Located on what was the Old Hume Highway (now George Street), are the remains of the ‘famous’ Mocador Pavlova Factory. Built in the shape of a large pink and white pavlova by Peter Jackson-Calway in about 1984. Mr Jackson-Calway owned the Mocador Café in Goulburn. The factory used to manufacture pavlovas, handmade chocolates and cheesecakes and offer Devonshire teas to travellers.

It also supplied the Mocador Café. A casualty of the town’ by-pass, it closed in 1991. You would need quite a vivid imagination to see its resemblance to a pavlova!

This building was the first doctor’s surgery in the village. A committee was formed in Marulan and money was loaned by locals. Southern Portland Cement guaranteed the doctor’s wages. Dr. Joyce Russell was the first doctor.

A lovely little church built of Wingello sandstone. The foundation stone was laid in March 1878. The land was donated by Richard Chapman of the Terminus Hotel. The first cross was blown down in a windstorm and, after some time, another one was erected. Later that first one was found in a shed behind the rectory so it is now on the memorial stone of Alexander Chrystal – a long time worshipper here. The church has some lovely little memorial windows and kneelers lovingly made by local ladies.

The Anglican rectory was built later than the church – in the early 1880s. The church came under the ministry of the Goulburn Cathedral in the 1980s and, at that time, they decided to sell the rectory. It is now privately owned. Until recently, the maids’ quarters could be seen at the back of the house detached from the old main building.

This corner block was vacant land where the circus and shows came to stop on their way to Sydney. It was popular entertainment in the mid twentieth century. Dukes’ house was built in the 1950s and Bill and Mary Dukes operated a shop. The school children ordered their lunches from the shop – pies and sauce on a winter’s day. The senior children came over to pick them up.

In the 19th century, there was a farrier on this corner in a large weatherboard shed. It was demolished in the 1920s – one old-timer recalling it was because the school children used to get into it and cause mischief (even in those days there were naughty kids).

A garage was built here then it was sold after the bypass, and Mulwaree Arts set up a craft shop. It is now called Marulan Shopping Court and has a modern post office, chemist shop, veterinarian and bakery.

Built in 1868, this is the oldest building in Marulan although very little of the original building remains now. The hotel has been continuously licensed for over 140 years. It was established when the railway line was being built and a huge number of railway workers camped nearby. It was called the ‘Terminus Inn’ as Marulan was to be the terminus of the line.

An ad in a Sydney paper in 1867 for the sale of nearby land, shows Chapman’s Terminus Inn was operating. The first publican was Richard Chapman who became very involved in town activities. He was Secretary of the Marulan Progress Association and the Show Committee and gave land for the church. He rented a house (possibly in Goulburn Street) to the Education Department for the first school here when it was moved from ‘Old Marulan’.

Richard’s son, Austin, went to school in Marulan and later became Sir Austin Chapman MP, in our first Federal Government. He was a strong advocate to have in the Nation’s capital in NSW. There are many stories relating to the hotel. Mr. John Hogg who owned the hotel in 1896 fell from a ladder while climbing up to light the gas lights. Unfortunately, he was fatally injured.

In the early 1930s, Eliza and Duncan Mclennan owned the hotel and their daughter, son-in-law and their family lived there too. One son, John Philpott, wrote a book on his memoirs and has a delightful description of the hotel at that time. There was no electricity, just a generator in the ‘putt putt’ shed at the back but, John said, it would often stop and then it was back to candles for everyone. It was the days of 6 o’clock closing and only bonafide travellers who lived at least ten miles away could be served after that time. Most nights, there would be a knock after hours from someone from Tallong or Marulan who professed to be a traveller. They were usually served.

The First World War was such a huge event in the history of Australia, a tragic time which hardly a town or village in Australia was not affected with the loss of lives of young men.

Throughout the country, memorials can be seen to the men who fought in the ‘Great War’ of 1914 – 1918. This memorial was erected in 1919 and is made of local granite which is reputed to be the best.

In 1993 to celebrate 75 years since the end of World War I, a service was held here and each school child had a balloon with a service man or woman’s name on it. As the names were read, the balloon was released. Recently the MOHS decided that we should have all servicemen and women on the one memorial. World War II men and women were on a memorial in the Hall and the names of service personnel from Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan, Timar, Cambodia and Iraq were not on any memorial. We obtained a grant from the RSL and had the memorial cleaned, spruced up and the new names added.

