight saw the end of gold mining in the district. Located in Tumut Street, it is open by appointment, tel: (02) 6946 2417.

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History

* Prior to European settlement the Adelong Valley was inhabited by members of the Wiradjuri First Nations language group.

* Europeans had settled the area by the 1840s. The Adelong Creek Station was established in 1843.

* Gold was discovered in 1853 and a gold rush followed. In two years the town's population had reached an estimated 5,000 people.

* In 1855 the local Anglican parish was established.

* In 1856 the town was formally gazetted.

* By 1857 more gold was being found in the district. William Williams discovered reef and alluvial gold on Mount Charcoal and, as the folk legend would have it, at one point he bought a mining claim for £40,000 and sold it for £75,000 later the same day.

* By 1860 the town's population had reached 20,000 of whom nearly 3,000 miners were Chinese.

* In 1862 St James Roman Catholic Church was consecrated and by 1866 the Methodist Church had been built.

* Through the 1860s and 1870s the town boomed with mines and batteries (to crush the reef gold) opening up along the valley. The mines had names like Donkey Hill, The Challenger, Lady Mary, Long Tunnel, Great Victoria and Gibraltar.

* In 1874 the town's Court House and Police Station were completed.

* In 1879 the Great Victoria Mine won a bounty when gold was mined at a depth of 300 metres - a NSW first.

* In 1915, as miners left to go to war, the Gibraltar mine closed down.

* In 1930 the Reefer Battery Dam was blown up so the silt could be washed for gold.

* Today the town is a small service centre for the surrounding farmers (with cattle, sheep and orchards dominating) and all that remains of the booming gold mining town is a charming historic remnant with large sections of the main street being classified by the National Trust.

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Visitor Information

Adelong Country Creations (02 6946 2806) at 51 Tumut Street operates as an informal visitor centre with brochures and maps of the town. The nearest official visitor information centre is the Tumut Region Visitor Information Centre, 5 Adelong Road, Tumut, tel: 02 6947 7025.

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Useful Websites

There is a useful website - https://www.visitsnowyvalleys.com.au/adelong - which includes information about accommodation in the town.

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Got something to add?

Have we missed something or got a top tip for this town? Have your say below.

51 suggestions
  • Adelong is the perfect “Tree Change” town being on the Snowy Mountains Highway only 16 km from Tumut and 1.5 hours from the snow at Mt. Selwyn. There are two primary schools and a school bus to Tumut for the high school. There is a local doctor and the Tumut hospital is 15 minutes away. The Golden Gully Caravan Park is booked from the RSL Club. There is great accommodation for short stays and cafes and restaurants and you can still buy a house under $200,000.

    Mrs Lee Whiting
  • My aunt, Alice Whiting, lives there!

    David Dlugosinski
  • Population growth rates and other stats would be useful.

    I agree Jack BUT I did this whole exercise 25 years ago and learned, very rapidly, that content rich sites (and stats are content rich) need a lot of staff because they have to be kept up to date. That is why, for example, I have not listed Accommodation and Eating. They change too rapidly and no one want to go to a site where the information is out of date. But thanks for the comment. It has been considered.

    Jack Wallace
  • My great grandfather was a prospector in the town but died in a mining accident and left behind a wife, 5 daughters and a son . My great grandmother’s wedding ring was made out of the white gold from the Adelong Creek. After her husband’s death, she supported her children by being the local midwife, having received some nursing training before marriage. As my great grandfather had a German surname (Wicht) they had to change their name during the war (my grandmother told me a postman spat at her mother when delivering a letter). I have heard many stories about life in Adelong in the early 1900s. My grandmother told me she and her sisters fancied the frogs croaked ‘pray for us’ as they crossed the Adelong bridge to go to school and church. She told of a large family that lived in a hut with a dirt floor and how her mother would get paid for her midwifery services in kind as there was no money. Her aunty was the person who would ‘lay out the dead’, my grandmother would go with her and could tell the stages of someone dying (a bit creepy but the town would not have had a funeral director). My great grandmother used to make all her children’s clothing and eventually her father (my grandmother’s favourite grandfather Bourgoine) came to live with them. Sadly, my great grandmother died of breast cancer and her children moved to Sydney. They were all in their teens by then and the girls got jobs at the Nestle factory where they were allowed to eat as much chocolate as they liked while at work.
    The last time I saw Adelong it was a ghost town apart from the Pub. My great grandmother’s house was no longer there. It’s so nice Adelong’s beauty and history is being recognised. Unfortunately I have no details of Aboriginal people in the area.

