The Railway Station

Bungendore (including Bywong)
Small township only thirty minutes drive from Canberra
Bungendore is a small town with a numerous specialty shops and old stone, brick and timber buildings. It is located in a beautiful valley near Lake George, 265 km south-west of Sydney, 26 km north-east of Queanbeyan and 701 m above sea-level.

Once occupied by the Ngarigu people, the first Europeans in the vicinity were the exploratory party of Charles Throsby. Captain Richard Brooks set up a stock station at Turallo Creek in 1824. That same year, botanist Allan Cunningham recorded the existence of this outstation in the area he called 'Bungadow'.

The village began around 1835 and mail started arriving as part of the Queanbeyan route in 1836. The townsite was approved and Bungendore proclaimed in 1837. The following year a lock-up was built and The Harp Inn was established as the settlement became an important crossroads which linked, and still links, Goulburn, Braidwood, Queanbeyan, Canberra and Cooma.

'Gidleigh', just south of the present townsite, was established in 1833 by the son of Governor King. William Westwood, a convict, escaped from 'Gidleigh' around 1840 and became a bushranger known as 'Jacky Jacky'. He bailed up a number of people around the district in 1840-41. In 1841 he escaped custody several times (once being temporarily locked up in what is now the Lake George Motel) before being captured and sentenced to Norfolk Island where he was hanged for murder in 1846.

The first post office was built in 1840, an Anglican Church c.1843 and the Bungendore Inn in 1847. The latter became a Cobb & Co staging post. Annual races were established in 1848. Nonetheless, by 1851, the population was a mere 63.

The 1850s saw at least two other hotels established. A flour mill was built in 1861, St Mary's Roman Catholic Church and two denominational schools in 1862, the courthouse in 1864 and a public school in 1868.

The railway arrived in 1885 and the town remained a railhead until the line reached Queanbeyan in 1887. Partly because of the coming railway, the 1880s were a boom period for the town and the population increased from 270 in 1881 to 700 by 1885.

However, because Queanbeyan emerged as the major town in the area, Bungendore has essentially remained a country village serving the surrounding graziers. Hence there are several rural suppliers and related industries in town.

In recent years the social balance in the town has been somewhat altered and it has acquired a cosmopolitan air due to the presence of commuters from Queanbeyan and Canberra and of professional people. A number of tourism-oriented businesses have sprung up in town such as fine art, antique and craft shops as well as numerous coffe shops and restaurants. The award wining Bungendore Wood Works Gallery is the centre piece of attraction for the village. Numerous wineries have been developed taking advatage of the cool, dry climate. The qualityof some of these wines has achieved international recognition. Several wineries have complimentory restaurants vith sweeping views over the vineyards. Being so close to the ACT has seen the increase in hobby farms leading to a melding of rural and residential living.

The Bungendore Show is held in January and the Country Muster in February. The Rodeo is in October.

Things to see:  

Tourist Information
The nearest information centre is the Bungendore and Region Visitor Centre at 46 Malbon Street. (02) 6238 0724 A comprehensive website is at www.bungendore.info including town and regional maps.

Begin walk Malbon Street
Malbon St is the main street connecting the NSW South coast to Canberra.

On the corner of Butmaroo and Malbon street is the Visitors Centre and Bloomfield Galleries who specialise in the work of Norman Lindsay. Begin your walk here and call into the Centre to pick up a town map.

Old Bungendore Store
Walk West along Malbon St. The first group of shops on the right is Country Patchwork, the Gum Nut Gallery and Winch second hand books. At the corner of Malbon and Ellendon Sts, is the former Bungendore store (1918) built in the boom years at the end of World War I. Today it houses Bungendore Leather.

Old SES Building
Turn right along Ellendon Street and head North. On the right is Bungendore Fine Art which is located in the former Medical Centre. A co operative of local artists exhibits in this gallery. Also on the right is the Newsagency and Chemist which are located in a modern structure that mimics the Old Bungendore Store. Cross over to the Eastern side of Ellendon Street to the Bendigo Community Bank complex. This is Bungendore¹s newest complex containing a Bendigo Community Bank with 24 access ATM, Biscottis Delicatessan, a dressmakers shop and a natural health centre. The next building on the left was once the headquarters of the Bungendore SES and was for many years a dilapadated corrugated iron shed. Now it houses Bardy¹s Café and resident artisans Rick Bevis (potter) and Simon Fairweather (jeweller). Return to the intersection of Malbon and Ellendon streets outside the Bungendore Woodworks Gallery.

