Jack & Newell General Store, Herberton facts for kids

Jack & Newell General Store
Jack & Newell General Store, 1992
Location	Grace Street, Herberton, Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia
Design period	1870s - 1890s (late 19th century)
Built	c. 1882, 1895
Queensland Heritage Register
Official name: Jack & Newell General Store & Petrol Bowser (former)
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	22 April 1993
Reference no.	600539
Significant period	1880s, 1890s (fabric) c. 1882-1977 (historical use)
Significant components	petrol - bowser, furniture/fittings, shed/s
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

The Jack & Newell General Store is a very old and important building in Herberton, Australia. It's actually two shops joined together on Grace Street. The first part was built around 1882, and the second part was added in 1895. Because it's so special, it was officially listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in 1993. This means it's protected for future generations to see.

The Story of Jack & Newell

How Herberton Began

Herberton became a town because of a big discovery in April 1880. Miners named William Jack, John Newell, Thomas Brandon, and John Brown found a large amount of tin nearby. Tin was a very valuable metal back then.

These four men, along with William Joss, bought about 60 acres of land. They named their mining claim "The Great Northern." Soon, many people rushed to the area hoping to find tin. By August 1880, Herberton was officially laid out as a town. It already had a hotel, a butcher shop, and three stores. One of these stores belonged to William Jack. The tin found around Herberton was some of the richest ever discovered in Australia.

William Jack's First Store

William Jack sold his share in "The Great Northern" mine to a businessman named John Moffatt. Then, he opened Herberton's very first store in a small hut made of bark. Jack likely built the more solid timber store, which you can still see today, after he bought the land for the store in October 1881. This building was made from strong, pit-sawn cedar wood.

The Partnership of Jack & Newell

In 1882, John Newell joined William Jack as a business partner. Their company was called Jack & Newell, and they were general merchants. This meant they sold all sorts of goods. They also helped with shipping and forwarding items. In 1885, John Newell married William Jack's daughter, Janet.

As more mining areas were found, Jack & Newell opened many stores. They eventually had a chain of 26 stores across the Atherton Tableland. Often, their stores were the main source of money and supplies for these new settlements. The company even had its own special paper money! Banks and other businesses across North Queensland accepted it. By the late 1890s, Jack & Newell was the biggest merchant company north of Townsville.

William Jack passed away in 1910, but the business kept the name Jack & Newell.

John Newell's Public Service

John Newell stayed involved with mining in North Queensland his whole life. He also played a big part in local government. He became a justice of the peace in 1884, which meant he could help with legal matters. He was a member of the local councils for Herberton and Tinaroo. He even served as the mayor of Herberton from 1888 to 1889.

From 1896 to 1902, he was a Member of the Queensland Parliament for the area called Woothakata. He was also a member of the Cairns Harbour Board from 1906 to 1921. He was even the vice-president of the short-lived Cairns Stock Exchange. John Newell died in 1932. Some of the Jack & Newell stores continued to operate until the 1970s. The Herberton store was the main office until about 1960 and finally closed in late 1977.

What the Store Looks Like

The Jack & Newell General Store is a single-story building with two shops. It sits on a corner where Grace Street and William Street meet. The roof is made of corrugated iron and has two pointed sections, called gables. There's also a roof-like structure, an awning, that covers the sidewalk on both streets. This awning is held up by timber posts.

The building is made of timber and covered with deep, pit-sawn chamferboard. These are wooden planks with a special angled edge. The front of the shops on Grace Street have flat, column-like decorations called pilasters. Both shops have their main doors in the middle. A newer shop has been built next to the original ones. This new shop has a timber gable parapet (a low wall at the edge of the roof) and an awning that looks similar to the old shops.

You can also see an old petrol bowser (a gas pump) on the William Street side of the building. Behind the store, there's a small shed made of fibrous cement and a grassy area for parking cars.

Inside, the corner shop still has its original shelves. You can see the wooden beams that support the roof, called trusses. There are also long wooden counters with old-fashioned swivel stools attached to the floor. The second shop is a bakery and has been covered with hardboard on the inside. The building has been updated recently, and some of the original signs have been painted over.

Why This Place is Special

The former Jack & Newell General Store was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1993. This means it's recognized as an important part of Queensland's history and culture.

A Glimpse into Queensland's Past

This store helps us understand how North Queensland grew and developed. It shows us how towns like Herberton started because of the tin mining boom in the late 1800s. It was also the very first store in the big chain of Jack & Newell stores that spread across the Atherton Tableland.

Rare and Unique Features

It's rare to find such an old general store from the 1880s in North Queensland that still has its original pit-sawn cedar timber. The inside of the store is also special because it still looks a lot like a 19th-century drapery (fabric) store. You can see the old shelves, counters, and seating, which are very well preserved.

Beautiful and Important to the Community

The building has a special look that the people of Herberton value. Its size, shape, and materials, along with the old petrol bowser, make Grace Street and the whole town look unique. The inside, with its exposed roof beams and old shop fittings, also has a lot of charm.

The Jack & Newell General Store is very important to the local community. It's one of the oldest buildings in Herberton and holds many memories for the people who live there.

Connection to Important People

This place has a strong connection to William Jack and John Newell. They played a huge part in starting Herberton and its tin mining industry. They also helped develop business and trade across the Atherton Tableland in the late 1800s.

Images for kids

• 

  William Jack, early explorer in the Herberton District Queensland

• 

  John Newell