    Well, I can tell you Kate. It is far from a ghost town today. It has a charming veranda-ed main street, guest houses, a cafe and a couple of pubs and is thriving. The only problem is that trucks from the Visy works come through town and they disrupt an otherwise peaceful main street.

    Kate Markel
    • Stumbled over this web site today. My mother was a Whitley from Adelong, her mother was a Bourgoin and her mother a Curran. Martin Curran was a very early arrival in Adelong– 1841. Was interested in Kate Markel’s comment about the Wicht family. Two Wicht brothers married two Bourgoin sisters. My Grandmother was Louisa Bourgoin (sister of the two Bourgoins). Louisa Bourgoin married Albert Whitley. 14 Whitley children were born in Adelong.
      I’m interested in contacting Kate as her early Bourgoin relations are the same as mine.
      Could Kate be contacted to see if she was interesting in sharing Bourgoin family history.
      Kerryne Jones

      Kerryne Jones
      • Read your comment today re family history in Adelong. My great grandmother was Bedelia Curran, her husband was James Curran. Is there a connection with your family.? Have just started looking into my family history and information not always clear

        Clare Wand
        • There you go, my Great Great Grandfather was that same James Martin Curran, whose father was Martin Curran, and whose spouse was Bedelia. Small world!

          James Curran
    • This is just a correction: Great Grandmother Witt’s (Wicht) ring was made from rose gold Great Grandfather mined from the Adelong creek, not white gold. My apologies ?

      Kate Markel
  • My grandmother came from your town. Her name was Isabel Mary Homann 1891. Not sure if this her real surname. Can anyone help us with this, please.

    Helen madden
    • Yes Homann sounds correct. Isabel Mary Homann (1891 – 1981)

      My great grandmother was Wilhemina Mary Homann (1874 – 1914). I believe she was your grandmother’s older sister!

      Peter Chadwick
      • Hi Peter, Isabel was a great deal younger than her siblings and we are unable to find a birth certificate and she is not named as one of the children on her Honoria’s death certificate. Do you have any idea why that might be?

        Rachael
  • I am planning a trip to Adelong soon as it is where my mother was born and where my 3 x great-grandfather William Williams, discovered reef gold in the 1800s. I am really looking forward to this trip and, thanks to the information supplied here, will make it a mission to visit the museum in the township. I also plan to visit the cemetery where many of my ancestors are buried and endeavour to try and gather as much information about their lives as I can.

    Sandra Rosiak
  • My older brother BRIAN RUDGLEY was a teacher at Adelong Public School in the late’ 50s and celebrated his 21st birthday in a hall at Adelong in October 1959. He later moved to England where he became a Headmaster at special schools. Came back for a holiday late in 2017 and he visited Adelong as he still has fond memories of the town, the friendly people and his first teaching post!

    Neil Rudgley
    • Hi Neil, just reading through, My parents where good friends with Brian Rudgley.
      Think Dad and Brian had a lot to do with the Boy Scouts ….Beth Bodel (Molineaux)

      Beth Bodel
    • Hi Neil, my name is Dianne Gilbert but my maiden name was Forsyth and Brian boarded at my parents place when teaching there. Would love to say hello as I stayed with him in England in 1970’s.

      Dianne Gilbert
  • I love Adelong, I visit when I can. My families Schintler and Beegling have lived around the area for over 100 years.
    Les Schintler.

    Les Schintler
    • Les Schintler I think I had relatives – Beegling. My grandmother’s maiden name was Fraser and grandfather was Melrose

      Deborah Melrose
  • Why is there no photos of the trees changing colour in autumn? One of the most amazing things to see. First seen it as a very smalll child n many many times after that as my mother’s family are from Batlow.