Every Anzac Day a service is held here. After the service the CWA provides morning tea in the hall. It is a time for ‘remembering’ and catching up with friends.
Many years ago, the RSL had a dinner after the service. It was a huge event with well over 100 people attending. They usually had trouble paying all expenses, but the publican was the treasurer and he kindly waived his drinks bill each year.

Today, the hotel has a tradition of breakfast (and rum) before the dawn service. In 2015 for the centenary of Anzac Day, the MOHS researched all WWI soldiers who enlisted from Marulan and a photo and details of each serviceman was displayed in the Hall. There were more than 130 on display.

Also in 2015, the Kangaroo March Re-Enactment passed through Marulan. A very moving service was held at the War Memorial and afterwards the MDHS provided dinner for over 100 people in the Hall.

Probably the first street in Marulan after George Street, which was the Great South Road. This was a busy thoroughfare from the railway and railway yards to the main street and beyond.

On the left, behind the hotel, in Philpott’s time, there was an orchard, vegetable garden and cow paddock.

In the 1860s this area was known as Marulan Camp. It was a large camp of men and possibly some families living in makeshift accommodation. The men were working on building the railway line – quite a dangerous job as many were killed in rock blasting and bridge building.

These people kept the hotel going and the town of Marulan, as we know it, began to take shape. Some shops moved from Old Marulan into the new village and, by 1868, some of the businesses were:­ Wade’s Accommodation House, Hatfield’s Store, O’Neill’s Store and a bakery.

Late in 1867, the camp residents lobbied for a Post Office at the camp, preferably in the Terminus Hotel. However, the postal inspector did not approve of a post office in a hotel – he wanted it at the railway station, but the stationmaster said he was too busy. In March 1868, the post office was opened in O’Neill’s store. Because there was still a post office at Old Marulan the new one could not be named Marulan, so Mooroowoolen was suggested by the local member, Mr. Dignam MP.

Mooroowoollen post office was a busy place with the terminus of the railway, the Cobb & Co. coaches going to Goulburn and beyond, and the number of railway workers in the village. Mr. O’Neill didn’t mind because he was doing a good business, even though he had to receive and despatch mail at 1.30
a.m. and 11.15 p.m. daily – all for twelve pounds per annum.

More on the post office when we get to the railway station.

Although the coming of the trains to Marulan was an important progress, there was initially much argument about the location of the station. It was like the present ‘not in my backyard’ reaction of today. The trains were dirty and noisy and would disturb the big property owners. Thus the station was put here, Marulan began to grow beside the line and Old Marulan began to die.

Plans for the station, goods’ shed and stockyards were drawn up in 1867. There was only one line and the building today is much as it was in the 1800s, except that it had a lovely slate roof which the Railways Department took down in the 1980s and replaced with this one – much to the annoyance of local residents. After the duplication of the line in 1915, a platform and small shelter were built on the ‘up’ line. That shelter shed was burned down in the 1965 bushfire. The goods’ shed and stockyards have been demolished but were once the lifeline for local farmers selling produce.

The opening of the station at Marulan was a huge event. People came from near and far to marvel at the puffing, giant engine and to travel by train. Tents were erected for catering for lunch as the charismatic politician, Sir Henry Parkes and a great many other dignitaries were coming. The train had three carriages, one devoted to the officials and two for sightseers and tourists. The train arrived, the official ceremony began and Sir Henry made a long and rousing speech – too long it seems for, by the time the officials went to the food tent for lunch, it had all been eaten by the occupants of the other two carriages.

For many years, Marulan station won first prize in the gardening competition. Station master, Frank Jordan, was particularly keen on gardening. There were at least two staff and train travel was popular and necessary. School children travelled to high school in Goulburn. Now there are no staff, only a few trains stopping and a railway bus service.

The weighbridge and goods’ shed to the south were particularly busy as everything was transported by train.

Remember how the Post Office was in Mr. O’Neill’s store? Well, in late 1869 the Postal Department decided they would appoint a special railway telegraph officer to do the postal work at the station. There really was no room, so it was put in the ladies waiting room. Marulan could then boast a railway station called Marulan, housing a post office that was called Mooroowoollen.

