History

A Lesson in Collaboration

In its determination to meet community needs, the then Merriwa Shire Council began a journey that would result in the building of Gummun Place Hostel.

Working closely with the community, the previous Council (prior to amalgamation) worked with local groups so that our aged residents had a home that would ensure they were near family, would not be isolated in their living arrangements and would remain connected to community. That home is Gummun Place!

Gummun Place was built with a combination of fundraising and grants.

While the ownership of the facility passed to the Upper Hunter Shire Council at amalgamation it is, in every sense, a community-owned asset.

NOTE: This page is a work in progress. If you have anything to add to the building of Gummun Place, we’d love to hear it. Use our Contact Us page to tell us what you know.

Community Funds

65%

Grant Funds

35%

Community/Council Collaboration

100%

A Lesson in Working Together

100%

Fun Facts

And just for a little trivia ...

Did you know?

Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated the first telephone in Australia at "Brindley Park" Merriwa

Merriwa hosted the first bushmen's carnival (rodeo) at the Merriwa Showground in 1928

Racehorse 'OId Rowley' is now resting in Merriwa after winning the 1940 Melbourne Cup at 100 to 1

Merriwa is recognised as the birthplace of the Pony Club movement in 1946

Night-time cricket was played under lights in Merriwa (in 1983), years before the Melbourne Cricket Ground (Feb 1985)

In the early days, bullock teams hauled heavily laden wagons with huge loads of wool bales long distances over non-existent roads to Morpeth to be loaded onto ships for the trip to Sydney and then on to London

Merriwa's annual Festival of the Fleeces started in 1990, and was originally held at the "Brindley Park" wool shed. It is a tribute to the vital part sheep and wool have played in establishing Merriwa as a recognised premium agricultural district

Some of the early settlers to Merriwa included: Legislative Council AL Mackenzie, Charles Blaxland ("Cullingral"), WC Wentworth, JB Bettington ("Brindley Park" also a MLC and a director of the Bank of NSW 1828-1850), George Hall ("Gundibri"), Henry Dutton ("Terragong")