Bungendore Woodworks Gallery
The award-winning Bungendore Woodworks Gallery, situated in a fine exhibition centre which is intended to mirror the preoccupations of the gallery. Its construction entailed the usage of 16 tonnes of West Australian jarrah for the posts and beams, 10 tonnes of Tasmanian oak for the floors, ebonised Victorian ash for window and door frames and flooded gum panelling. The gallery specialises in exhibiting and promoting entirely Australian-made wood craft from the country's most distinguished woodworkers. Upstairs is the Octagon Art Space which exhibits painting and other visual arts.

Bungendore Village Square
On the other side of Malbon St is Bungendore Village Square, a collection of colonial-style shops clustered around a courtyard all of which have been completely refurbished in 2006. The Heritage on the Square Café is a former butcher-shop dating from the 1870s. A Petanque court has been built in the centre of the square. Further east along Ellendon St, to the left, is a two-room brick cottage (1860) and an old stone cottage.

The Carrington
Also on the other side of Malbon St, at the same intersection, is the Old Carrington Inn and Restaurant which was built as a coaching inn (1888-89) from hand-made clay bricks. It was later a store, a bordello and a private residence before taking its present form. The fittings (including an early 19th-century mahogany bar from England), fabrics and antique furnishings are quite exquisite. The central courtyard, into which wagons and coaches would have driven, remains.

Continue to walk West along Malbon St past the Café Wood Works noting the old cottages, including, to the left, the weatherboard house (1878) and the adjacent cement-rendered brick cottage (1890s). The stone house opposite is earlier but of similar design.

Molonglo St
Turn right into Molonglo St. To the left is an impressive two-storey early Colonial style house dating from 1867. This building has been restored and is now the Old Stone House B&B. Its beautiful cottage garden is a favourite for weddings during Spring and Autuum. On the right is the former Beehive Hotel (1859). This is now a private residence. Molonglo St is the through-road that passes through town between Goulburn and Queanbeyan/Canberra. At the south-western corner of Molonglo St and Gibraltar St, opposite the BP garage is a white, colonial style building with a large front verandah. This building was erected in the 1870s as the Oriental Bank. The stables were for the bank manager's horses and the tiny cottage was built for the boy who tended the horses. This building was used in the filming of the 1969 movie Ned Kelly which featured Mick Jagger in the title role. It ceased to operate as a bank soon after this event and is now a private residence.

Cross the intersection and walk North along Molonglo St for a short distance. To the right is Deniston Cottage Antiques, situated in a stone cottage built in 1860 for Alexander McClung who established a flour mill around the corner in Gibraltar St. It sells Victorian and Edwardian furniture, antique prints and old electric lamps.

Gibraltar St West
Return to and turn into Gibraltar St. On the left is the former cottage known as 'Duart' which was built prior to 1870 when it served as a store. The triple-front shop building next door dates from the 1920s. This complex now Hunnyz café was once a general store and butcher shop. The next building, housing the Gunna Doo bakery was established in the mid-1850s.

Over the road is 'Strathmore', a High Victorian house built in 1890. Note the wide verandah with its French doors and wrought-iron lacework. The house next door was built at the same time and was originally a residence and saddlery shop. The stables to the rear were once used for the horses of the Australian Light Horse Bungendore Division.

Just before the corner of Gibraltar and Ellendon is the Harp Hotel - Motel. Although it has been greatly altered the shell of the building dates back to 1838 and the license has been held continuously since that time. For some years it held the name of Lake George Hotel. The bushranger known as 'Jacky Jacky' was captured and locked up here in 1840.

Cross over Ellendon St. and continue East. On your left is the remains of an old building which is now X gallery, with local artisan Xanthe Grey specialising in jewellery and glassware. On the same side is the decorative facade of the Royal Hotel. This hotel was built in 1882 in anticipation of the arrival of the railway. The back of this Hotel and has been totally refurbished and now houses the Harvest Restaurant. Over to the right is the Bungendore Art Connection which has an excellent collection of tribal art from New Guinea. On the right hand side of the Bungendore Art Connection you can still see the original Bungendore bakery building.

Until recently destroyed by fire, a building close to the next corner was a remnant of the Bungendore Inn (1847) which was a Cobb & Co station. The white building has been built on its site in a similar style. The stable to the rear of the block is probably the oldest remaining building in the village.