The next move for the post office was to a small building built 30-40 yards from the back of the station, probably along Thoroughfare Street. When the line was extended to Goulburn, many workers left Marulan and the station master wasn’t so busy, so he became the Station Master and the Post Master. They moved the Mooroowoollen post office to a little room at the back of the station to be more conveniently located.

In 1874, the Old Marulan post office closed and, in 1878, when the Mooroowoollen post office needed a new date stamp, the inspector suggested they use the one from the Old Marulan post office and the name be changed to Marulan. In 1885 the Postal Department built a new post office on railway land on the corner of the Hume Highway and Coombs Street (that is the building we passed). The post office remained there for 125 years.

In August, 2018, Marulan celebrated the 150th Anniversary of the railway coming to Marulan. A re-enactment of the original celebrations was held with many dignitaries attending. A tree planting ceremony was held to mark this important occasion.

As we go back up Thoroughfare Street, on the left is the back of the stationmaster’s house, garden and tennis court. We will see the front later. This was built at approximately the same time as the station.

The other little house on the left was the assistant station master’s house. In those days, the station was manned 24 hours a day. These houses are now privately owned.

Until about 1988, the telephone exchange was at the Post Office. With modern telephone exchanges, STD etc. Telstra established their equipment here on land that originally was part of the Post Office land.

In 2007, the Historical Society requested that Telstra replace their unsightly fence with this new one. Note the huge, old pine trees. There was an avenue of pines on both sides of the road but, over time, they were cut down for safety reasons.

There are seven sites in the Marulan district from where the Post Office has operated. This was the building used for the longest time – from 1885 to 2010. The Post Office is now in ‘Marulan Court’.

The telephone exchange was established in 1915 with the first two subscribers being Lockyersleigh and Sieler’s Store. The Post Office residence was erected in the late 1880s, but early this century, the residence was sold. It became Ferrari’s shop, a Real Estate Agency and is now a lovely Christmas shop and gift shop. The Old Post Office is now Superfluous Paraphernalia selling quirky bits and bobs, industrial and creative salvage.

The first hall on this site was the Marulan School of Arts. School of Arts were built in many towns and villages throughout NSW in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They were the forerunners to today’s clubs. They usually had a library, newspapers to read and many indoor games to play. It was basically a men’s club as the women were supposed to stay at home and look after the kids.

In later years (after women’s lib) the School of Arts introduced Ladies’ Lounges. After World War II we had local clubs, television etc. and the halls reverted to village halls.

In the 1920s the large hall was added to the rear of the School of Arts. This included a stage, dressing rooms and a projector room at the rear. The School of Arts became the Supper Room. The hall was used extensively for dances, balls, concerts, picture theatre, weddings, show society, parties and much more.

Tony Onions was a local resident (originally from Ireland) who worked hard for the Marulan community. He was tragically killed at an early age, so the residents named the park in his honour.

This area once belonged to the Railway Department and is now owned by Goulburn Mulwaree Council. The back section was bought from the Railway in 1980s to extend the park at a cost of $20,000. The trees around the perimeter were planted in 1999 for the ‘Green Olympics’. Water and toilets were added in 1969. It has been the centre of town for many activities, including the Marulan Kite Festival (no longer operating) and Carols by Candlelight.

On weekends it is a very busy park with travellers calling in for a toilet stop, children’s play or to have a picnic. The original toilet block was demolished in 2019, but a photographic display of the original murals painted by the children of Marulan in the 1980s is in the Hall.

The large limestone rock was put there by the Lions’ Club to recognise the limestone industry and as a base for the town clock. It is the largest piece ever transported by road – it actually broke the loader.

This house was built for the station master about the same time as the railway station. Much of it is in original condition, and the present owner has beautifully restored it. The sandstone came from nearby Mt. Otway.

The first police station was established at Old Marulan in 1848 with just one constable and, it wasn’t until the 1870s that they moved to the village. The paper reported it was moving saying “the sooner the better for the peace of sober people in the town”. A later newspaper report described it as a “nice, stone building with a pretty little garden in front in a beautiful state of cleanliness and neatness. Even the cells look inviting”.

