First Settlers - Taralga

In 1819 Charles Throsby, Joseph Wild and John Rowley became the first white men known to have reached the Taralga area. They were accompanied by two native guides. They set out to find cow pastures in the region, which was then known as Argyle Country. There are many theories regarding their exact route, but we do know from their journals that they arrived at Taralga on May 4, 1819.

While based in Camden John Macarthur established a large sheep station in the Taralga district, which he called Richlands. Taralga was created as Macarthur’s private village. It was held by the family for 80 years, from its foundation in 1820 until 1900. Many of the stone houses still standing today were built in around 1840. The four churches in Taralga date back to the 1860s.

John Macarthur is credited as the father of Australia’s wool industry. His image was subsequently used on the two dollar note. He revolutionised wool production after importing a flock of Spanish merinos, which he recognised were well suited to the Australian climate. John and his wife Elizabeth had four sons who jointly managed the estate until 1900.

Richlands Homestead is now privately owned, outside the family. The ground floor of the homestead was completed in 1850, using convict labour. A second storey had been planned, but as the convict era was drawing to a close it was never built. Today the property is listed by the National Trust. The Taralga museum has records of letters exchanged by members of the Macarthur family. These letters provide a fascinating insight into their experiences at Richlands.

Though Taralga was a private village there were other estates in the area which used its services and amenities. The Bannaby Estate, whose original homestead is at Hanworth Road in Bannaby, was owned by the Hillas Family. The original homestead of the McAllister family can be found on Goulburn Road, Chatsbury.

Though Taralga was a private village there were other estates in the area which used its services and amenities. The Bannaby Estate, whose original homestead is at Hanworth Road in Bannaby, was owned by the Hillas Family. The original homestead of the McAllister family can be found on Goulburn Road, Chatsbury.

The Hillas, McAllister and Macarthur families were English aristocrats, whose estates were manned by convicts. Convicts worked in a variety of roles, including shepherd, maid and gardener. The Macarthur estate also had tenant farmers. They worked 40 acres of land, passing a share of the revenue back to the family.

 These English aristocrats were attracted to the area because it reminded them of their home country. Most of the free settlers were English, while the majority of convicts came from Ireland. There were also a lot of settlers from the Isle of Skye in Scotland. They developed properties which still bear Scottish names today, such as Glen Ellen at Strathallan.

 Taralga began life as a home to professionals, and a service centre to the tenant farmers and convicts who worked on the land. In the 1890s Taralga had a population of 700, over twice the population of today.

 During its life as a private village Taralga provide work for people of many occupations. Railway workers, bank clerks, doctors, undertakers, blacksmiths, tannery workers, saddle makers, butter makers, butchers, flourmill workers, school teachers, general store assistants, farm labourers and shearers were all represented. Taralga was largely a self sufficient village.

 The farm manager, or ‘overseer’, also had a home in Taralga. One of the houses still standing in Macarthur street today was built in 1843 by Thomas Denning, one of Macarthur’s overseers.

In the 1840s the house was heated by wood fires, and lit by kerosene lamps. There was no running water, and water would either have either been collected from creeks or rain water tanks. Food was cooked either in camp ovens or wood burning stoves. Local produce, such as mutton and potatoes, was abundant. Cows were kept, for milk and butter, and fruit from local trees was used for jam and other preserves. Sugar and flour were brought in from Sydney.

 In the early days of settlement transportation was mainly on foot, or by bicycle, bullock wagon, or horse and cart. Wealthier people would also travel by private buggy. The railway opened in Taralga in the 1920s, as a branch of the Goulburn> line to Crookwell.

 Taralga’s villagers would carry wool to Sydney on bullock wagons, a journey of three weeks. They would return with flour, sugar and rum. The rum would be sold in Taralga’s pubs. In the early days there were also a number of unofficial ‘grog shops’ making wine from local fruits, and anything else they could find.

 The early settlers, and less affluent workers, lived in slab huts. Only one of these original huts remains. You can see it at the Historical Society on Orchard Street, Taralga. Tenant farmers, who had between forty and fifty acres, had slab huts on their properties. Some of the more fortunate convicts lived in them too, but found shelter wherever they could. There are even some accounts of convicts living in trees.

 In 1910 Richlands was purchased and subdivided amongst those tenant farmers who had enough money to contribute. They lived off the land, farming dairy cattle and growing crops such as potatoes. Thirty four successful tenant farmers each took over a fifty acre plot.

 At one time there were six pubs in the village. Four of these pubs are still standing today. Two of them, the Taralga and the Argyle, are licensed hotels, which have been operating continuously since they were built in 1860.

One of the original hotels, the Royal on Macarthur Street, is now a private home. In 1917, the Royal was taken over by a woman called Doctor Lyons. She made it a surgery and dispensary. It retained these functions for over thirty years. Doctor Lyons’ original medical instruments are on display at the local museum. The museum was originally built in the 1940s as a hospital, but was never occupied as such. It is located at Bunnaby Street in Taralga.
 

 Orchard Street is now Taralga’s main street. It is so called because it was built on the site of Macarthur’s orchards. Previously, during its time as a private village, the main street in Taralga was Macarthur street. You can see evidence of this in its wonderful collection of original stone buildings. One of the fine two storey homes on a Macarthur street used to be a local shop.

The stone buildings were built from local volcanic rock. There were a number of local stone masons, including the Davis Brothers. They built the Richlands Hotel in 1868, which is now known as the Taralga Hotel. Evidence of the early quarries can be found in numerous locations around Taralga.
 

 The Post Master lived in a house next to the stone post office, which was built in 1897. The current stone post office was preceded by an original weatherboard structure, built around 1850.

At one time there were four butter factories in Taralga. One, now a private home, is still standing today on Goulburn Road. Other interesting stone buildings include the butcher’s, the baker’s, the telegraph office and the local store.
 

 Perhaps Taralga’s most outstanding buildings are its fine stone churches.
The building of churches began in the 1850s. Prior to this, ministers of the church would make a visit to Taralga from other settlements. Macarthur provided land to four different Christian denominations, which were represented in the area. These were Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, and Methodist.

The first Catholic Church was built in 1864, from local stone. It is now a private residence, and is located on Bannaby Road. A new Catholic Church was built in 1934. It is a magnificent building. The altars and pulpits are made from Wombeyan marble
 

 Country roads are often narrow and winding.
Bends and curves are often dangerous due to a build up loose dirt and stones.
Be prepared for changing road conditions and surfaces in wet weather.
Always drive to the conditions, which is not necessarily the posted speed limit.
 

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