Bushranger Hotel facts for kids

The Bushranger Hotel is a very old hotel in Collector, Australia. It's famous because of its connection to a well-known Australian bushranger named Ben Hall. Bushrangers were like outlaws or bandits in the Australian bush, especially in the 1800s. This hotel is part of a group of historic places called the Ben Hall Sites. It was built a long time ago, between 1860 and 1861. It was also known as Kimberley's Commercial Hotel or Kimberley's Inn. Today, it is recognized as an important historical site and is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register.

History of the Bushranger Hotel

The area around Collector first had official land grants in 1829. Later, in 1841, some of this land was divided up. Around 1851, a leather-worker named Thomas Kimberly opened a boot shop in Collector. His boots became quite famous!

Building the Hotel

Ten years later, in 1860–1861, Thomas Kimberly built the Kimberley's Commercial Hotel. This is the building we now call the Bushranger Hotel. He even included his boot shop inside the new hotel. At that time, there were five hotels in Collector. They were very busy because many people were traveling through the town. These travelers were often gold miners heading to the gold fields at Kiandra. Collector was also a stop for people going to the Monaro region.

Ben Hall's Visit

On January 26, 1865, the famous bushranger Ben Hall and his gang members, John Gilbert and John Dunn, arrived in Collector. They had been holding up people on the road nearby. Hall and Gilbert went into Kimberley's Commercial Hotel to look for money and guns. John Dunn stayed outside, watching over some people they had taken hostage.

While this was happening, Constable Samuel Nelson, the only police officer in Collector, came towards the hotel. One of his sons was already among the hostages outside. When Dunn saw Constable Nelson, he fired his rifle, hitting Nelson. Nelson sadly died. After this, Hall and Gilbert came out of the hotel. They took Nelson's belt and firearms, then quickly left town.

A special memorial has since been built next to the hotel to remember Constable Nelson.

The Hotel Today

Even though the hotel's history is strongly linked to Ben Hall, it has continued to operate. It was once licensed by a Mrs. Marlin. Today, the building is still a working hotel, offering a bistro (a small restaurant) and places to stay overnight.

What the Hotel Looks Like

The Bushranger Hotel is made up of two main buildings that have been connected over time.

The Main Building

The front part of the hotel is the original building. It was built in a style called Victorian Georgian. This means it has a balanced and classic look, common in the 1800s. It was first built without a front porch, or verandah. The walls are made of rough stone, with red bricks used around the windows and doors. The roof is a special shape called a truncated gable with a skillion at the back. It has two levels.

Over the years, changes have been made. A part of the building was extended to create the public bar. A two-story verandah was added to the front. The top part of this verandah has been enclosed, perhaps for extra rooms.

The Rear Building and Inside

Behind the main building, there's another building that was once separate. It's also made of the same stone and red bricks. Now, a roof connects it to the front building.

Inside, the ground floor of the hotel has a bar, a lounge area, a restaurant, a kitchen, and a beer garden. Upstairs, there are rooms for guests to stay.

Constable Nelson's Memorial

On the side of the hotel, there is a memorial for Constable Nelson. It's a tall, pointed stone monument called an obelisk, standing on three steps. A steel fence surrounds it. The words on the monument explain that it was put there by the Government of New South Wales to remember Constable Samuel Nelson, who was killed by John Dunn on that spot in 1865 while doing his duty.

The hotel has had many additions and changes over the years, but it still looks much like it did in the past. It has been a hotel continuously since it was built.

Why the Hotel is Important

The Bushranger Hotel is considered a very important historical site, especially because of its connection to the Ben Hall gang.

A Place of History

The hotel is special because it's one of the few places that was attacked by bushrangers and is still in use today. It helps us understand what life was like when bushrangers were active in New South Wales. It shows how bushrangers would take people hostage in public places like hotels during their robberies. The hotel also reminds us of the danger and fear that bushrangers brought to communities, especially with Constable Nelson's death right next to it. His death was one of three murders linked to Ben Hall's gang.

Gold Rush Connection

The Bushranger Hotel also shows how the gold rush in the 1800s affected towns like Collector. Many hotels were built to serve the growing number of people traveling for gold. This hotel is a good example of a mid-19th-century stone hotel built in the Victorian Georgian style.

Special Associations

The hotel is strongly linked to Ben Hall, John Dunn, and John Gilbert, who were well-known bushrangers in the 1860s. The raid on the hotel on January 26, 1865, where hostages were taken and money was stolen, is a key part of its history. The fact that Constable Nelson was killed here by John Dunn makes the hotel even more significant.

Unique Survivor

The Bushranger Hotel is important locally because it is the only one of the original five inns in Collector that is still standing and operating. This makes it a rare and special survivor from that time.