Cells can still be seen at the back of the 1930s office building. In 1972 the old exercise yard was removed and today we are administered from Goulburn.

In 1945, the Duke of Gloucester was made Australian Governor General. He, his wife and two little boys came to Sydney by ‘plane and then drove to Canberra in a Rolls Royce. They stopped at the Marulan police station for afternoon tea – it really put us on the map as people came from everywhere. In 2010 to commemorate 65 years since our royal visitor, we had a ‘Royal Afternoon Tea’.

A wooden bridge was built here in 1868 with a 10-inch plank carriageway. We are not sure when it was upgraded to brick, but possibly when the line was duplicated in 1915 or in the 1930s when there were lots of relief workers doing up the main street.

This bridge is an important access to Marulan as, apart from the freeway, there is no other way to drive from the northern area to the southern.

There was a very old store on this block, one of the first in Marulan and owned by George Montgomerie. He delivered groceries in a wheelbarrow and even went out of town as far as ‘Lockyersleigh’, a distance of about 10 kms.

The Montgomeries’ were associated with Marulan from the 1860’s, with members of the family residing in Marulan in the town until at least WWI. For most of that time the family owned a general store and with 13 children in the family their contribution to the early days of Marulan was considerable.

This building was first a hotel run by Mr. & Mrs. Fisher and their nine children. It later became a grocery shop. They had the first refrigerator in town and in the 1930s, began to have ice cream delivered by train – a big hit with the kids as the ice creams were only one penny.

This house was originally a slab house used as a lolly shop – bulls’ eyes, barley sugar twists or conversation lollies were all wrapped in newspaper. The present house was built in 1930 by Jack Sieler as the residence for the manager of Metropolitan Portland Cement.

There was an old weatherboard house here that burned down. Jack Sieler then bought the block and built ‘Cora Lynn’ with bricks taken from the Old Wingello Stockade area.

Mrs. Sharkey who worked at the hotel, had just won the lottery and bought ‘Cora Lynn’. The sandstone base was quarried by convicts.

The hall that once stood here was originally a temperance hall, but it was bought by the lodge in 1878. It was a popular hall for parties, dances, church bazaars, travelling picture shows, etc.

From 1884 – 1905 this hall was used as the Court House. The old Court House was out at Old Marulan. From 1940 – 1945 this was the site for the Air Spotting Station manned by volunteers with a 24 hour direct telephone line to Goulburn. They were the Volunteer Air Observer Corps.

Scouts, guides, etc. met here. The hall had many uses over the years but was demolished in the 1970s.
The area along the back of these shops was used for camps – migrant workers on the gas line, etc. It was once a drive-by cafe.

A large sign hung outside his building – ‘Horse Shoes, Agricultural Implement-Making and General Blacksmith’.

The house was occupied by Mrs. Williams from the 1940s and she taught the piano – many budding musicians in Marulan learned from her. Ron Brewer, the local MP from 1965-1984 boarded with Mrs. Williams before World War II.

This building was probably also built by Jack Sieler in the early 20th century. Jack seems to have loved building houses which was lucky for us as they are all now part of our heritage. The building began as a butcher’s shop run by James Woodward who had a ‘cutting cart’ with a small horse, and he went around town selling meat. He also travelled to Tallong and Wingello twice a week.

The building was then turned into a garage with several different owners until about 1960s when it became a general store for many years. After a period of many years standing empty, it was revamped and is now a café.

Another building of Jack Sieler’s was the Coronation Store built in 1902 and it has a foundation stone that reads: THIS STONE WAS LAID BY N.J. SCOULLER, PM, JP, JUNE 26TH, 1902. We believe the PM didn’t stand for Prime Minister but Postmaster. (If the store is open you may go in and ask to view the stone). It is called the Coronation Store because it was opened at the time of the coronation of Edward Vll.

The shop originally had a sign ‘Ladies’ and Gents’ Wearing Apparel, Dress Materials, etc.’ There has been a variety of businesses here, even a swap shop. It has now been restored and is a boutique giftware store called ‘George Street Peddlers’ with ‘Coronation Cottage’ as an Air BnB in the house. The old, galvanised shed at the back is supposedly the pavilion from the showground (we don’t have a showground now) and it stored all kinds of agricultural machinery and stores. At the rear of the house is a room known as the band room. This was where the brass band gathered regularly to practice.