    Answer: try Tumut. Lots of pix of trees in the district changing colours.

    Mick banks
    • Was briefly in Adelong last week – took a while to find the public toilets but when we did we parked opposite St Paul’s, a pretty little church that deserves a mention like the others. Also I liked the war memorial with the Aleppo pine in the park. Have been for a longer visit some years ago and visited Adelong Falls Reserve. Lovely town.

      margaret
  • I try to visit Adelong whenever I can as it holds beautiful memories for me. My Grandmothers
    (Barbara -Skerry – Contessa and Rebecca – King – Nean) lived all their lives in this lovely, friendly and, at one time, vibrant country town. My parents and sister were also born in Adelong. I did visit Adelong earlier this year (2018) and it was sad to find so many shops had closed their doors, the street was quiet but the ‘magic’ of the past is still there. I could remember travelling on Dave Scott’s mail bus from Shepherdstown to spend the day shopping and visiting friends.I guess my heart is still in this gorgeous little town.

    Jenny (born Nean) Watson
  • I am writing up the history of Gerrit Meynink, who was sub-commissioner of the Adelong goldfield between 1861 and 1865. His father-in-law was Richard Fitzsimmons who was Commissioner at Hill End. Gerrit, my great great grandfather, married Sarah and settled in Adelong where they had four children. Arthur Richard J Meynink (1860-1907) who became the Post Master at Hill End, Henry George William Meynink (1861-1903) then John Peter Edward Meynink (1862-1936), and Helena Sarah Maria Meynink (1864-1901).
    I would be most interested in any information of Gerrit or his family and the duties of a sub gold commissioner in the 1860s.
    My short story 20-30 pages should be finished early 2019.

    Rod Meynink
    • I would be very interested to read your short story of Gerrit Johaanas Meynink. I have only researched a little about him because his grandson Arthur Richard Meynink married my Grand Aunt Cordelia Elizabeth Read in Manly, 1911. My G Grandfather Robert Read died at Arthur’s home in 1940.
      Yes, Gerrit’s life was very interesting indeed.
      Would love to hear from you.

      David Haynes
      • David. Apologies for the delay. Did I get back to you? Are you still interested in Gerrit Meynink? If so, I can send you quite a bit of material I have written?
        Google me and email me
        Thanks
        RodM

        Rod Meynink
  • Good Morning, My great great grandparents, August and Martha Anderson lived in Adelong after migrating from Germany in 1845. I have both their death certificates and it states they were buried in Adelong cemetery. August on 17th May 1883 and Martha 19th October 1896 is there any way I could find out more about them and exactly where they were buried.
    Sincerely Patricia

    Patricia Anderson
    • Hi Patricia,

      Just found your post re Adelong Cemetery and your great grandparents. If you have not as yet contacted the Tumut Family History Group, then perhaps a point to start – there are two booklets published about burials in Adelong, your g.grandparents are in the one that contains the unmarked graves. Alternatively if you were able to contact Val Wilkinson who is a family historian (at Tumut) – you should be able to find her on facebook – she may be able to help you

      Best wishes
      Di

      Di Roberts
  • My Dad the Great RL player Tom Kirk was born in Adelong in 1915 (from Shepardstown) His Dad Sam worked in the Gibraltar Mine his mum Mary – Familes of Franklin (Jack – Joker) and Daiisy his sister also Whitings … most of the kKrk and Franklin – Whiting families buried in Adelong/ Dad worked on the Bakers run from Adelong to Mount Horeb – Towards Tumut and to Tumblong (at about age 12) before playing Maher cup with Tumut then onto Sydney – back to Barmedman – Temora and retiring to Caringbah in Sydney South. I have great memories of Uncle Jack (Franklin) and the Swinging Bridge and a then flowing Adelong Creek …

    Ian Kirk Thirroul NSW 2515
  • My Grandmother Maud Franklin was born at Adelong Crossing in 1884 to William Franklin and Amelia Mary Miller and she died in Sydney April 1982. I have never visited but hope to some day.