Turallo Terrace
Turn left into Butmaroo St then left into Turallo Terrace. Several buildings along, to the left, is the original Royal Hotel (1855), now a private residence. There is a timber slab stable to the rear.

Over the road is 'Birchfield' built in 1877 for Father Birch in his retirement. This is now a private residence.

A little further along is St Mary's Catholic Church, presbytery and church hall. This old stone church dates back to 1862. The first Catholic school was located in the hall until a school building was established up the road at the Majara St corner in 1925.

Return the way you came now heading East along Turallo Terrace. Just past Butmaroo St, to the left, is the former St Joseph's convent (1886) which is now the local pre-school. The old nunnery next door is a private residence. Across the road is Bungendore Park.

Railway Station
Proceed to Majara St and turn right. To the left, set back from the road behind the Community Centre, is the Gothic Revival architecture of the gatekeeper's house and stationmaster's cottage. Further along past the new Council offices is the single-storey railway station (1884-85). The railway was a boon to the town and it remained a railhead until the line reached Queanbeyan in 1887. Although still part of the Sydney Canberra line the station rooms were closed in 1987 but are open on weekends when Gray¹s Antiques and Gifts and Trainspotters Gallery operate in the old waiting and stationmasters rooms. The remains of the good yards and storage sheds can be seen further along the line across Malbon St.

Gibraltar St East
On the corner of Majara and Gibraltar Sts is the public primary school. The original building (1879) is now the Principal¹s office. An Anglican school had existed on this site since 1862. The modern public school now has a student population of nearly five hundred. However, Bungendore does not have a high school.

Adjacent is the old School of Arts building (1890) which is still used for life drawing classes.

The Historic Police Station

The next building is the post office (1882) and adjacent is the police residence (1902). The renovated rear section was originally the lock-up and the whole doubled as a police station until 1980. Next door is the attractive stone courthouse. Built in 1864 it is now the police station.

On the other side of Butmaroo St is the Gothic Revival St Philip's Anglican Church (1864). The elms are over a hundred years old. This church is popular for weddings during Spring and Autuum and the surrounding Birch trees are popular haunts of dive bombing magpies during nesting season..

St John's Presbyterian Church
Walk south along Butmaroo St to the Malbon St corner where half way along you will see the prespertyery for St Phillip¹s. Further along is the former St John's Presbyterian Church (1886). No services are held here any more but the hall is regualry used for dance classes. The original (1875) was demolished to make way for the railway. Continue along Butmaroo St and finish at the Bungendore and Region Visitors centre

Wineries
There are numerous wineries in the Bungendore area specialising in Cool Climate wines. One of the earliest is the Lark Hill Winery, established in 1978, located on the Lake George escarpment.

Other wineries include Shepherds Run, Milimani, Affleck, Lambert, Koonaburra, Gidgee Estate, Lerida and Madew. A self drive winery tour is available at www.bungendore.info Wine region brochures are available at the visitors centre.

	Tourist Information
	Bungendore and Region visitor Centre 46 Malbon St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 0724
	Motels
	The Bungendore Motel 28 Gibraltar St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 1037
	The Bungendore Motel 28 Gibraltar St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 1037
	The Carrington Motel 21 Malbon St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 1044 Facsimile: (02) 6238 1036 Rating: ****
	Hotels
	Bungendore Harp Inn Hotel Motel Gibraltar St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 1260
	Royal Hotel 34 Gibraltar St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 1219
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	The Old Stone House B&B Molonglo St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 1888
	Restaurants
	Bungendore Harp Inn Hotel/Motel Gibraltar St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 1260
	Harvest @ The Royal Hotel Gibraltar St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 1219
	Hunnyz Gibraltar St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 0585
	Lamberts Winery and Restaurant Norton Rd Wamboin Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 3866
	Madew Winery and Restaurant Federal Hwy Bywong Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: 4048 0165
	The Carrington of Bungendore 21 Malbon St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 1044 or 1800 046 079 Facsimile: (02) 6238 1036
	Cafés
	Bardy's Cafe Ellendon St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 0700
	Biscotti's Deli Bedigo Bank Complex - Ellendon St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 0101
	Cafe Wood Works Malbon St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 1688
	Gibb Street Cafe Gibraltar St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 1088
	Gunna-Doo Bakery Gibraltar St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 1760
	Heritage on the Square Cafe Malbon St Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: (02) 6238 1404
	Lerida Estate Cafe Federal Hwy Bywong Bungendore NSW 2621 Telephone: 4048 00231