This classic Georgian–style house was the first of the houses built by Jack Sieler, with the name and date of 1889 set above the front door.

Jack at one time, lived along the highway to the north of Marulan at the property known as ‘Wingello Park’, and the story is that the beautiful sandstone came from the ruins of the nearby ‘White Horse Inn’ which was vacant from about 1860.

This building was always used as a house and it was bought by a Russian family in the 1950s. The children married and moved away. Mrs. Kockenow died and her son, Jimmy, who was a bachelor, decided to sell. Lorna Parr bought it in 2004 for tearooms and antique shop. It was recently sold again, and the tearooms are now being used as an antique store.

You can see the Coronation Stores and Wattle Glen in this photo, then all the wooden buildings between them and the Butchers Shop is where the Old Garage site is now.

There was originally a small house on this site – the dressmaker’s house. Mrs. Brown and her three daughters were all dressmakers. Then two of them got married and Mrs. Brown died, so poor Ida Brown moved to Goulburn. The house was occupied until the 1940s, then demolished.

Next to it was a long, rambling building made from bits and pieces from the inn down the highway. I was also pulled down in the early 1950s and the garage built. There are nine sites in the main street that, over the years, were garages as well as a towing service.

The main Hume Highway passed right through the town until the by­ pass in 1985. Old time residents say that, on a busy weekend, it was impossible to get out of their driveways. The checking station is the third that we have had and is now computerised. The trucks approach the WIM at 60 kph and, as they go through, a sign comes up ‘Return to Highway’ or ‘Go to Weighbridge’.

There was a slab-built butcher’s shop built here in 1896, originally leased by the Felthams, and they had a slaughter house and yards on their property out of town. At one time it is said the customers queued up outside and were served through a window. ‘Granny’ Feltham was still serving meat at 93. This Victorian shop has had a Federation-style house added and, as far as can be ascertained, this site has always been a butcher’s shop, but at one time, there was a bakery at the rear.

A report in a Sydney paper in the 1880s said there were two butcher shops in Marulan and, in each, the butcher had a big smile on his face. The reporter states “I wonder why it is that butchers are generally found to be smiling and happy”. People come from all over to buy meat here these days, as they sell fantastic quality meat, sausages and pies.

A reliable date for the erection of this building is unknown, but is estimated to be around the mid 1870s. It began as a private home, then became a blacksmith’s. Towards the end of the 1800s it was used by the late Jack Sieler as a shop until he built his ‘Coronation Store’.

It had big blocks in the backyard. It has been variously used as a general store, barber’s shop, real estate agent, tearoom, lolly shop, florist, gifts store and presently it’s a beauty salon. It was built of very solid stone of ‘splendid design and proportion’ and has been described as an ‘architectural gem’. In the early days, there was a skating rink behind the shop.

Look to the upper storey window. That was used to haul goods into the building from wagons which pulled up outside.

At one stage, lsedale’s Bus Company operated from here.

The old buildings (Nissan huts) that were here were demolished quite a few years ago to make way for a supermarket and local shopping complex. The IGA supermarket opened early in 2019.

There are only two things in Marulan classified by the Heritage Council – the palm tree in the centre is one of them.

This hotel was built by Mary Carrigan in 1880. She and her first husband had the White Horse Inn, and after his death, Mary married again and they ran the Duke of Edinburgh until her second husband died, then she built this hotel. The Royal was the most elaborate in town with plush curtains, beautiful furnishings, a billiard room at the back and a huge lounge across the front upstairs, with windows looking out to the main street. Between the hotel and the school next door, there were small weatherboard motel-like quarters, where travellers and boarders slept.

After Mary’s death, her eldest daughter, Annie Kelly and her husband ran the hotel then leased it out. About the turn of the century, hotel licences were reviewed by the Government and, in 1901, the Royal lost its licence around 1901, when all hotel licences were recalled. Perhaps the town wasn’t large enough to warrant two hotels and the owner of the Terminus had a son in Parliament, so he kept his licence. It has been used as a boarding house, a shop/cafe and a B & B.

The Royal operated as a boarding house for a while, a shop/cafe and a B&B before becoming a private home. In 2015 new owners restored the old hotel and won the award for the best restoration at Goulburn Mulwaree Council’s Heritage Awards Night.

