Best Western A Trappers Motor Inn

Literary Capital of NSW

by craic

Goulburn is so farkking literary.

Miles Franklin (My Brilliant Career) was working at the local paper - which still exists on the main drag.
Her book is well worth reading.

AND one of my favourite Brit novels - The Magus by John Fowles - well the heroine is an Aussie Air Hostess who comes from Goulburn.

But I think John had only ever seen the name on a map. Because Alison - the heroine of The Magus - describes her home town in cryptic crossword terms.
"The first is what live there, the second is what you should do with it."

I moved to Wingello and I discovered my literary epicentre was a short train ride away.
So I rang our local stationmaster and asked when the trains to Goulburn were.

I pronounced Goulburn as if it was Ghoul Burn.

My stationmaster said - "Goalbin Goalbin as in coal bin."

But in spite of John Fowles getting it so very wrong - every time my train pulls into Goulburn I think - I will meet Alison's parents.

St. Saviour's Cathedral - ORGAN

by balhannah

This magnificent organ has been looked after and was fully restored in 1979.

It was installed in 1884 and has over 3,000 gilded patterned pipes and over 43 stops (different sounding ranks of pipes, within a wrought iron case. It was built in 1883 by Forster and Andrews of Hull, Yorkshire, and is the largest of their organs still intact. People from yorkshire probably know this firm.

You can't miss it, but just incase, it is located in the south choir aisle of the Cathedral

What a joint

by iandsmith

The Australian Joint Stock Bank Limited was slapped up in just seven months in 1866 by Adamson and Dow.
In 1910 it became the premises of the Australian Bank of Commerce and then, in 1931, the Bank of New South Wales took over and they later merged with the Commercial Bank of Australia to become today's Westpac.

SAINT PATRICKS COLLEGE

by balhannah

This is an old Roman Catholic College, built in the 1870's, and is worth a drive past.
It was one of the earliest schools established by the Christian Brothers in Australia.

The College opened its doors with 15 boarders in 1874, but by the end of the year there were 43 students. In1875, extensions were added, including the Dining Room and the "Long Dorm" above it.
A sad time was an outbreak of flu with one of boys dying, he was only 14 years old and is buried in the College Cemetery.
1935, and a big event was the Vienna Boys Choir performing in the College Hall.

In 2000, it amalgamated with Marian College for girls in Goulburn to become Trinity College, Goulburn.

I'VE JUST STARTED THE PAGE

by kooka3

"What a neat town!"

I spent 4 days in and around Goulburn during my first week in Australia - I actually stayed outside the town with a family on a station (farm) -- stayed in an old church in the middle of a cow pasture that had been converted to a hostel of sorts. I remember getting woken up in the morning by the cows mooing outside my window. The family was great -- a wonderful introduction to my year in Australia!