Contrary to all expectations with so many members enjoying the frozen sights of Orange a band of 7 trusty explorers headed out in pursuit of Sutherland’s history. Our first stop was the oldest house in The Shire. Now where would you believe that might be? Miranda? Lilli Pilli? Como? No, its in the Nasho down near the Church properties on Port Hacking. The cottage was built around 1846 and occupied by a dreadful character called George Gogerly, an ex-convict sent out to Australia in 1819 for Life. About 1831 he was given his ‘Ticket of Leave’ and eventually moved to the house now known as Gogerly’s Cottage. He turned himself to many trades including Publisher of the Sydney Spectator (described by the Judge at his later sentencing as a scurrilous little rag, containing articles of obscene libel – he would go well in Ulysses one member noted) The newspaper had ethics lower than Rupert Murdoch’s Newscorp, well almost. In 1843 for lewd publications he was given another 12 months in gaol. In another incident Christmas Eve1864 saw him and another fellow bringing 2 flat bottomed barges across to the property for Christmas, along with a number of passengers. He had been drinking. When he stopped half way over Port Hacking to get more rum from the other boat, he overturned his boat and the other barge. Only Gogerly and a young boy survived, 7 others were drowned. He eventually became a draper in Newtown.
Alongside Gogerly’s Cottage is Hilltop, a house you can rent from Nat Parks & Wildlife. ‘Rathane’ sitting just down below was built by George Todman, a wealthy tobacco merchant, (as in Todman Ave, Kensington, home of WD&HO Wills) built a sandstone cottage for family holidays and weekends.
From there we rode to Bonnie Vale to the site of the remains of Simpsons Hotel. William Simpson built a sandstone cottage about 1863 on the headland using convict labour on their 45 acre land grant. He was an early entrepreneur winning tourists and honeymooners from Sydney, who would travel by horse drawn coaches from Sutherland to Burraneer Bay, board a launch for the trip over Port Hacking to Simpsons camping grounds. He encouraged family groups to camp on his property alongside what is now Bonnie Vale camp grounds. As the trade increased in the late 1880’s he built a Hotel, a wharf and extended the camping grounds. The Hotel is also recognised as hosting the first school in The Shire. The Hotel tragically burn down in 1955 but the foundations remain, along with the original cottage up on the headland. Look up Simpsons Cottage on Google, as you can B&B it.
Simpson had a menagerie that included various animals, especially Deer, who naturally escaped. When we were at Gogerly’s Cottage we actually saw a deer grazing behind the cottage when we arrived. All round a great ride, good company and 125 klms of packed local history.
Rob T (Tunnels)