    Sue Young
  • How best to research my ancestors named Homann? They were German bandmasters and miners in 1860’s

    pearl prasad
  • Correction to my comment on April 7 2018 (and many thanks for the subsequent reply from Beth Bodel). My brother Brian’s first teaching post was at WESTWOOD SCHOOL not Adelong! Apologies. I have just alerted Brian (in UK) to the web site! And yes, he was very involved with scouting at Adelong!

    Neil Rudgley
  • Hi Beth Bodel! More apologies for taking so long to reply. Sent your message across to Brian Rudgley in Peterborough and he is thrilled to receive it! Can you email me on: griswolds@netspace.net.au
    As mentioned Brian’s first teaching school was Westwood, two years later he moved to Wondalga and then Ryan.
    Remembers you all and hopefully if he overcomes computer hiccups he would like to get in touch! Regards Neil

    Neil Rudgley
  • Hi I am looking for information on a house in Adelong. It was built by Albert Edward Merryful. We purchased the house and would love to know about its history – like when it was built and what was the layout of the house? We have renovated it but not before someone else had a go. So if anyone can help I would appreciate it.

    Robyn Dunn
  • I would appreciate some comment in relation to how an outsider might be received at Adelong if they sought to retire there? I have read that Tumut is not welcoming of outsiders, so I am looking further afield at Adelong.

    Mrs E Tye
    • Hi, to the lady asking about outsiders, ‘outsiders’ are welcomed in Adelong. We moved there 20 years ago,moved to Melbourne after 4 years for family, but are preparing to move ‘back to Adelong’ very soon for retirement as we still own our house there. Which is actually a shop/residence on main heritage listed Tumut St. We have restored it and it looks beautiful and has a wonderful new tenant in the shop section. It has livened up the main street. Known as The Redhouse (1873) due to the rich crimson colour we gave it. It was originally a 19th century bakery, with the oven door still in situ at back of property. The craft shop and cafe are next door. Yes, have heard of such things about Tumut, but Adelong is totally different.

      Bridgit
  • My grandfather Richard James Rowe and my grandmother Martha May Rowe nee Anderson lived in Adelong I believe they had a pub or an inn, I don’t know much about their history. My mother was Myrtle their daughter who was the second youngest of 7 children she only passed away 6 years ago at the age of 99years and 7 months the last sibling to survive. If anyone has any history you could share with me I would appreciate. I think the only sibling that stayed in Adelong was Raymond Rowe who I believe is buried in the cemetery. Waiting a response. Kind regards Lorraine Coburn nee Williamson

    Lorraine Coburn
  • Hi, my name is Lyn, in researching family history I uncovered the following story. Robert Mcgrane Reily Snr. was the father of Martha Cecily McGrane Reily who married a distant cousin of mine, Robert Freebody, son of Simon and Susannah (nee Miles) Freebody..

    On 6th of January, 1854, Robert was living with his family on the upper Adelong goldfields when he was granted a licence to operate a public house called the Digger’s Arms. On the 18th April, the name of the public house was changed to The Golddiggers Arms. The pub was also known as the Adelong Creek Goldfield Hotel. On the 15th April 1856 and on the 20th April 1858, the licence was renewed under the name The Diggers Arms.

    The Reily,s hotel was well-situated on Adelong Creek (formerly Black Creek), at the crossroads where the roads to Tumut, Tumbarumba, Reedy Flat, Main and Upper Adelong and Adelong met. It was also on the route from Sydney and the goldfields. The crossroads was for some time known as Reily”s Crossing. In addition to the hotel, they also had a store and a butchery which are freguently mentioned in newspaper articles as being landmarks in the area. The Reily family seem to have played an important role in the life of Middle Adelong.
    See The Goulburn herald and County of Argyle Advertiser, 16 March, 1859 and The Tumut and Adelong Times.

    Regards Lyn

    Lyn Hollands-Catanzariti (nee Parker)
  • I’m currently researching my Scottish ancestors, James and Margaret Begg. Both buried I believe in the Adelong Cemetery 1896 and 1887 respectively. They migrated from Scotland in 1853 on the Beejapore. Is there a history book of the old gold fields that is available? I’d love to make a visit to Adelong some time as I’ve researched other ancestors who went to Walhalla in Victoria and Gulgong in NSW.