In 2010 the school celebrated its 150th birthday. It began at ‘Old Marulan’ in 1860 and, after the building of the railway, the school like many other businesses moved to the new Marulan in 1870.

Because Marulan school at Old Marulan was still operating, this school was known as Mooroowoollen School until 1880 when the Inspector said he wanted it changed as ‘no one has ever heard of Mooroowoollen and they don’t know where it is’.

The school had many problems in 1886. William Cunningham was employed as the pupil teacher and was the son of the Marulan storekeeper. He was reported by parents for misbehaviour and in November, the Principal, Mr. Snowdon was declared bankrupt. However, he remained at the school for another 13 years. Mr. Snowdon applied for a fuel allowance for his house as it was very cold. It was refused because, if the residence was given fuel the school would want some too.

William Cunningham received a bad report from the inspector as “his mind has lately been engrossed with the idea that we would like to be a telegraph operator on the railway”. Cunningham was removed to North Goulburn.

In an address to the Historical Society, Don Connor stated that in the 1940s the Marulan School was well attended and produced great concerts, fancy dress balls and sporting events. At that time Marulan Public School had a principal and one assistant. Secondary school children travelled to Goulburn by train. They boarded the train at 6.45 a.m. And arrived home at between 6.30 p.m. and 7.00 p.m.

During WWII, schools in NSW built air-raid shelters and one was built in the playground at Marulan Public School. Regular practices were held to get out of the classroom and into the shelter in an orderly fashion.

After WW2, the teacher wrote to the Inspector saying that there were seven migrants working at Mt. Frome mine, who were required to learn English and could he teach them at night. The Inspector agreed. That was in January. In May the teacher wrote to say he had 60 migrants coming and could his assistant (a young girl) take a class in the room beside his. There was no light in her room so the teacher also asked for electric light. The inspector agreed to the new class by said they were only allowed light in one room per school, so he sent a Tilley lamp.

The residence was built in 1923 after many complaints from teachers. In 2006, it became the school office.

This weatherboard store with a brick dwelling attached was built by Mr. Cunningham who never got around to finishing off the residence. He sold to brothers Thomas and William Smith. William was a bachelor and Thomas was married with six children. The brothers also had a 1,000 acre sheep property called Mt. Otway. While the two men ran the property, Mrs. Smith and the children ran the store.

The building is always known as Baldock’s as Reg Baldock bought it in 1928 and there were Baldocks there until late last century. They always had the latest news for parents and a huge supply of lollies for children.

Marulan’s first Catholic church was in the Catholic cemetery area at Old Marulan. About 1930, it was gutted by fire and the beautiful sandstone was moved to the Goulburn Catholic Cemetery on Middle Arm Road where it has been done up as a chapel near the crematorium.

This new church was built in Marulan in 1930, the stone work foundations came from the old Wingello Stockade Lockup and were donated by Mr. Murphy. St. Patrick’s school operated in the church from 1930 to 1938, it was used as a school during the week and a church on Sunday.

Families from Marulan and surrounding area attended. The Sisters of St. Joseph’s, North Goulburn, came to Marulan each day to teach the children. Sister Mary Barbara sent the following information, “an early morning walk to the Cathedral at 6.30 am for Mass then a rush for the 7.30 am train, then back on the 2.25 pm train in the afternoon”. A midday meal for the Sisters was provided each day from the Hotel by the proprietors.

The Sisters of St. Joseph’s school in Goulburn came out each day on the train, they walked from the Convent to the station and caught the 7.00 a.m. train and returned on the train leaving Marulan at 2.30 p.m. On Fridays the Sisters of St. Joseph’s assisted the pupils to prepare the church for the Sunday service.

The Catholic school children and the Public school children were sworn enemies and there are many stories of feuds. There was a famous cricket match but, as one ex-Catholic school student reported, the Publics had all the best players and they wouldn’t allow the Catholics to import players.

In 1935, the school was the scene of a debutantes’ ball. All Marulan’s younger set were there and were presented to the Prime Minister, Joseph Lyons.

St. Patrick’s continues to operate as a church with Mass being held on the second Sunday of each month at 8.30 am.