Old Canberra Inn facts for kids
The Old Canberra Inn is a very old pub in the Canberra area of Australia. It was built even before Canberra became a city! You can find it today in the suburb of Lyneham.
The original building was a simple hut made of wooden slabs. Joseph Shumack built it in 1857. Later, in 1876, it became an inn where people could stay. It was a popular stop for coaches traveling between Yass and Queanbeyan. In 1887, Joseph sold the inn to John Read. It then became the Read family home until 1974. They called it The Pines. After that, it was fixed up and opened again as the Old Canberra Inn.
Today, the Old Canberra Inn is famous for its special craft beers. They have 8 different beer taps, and all of them serve unique craft beers.
The Shumack Family Story
Joseph Shumack (1836-1901) built the first part of the "Old Canberra Inn" in 1857. He was born in Ireland in 1836. When he was five years old, in 1841, he moved to Australia with his parents. The Shumack family helped a lot in the early days of Canberra. Joseph's cousin, Samuel Shumack, was also a very well-known member of the family.
In 1842, Joseph's father got a farm called Glebe Farm. It was near Duntroon and the Molonglo River. Joseph lived there with his family. In 1849, his father passed away suddenly. Joseph was only 13 at the time. His mother, Margaret, continued to farm the land with her four young children. In 1854, she married Edward Woods.
In 1856, Joseph received his own 100-acre piece of land. This was where the "Old Canberra Inn" stands today. He built a house and started farming. He also bought another nearby piece of land. In 1877, a traveler wrote about the property:
- "The Canberra Inn belongs to Mr J. Shumack. He has 200 acres around the hotel. Fifty acres are used for growing wheat and oats."
In 1865, Joseph married Bridget Mary Ward (1836-1914). She was from County Cork, Ireland. They had four children together.
From Home to Inn
In the late 1850s, many new coach services started. They traveled through Yass and Ginninderra to Queanbeyan and Braidwood. Joseph's house was perfectly located next to the Yass to Queanbeyan Road. So, in 1876, he decided to turn his home into the "Canberra Inn." He got a special licence to sell drinks.
The Inn became a regular stop for the mail coach between Yass and Queanbeyan. It also served coaches going to the Araluen Goldfields.
In 1887, Joseph decided to sell his property. He put an advertisement in the newspapers. The ad described the Old Canberra Inn like this:
- "It has 202 acres of land. The house has 7 rooms, plus 3 separate rooms, 2 storerooms, a kitchen, and 2 stables. There are also other necessary buildings.
- The land is on the famous Canberra Plain. It is great for farming. It is divided into 5 fenced areas, has good grass, and always has water."
Joseph's nephew, John Read, bought the house.
The Read Family and "The Pines"
John Read (1868-1917) bought the Old Canberra Inn in 1887. He changed it back into a family home and named it "The Pines." The Read family lived there for almost 90 years. John Read was born in Canberra in 1868. His father, Hugh Read (1838-1894), came to Australia in 1856. Hugh worked for Joseph Shumack. In 1862, Hugh married Joseph's sister, Eliza Shumack. They had ten children and lived on a property called "Wattle Grove" in Sutton.
In 1895, John Read married Ellen Maloney (1871-1962). Her father, Robert Maloney, owned land very close to the Old Canberra Inn.
John and Ellen had six children. You can see three of them in the photo from 1910. They are Eileen, Jack, and Harry, standing outside their home, "The Pines." The Read family continued to farm the land. In 1898, John even won a prize for his oat crop at an agricultural show.
John passed away in 1917. His wife, Ellen, continued to live at "The Pines" for the rest of her life. She died in 1962 at the age of 90. Her sons, Robert and Thomas, often lived with her and helped with the farm. Three of her other children also settled in the Canberra area. Jack Read, who is in the photo, built Strathnairn Homestead in 1924. He later owned a hotel in Braidwood.
After Ellen died in 1962, her two sons, Robert and Thomas, continued to live at "The Pines." Robert died in 1966, and Thomas died in 1973. In 1974, the government bought the property. They decided to fix it up and turn it back into an inn, which is what it is today!
