Just an hour walk around the streets you can see the why Trundle has survived due to is sense of community. Starting at the Trundle Hotel - maybe you should get a cup of coffee or a cold drink before you start and remember this story or is it part of the town history:

"A commercial traveller who booked into the Trundle Hotel one night walked onto the verandah the next morning and asks what the name of the town in the distance was. He was referring to the shops on the other side of the street."

The walk starts at the Trundle Hotel heading down Forbes Street (North) towards the Memorial Hall.

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War Memorial Hall

When the old town hall burnt down on 23 March 1923 the community rallied to commence fund raising to build another Town Hall. On 10 March 1926, Edward Beale’s of Pitt Street, Sydney, tender for $10,059.00 was accepted and later amended to $10,790.00. The building was officially opened on 15 March 1927 by Mr E. L. Jones, who had donated the land and a Grand Concert organised by Mrs T. C. Medlyn. During the evening Miss D. Mudge was crowned Queen of Trundle, for raising the most money in the Queens Competition to raise money to build the hall. The War Memorial Hall is run by a volunteer committee and is the focus for many of the towns’ events e.g. School Concerts, Town Meetings, ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day Services, Balls and functions.

Trundle Volunteer Ambulance Station

In 1943 a new Chevy Coupe Utility was purchased and converted to an ambulance at a cost of $720 and the towns’ people had paid off the debt by March 1946. The ambulance was housed at Clarkes Garage. In 1947 a proposed ambulance station was discussed but it was not until 1956 that the building was erected. In 1950 the Trundle Ambulance Service was incorporated into the Parkes district ambulance Service. Special mention must go to the Clarke family (Alva, Albert, Ray and Bill) for there work in both establishing and running the volunteer service for many years. Albert being awarded the National Medal in 1985 with two bars in recognition of forty years service to the community.

In 2009 the Trundle volunteer ambulance members were shocked to find the building empty. They later found that the NSW Ambulance Service removed the ambulance and relocated it to Lake Cargelligo without consultation with the community. The volunteer ambulance service is still active today and a first responder ambulance  is back.

Old CWA Rooms

The Trundle Branch of the Country Women's Association was formed on 13 May 192. Membership grew in the following years. The land was obtained at a cost of $120 in 1924 to build CWA Rooms and tenders called for the building in October 1925. The brick building was erected for $1200 in 1927.

During 1929 it was decided to erect four rooms at the rear of the CWA Rooms. These rooms were used as a residence for the Bush Nurse and the Baby Health centre operated from the CWA Rooms.

The CWA still play an important part in the Community of Trundle. Though they purchased and meet in the old Masonic Temple in Gobondery Street.

CWA Rooms or old Masonic Temple

The Trundle Branch of the Masonic Lodge was formed on 24 July 1914. When given its Charter on 25 February 1915 meetings were held in the Presbyterian Church. The Masons were able to build their own Masonic Temple on land donated by E.L. Jones by 1919. This building served as the Lodge until the current building was dedicated by H.G. Mars in 1960. With the closing of the Masonic Lodge the building found a new use as the current CWA Hall.

Berry Uniting Memorial Church

The Berry Memorial Church was opened and dedicated on Saturday 25th March 1939. The church was a gift of Mrs Walter Berry in memory of her husband and to commemorate the arrival of the Berry's at "Woodview" in 1887.

The churches architect was Hedley Carr and was built by J. Fullerton. The church was dedicated by the Rev. R.H. Campbell (Ex-President of the Church) These days the church as become part of the Uniting Church of Australia.

 

Old Petrol Depot

This building was the petrol depot for Clarke's Garage. The depot held the bulk petrol supplies.

When the depot was build, the Goobang Shire Engineer, Mr Kelly required the tin walls to be placed on the inside - as he believed - to lessen the risk of destruction of the building as the wooden beams would not catch alight and it would lessen the damage during a fire.. The depot was built about the early 1930's.

The Depot stored these petrol brands - Mobil, Vacuum, ESSO, Shell, Neptune.

Anglican Church

The original Church of England Church was erected in 1913 with services before that being held at the Presbyterian Church and School of Arts Hall. Due to structural problems with the old church, Mr J. Fullerton was commissioned to build a new church for $35,000.00. The new church was consecrated by Right Rev. E.K. Leslie, Bishop of Bathurst on 30 October 1971.

Presbyterian Church

The Presbyterian Church was opened in March 1909. Prior to this all Protestant Denominations held there services at the School of Arts Hall. After the opening Methodists, and Church of England worshipper s and later the Baptists used the church before establishing there own church. Rev Finlay Brown was the parish minster for several years after the opening of the church in 1909.