    Kerry Williams
  • Hello,
    I am Paul van Vlerken, the grandson of John Micheal Geaghan (1878-1942) and Lillian Jane Geaghan (nee Crain) 1884-1970. John and Lillian lived in Mount Adrah. John worked in the Adelong goldmines for a period of time and my Mum, Ruby Helen Geaghan always said he died young because of the mines. He may have died from mercury poisoning, who knows. John also owned the mail contract Adelong to Mount Adrah and was a grazier. I am looking for information and photos of my grandfather. I am looking for information on my great grandfather William Thomas Geaghan or Geoghan famous as he was the driver if the coach held up by Ben Hall in Jugiong in 1864, and also my great, great grandfather William Geoghegan or Geoghan who arrived in Australia in 1841 on the Gilbert Henderson ship from Ireland. I am trying to piece together their lives and my own heritage. Many thanks if you can help out. You can email directly at vanny47@videotron.ca or post, or both.

    Paul van Vlerken
  • Hi, A beautiful town where I spent so many Christmas holidays and learning to swim in the local pool, at the time, replete with leeches.
    My grandparents, Burnet and Agnes Whiting raised my mother Marie and her five brothers in a tiny cottage in Lockhart Street.
    Burnet was the second eldest of eighteen children, his parents being James and Annie Elizabeth (Schafer) Whiting. I have an old photo of a property named ‘Thornleigh’ which I think was on Quartz Street and I understand belonged to James.
    Can anyone confirm this information and also whether the house served as Adelong Hospital for a time?

    Peter Courtney
    • Yes, I think the property ( Thornleigh) you mention is the former Adelong Hospital. Its the right street. Building even still had its operating theatre some years ago! A friend of mine rented it, operating theatre and all. :))

      Bridgit. S. Lawson
      • Thank you Bridgit. You can tell it’s a long time since I checked in.
        On a completely different topic, I have a photo of the St Paul’s church choir from the late 1930s which includes four members of the Whiting family and cricketer, Geoff Lawson’s father. Any connection?

        Peter Courtney
  • Many happy memories of Grahamstown. Dick and Sarah Martin would host our family and rabbit shooting, swimming in the creek were top of the day. Mick Martin showed me how to sharpen a knife. Great days, exploring and getting into mischief.

    Phillip Neal Sheldon
  • Some of my German ancestors mined in Adelong.

    Jan Oxford
  • I’m looking for Alma Franklin and family.
    I know if still alive she would be about 100 years old.
    In October,1941 she gave birth to a girl, (Phyllis Margaret) ‘Meree’, my mother ( in Queanbeyan?) who was adopted by Matron Campbell.
    1n September, 1960, Meree gave birth to me ( in Queanbeyan) and I was also adopted out.
    If anyone can help with any information I would be more than grateful.

    Michelle Conroy
  • Is this town quiet and peaceful?

    Erika Jackson
  • Recently revisited Adelong and Tumut in hope of finding information re my husbands ancestors and possibly some eels. Still living in the area.
    My husband’s great grandfather was William Mosley Dickinson and his great grandmother was Catherine (Kate) Reilly.
    Wondering if anyone knows either family and whether there are family members still in the region.
    Love visiting the area.

    Linda Dickinson
  • My dad, the great Rugby League player Tom Kirk, was born in Adelong 15.11.1915, went to primary school there and was raised in Shepherdstown. He was the youngest son of Sam and Mary KIRK – My Uncle and Aunty Jack and Daisy Franklin and their daughter Nita (who married champion Rugby League Gundagai half back Johnny Ryan) also lived in Shepherdstown. Sam, Mary, Jack and Daisy are buried in the Adelong Cemetery. Visited those areas in the 50’s & 60’s and sometimes when I visit Tumut to catch up with mates/friends – Also my Uncle and Aunty King and Gerty Allett lived in Capper Street Tumut. Lovely places, beaut people. – Ian KIRK THIRROUL NSW 2515

    Ian KIRK 11 Nardoo Crescent THIRROUJL NSW 2515 ian.kirk8@bigpond.com