Travel Gundagai Map

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Gundagai history

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The Gundagai area is part of the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri people, while there is a considerable folklore associated with Aboriginal cultural and spiritual beliefs in the area. The floodplains of the Murrumbidgee below the present town were a frequent meeting place of the Wirajuri people. The first moves to establish Gundagae as a township were in 1838 with plans for the new settlement of “Gundagae on the Murrumidgee, about 54 miles beyond Yass…” advertised.

Explorers and settlers

Australian-born Hamilton Hume and British immigrant William Hovell passed through the region in November 1824 when they passed to the south, near the future site of Tumut. Charles Sturt travelled through the area in 1829 at the start of his voyage in search of an inland sea then believed to exist in outback Australia. At the time of Sturt’s 1829–1830 journey, he found several settlers in the district: Henry O’Brien at Jugiong, William Warby at Mingay and the Stuckey brothers, Peter and Henry at Willie Ploma and Tumblong. Lady Jane Franklin travelled through Gundagai on 27 April 1839 and noted Andrews’ store and public house establishment.

Notable residents

Gundagai Aboriginal elders, Jimmy Clements and John Noble, attended the 1927 opening of the new Federal Parliament House in Canberra by the Duke of York (later George VI) The elders were formally presented to the royal couple as prominent citizens of Australia. The Wills’ son, Thomas Wills, is credited with co-inventing Australian Rules football and being coach and captain to the first Australian Aboriginal cricket team.

Post office

Gundagai Post Office opened on 1 April 1843 as the township (gazetted in 1838) developed as a result of the township’s development.

Railway

The railway reached Gundagai in 1886 with a branch line to Tumut from Cootamundra on the Main Southern railway line. The branch line was extended to Batlow and Kunama in 1923. The line was finally closed after flood damage in 1984.

Floods

The original European town that was gazetted as Gundagai in 1838 was situated on the right hand bank of the Murrumbidgee River floodplain at the place colloquially known as ‘The Crossing Place’ The 25 June 1852 flood swept the first colonial town, killing at least 78 people (perhaps 89) of the town’s population of 250 people. Aboriginal men, Yarri, Jacky Jacky, Long Jimmy and one other played a role in saving more than 40 people using bark canoes. The historical novel Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray (2021)by Anita Heiss is set around the time of the flood, and represents some of the Wiradjuri people and settlers.

Bushrangers

As early as 1838 the Gundagai and Yass areas were being terrorised by armed bushrangers. Cushan the bushranger was known to be operating in the area in 1846, and in 1850, two bushangers held up the Royal Mail, stole the Albury and Melbourne mailbags and rode off with the mail coach’s horses. In 1862 at Bethungra, the bushanger Jack-in-the-Boots was captured. A plot to rescue Jack in the. custody while he was being transferred from. Gundaai to Yass gaol was discovered.

Tent cities

The old Gundagai Flour Mill in Sheridan Lane was also known as ‘The Sundowners’ for the swaggies who camped there each night each night. ‘Sam the Sundowner’, a famous Australian swaggie and principal character in the Australian comedy drama, The Road to Gundaai, was a regular resident at the ‘Sundowners’

Riverboat trade

Captain Francis Cadell ran the first steamer on the Murray River in 1853. In 1856 the sister steamers, the Albury and the Gundagai, were bought from Scotland to Goolwa in pieces. The paddlewheel steamer went onshore and broke in half in June 1866 near Patea New Zealand. The Albury, under the command of Captain George Johnston, was moored in September 1858. The Explorer was named after the boat that set off from the Explorer to survey the Murrumbidgee in 1855.

  

Gundagai map & travel guide with history & landmarks to explore

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Tourist Guide to Gundagai Map

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