St Patricks School and Convent

Catholic Education begun in 1924 when the Mercy Sisters began a school which operated from the recently built Presbytery (opened July 24, 1921). In 1926 a fund was established under the guidance of Father Sexton with the aim building a proper school building. The fine new brick school was built by Mr Norman Doyle of Condobolin and opened February 6, 1928. The Catholic Community attention then raised funds for the erection of a Convent to house the Sisters of Mercy. The Convent was opened on April 16, 1934 by the Apostolie Delegate to Australia, Cardinal Bernardini. The Sisters of Mercy remained in the Convent, instructing children at the school until 1971 when they were withdrawn and the school became staffed by lay teachers. In October 1978 St Patrick's Convent School celebrated its fiftieth anniversary with a special open air mass, displays of old photographs and present day work, and a special luncheon in the Memorial Hall. During that year extensive renovations were also carried out on the school with a new toilet block and staff room being built, the classrooms carpeted etc. This was the first time that any funds other than normal school fees had been used for the school since its opening. The school was recognised in the Tidy Towns Award’s in the Schools category in 2001 for the renovation to the school and playground. The economic stimulus package in 2009 saw the building of modern toilets and a store room built.

"The Cedars" Hospital

Dr Bertram was the inspiration behind the first hospital in Trundle which opened in 1914. The hospital was known as "The Cedars" and was owned by Mrs Mary Long with Dr Bartram as the licensee.

"The Cedars" was registered as a "Laying In" (or maternity) Hospital.. "The Cedars" closed in 1926. the small house on the corner was the matrons residence

St Michael's Catholic Church

Apart from structural problems it became evident during the early 1950's that the old St Michael's Church was rapidly becoming too small to cope with the increasing church congregation. In 1954 Father J. Boylan was appointed to the Trundle Parish and soon saw the urgent need for a new church. In 1957 he introduced a planned giving programme to raise funds for a new church. At the same time he engaged Terence Daly of North Sydney as architect. When Father Boylan was transferred from Trundle in early 1962 his project was well under way. The new St Michael's was opened on July 15, 1962 by His Lordship, Bishop T.M. Fox of Wilcannia-Forbes. The opening ceremony was a spectacular and colourful event which will long be remembered by the huge crowds who attended. Over 800 people crowded into the church to attend the Pontifical High Mass which followed the blessing of the church with an estimated further 120 unable to gain admittance and standing in the doorways. The design of the new church was extremely advanced for its time and it stands today as a credit to its designer and to the vision of Father Boylan

Trundle Police Station and Court House

The Police station and Court House was erected in 1899. First Constable E.K Egan was the first appointed policeman in 1898. In the 1900’s the policeman as also acted as Government Savings Bank, Motor Registry, Mines Department Office, Clerk and Petty Sessions, Acting Stock Inspector, Public Trustee Agent, Registrar of Small Debts Court.

The Court Hose dealt with many cases, one was: 23rd October 1912 - H. Hoffman, W. Barber, C. Scanlon “Near the Union Hotel, Trundle did engage in playing with an instrument of gaming, to wit, cards, a game of chance, to wit, poker for money.” Sentence - Two hours in the Bogan Gate lock up.

Trundle Central School

Following a local petition, a provisional school was approved. On November 21st 1887 the Trundle Lagoon Provisional School was officially opened.

The first teacher was Mr T Fleeting who travelled to Trundle by horse. The original school building was replaced by another in 1900  and still another in 1914 which is still in use today as primary classrooms.

Extensions and additions have occurred regularly, giving Trundle Central an eclectic physical character

 

Trundle CTC and Library

This building has a history in many different uses behind it. The current use in the Community Technology Centre and library.

• It was a garage were you could get your motor vehicle repaired or buy your petrol from Mr Hugh McCormick's International Harvester Company & Garage.
• The it was the Pre-School before it moved to the old Bowling Club site.

Trundle Bowling Club - Trundle Children's Centre

While this was the location of one of Trundle’s first Saw Mills. In July 1949 two acres of land in Railway Parade was purchased at a cost of $2,200, tenders were called for the construction of two greens and a clubhouse. The green was not constructed until 1952 and the club house was opened in November 1954. Bowling flourished in Trundle with Mrs Hilda Magill playing in district competition as well as Group Fixtures and Metropolitan versus Country matches. She also played at Australian Carnivals in Sydney, Brisbane and Tasmania being named. In the 1970’s the club was struggling with the Services and Citizens Club purchasing it for $10,545. This saved the club which eventually closed in 19?? Eventually the building was converted into the Trundle Children’s Centre when it moved from the current CTC building .

Old Joinery Building

Under the management of Mr M Wynn, commenced operations as the Trundle Steel and Joinery Works in 1951 in Tom Campbell’s Garage.

They lost most of there equipment in a fire in October 1953.  Mr Wynn decided to build modern premises in Rail Parade which were completed in 1954.  The business continued until closing down in 1957.Mr B. Thompson operated the Trundle Joinery Works in the same building till 1964.

Power Generation Shed

Where does history start with power in Trundle

Details coming soon

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heading back to the start of your walk at the Trundle Hotel and ponder on the history you have just witnessed or memories of a far simplier time.

 

Maybe the old folklore about Trundle two hotels is a good place to finish.

"Just look across the main street to the Country Energy yard and when there were two hotels, the Union (demolished in 1982) on the eastern side and Trundle Hotel on the western side, a person could get drunk in one of the hotels and by the time they crossed the street and reached the other hotel they would be sober enough to start drinking again."

How times have changed! Yet everything remains the same!

 

Remember after walk you need to re hydrate, the hotel serves many cooling drinks and a fine cup of coffee!

 

 

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