Old Goulburn Brewery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old Goulburn Brewery |
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| Location | Bungonia Road, Goulburn, Goulburn Mulwaree Council, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1836–1840 |
| Architect | Francis Greenway |
| Owner | Goulburn Brewery Pty Limited |
| Official name: Goulburn Brewery; Bradley's Mill; Bradley's Brewery; Bartlett's Brewery; Tooth's Brewery; Bradley Grange | |
| Type | state heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 178 |
| Type | Brewery |
| Category | Manufacturing and Processing |
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The Old Goulburn Brewery is a very old building in Goulburn, Australia. It was once a place where flour was made and beer was brewed. Today, it's a hotel and restaurant. A famous architect named Francis Greenway helped design it. It was built between 1836 and 1840.
People also know it by other names like Bradley's Mill, Bradley's Brewery, Bartlett's Brewery, Tooth's Brewery, and Bradley Grange. This historic site is protected on the New South Wales State Heritage Register.
Contents
A Long History
The land where the Old Goulburn Brewery stands was first offered for settlement in 1818. In 1833, a man named William Bradley bought 600 acres of this land. He was interested because it was close to his other property, Landsdowne Estate. Also, the town of Goulburn had just moved nearby in 1832.
Bradley owned a lot of land, about 300,000 acres in total. This was about a tenth of all the land available in the Monaro area.
Early Mill and Brewery Operations
In 1838, William Bradley and William Shelley started a business together. They planned to mill flour and brew beer. Building the mill likely began in 1836. By 1838, the mill was finished and working. It continued as a mill until 1869.
The brewery part of the business probably started in the early 1840s. It operated until 1854, when brewing stopped. People at the time often preferred English beers over local ones. Also, the price of Bradley's beer went up, and people stopped buying it.
In 1859, there were plans to start making malt again for brewing. However, it seems not enough barley was grown to make this happen.
Changes in Ownership and Use
William Bradley passed away in 1868. In 1874, the mill and brewery complex was sold to new owners. In 1869, the building stopped being a flour mill. A company called Goulburn Meat Preserving Company took over in 1870. They tried to preserve meat but were not successful and closed in 1871.
The complex then sat empty until 1875. That year, W. J. Bartlett and J. S. Oddy leased the buildings. They planned to use it as a brewery and make their own malt. They also thought about adding a sawmill, but this didn't happen.
Bartlett and Oddy started brewing in June 1875. In 1879, Oddy left the partnership, and Bartlett became the sole owner. He ran the brewery until 1920.
Between 1887 and 1896, James E. and Robert S. Raymond managed the brewery for Andrew Seton Chisholm. The brewery continued to be known as Bartlett and Co. Bartlett himself returned to brewing in 1897.
Tooth and Company Era
In 1913, Bartlett divided the land into two parts. One part had the mill and brewery, and the other had his home. In 1920, a large company called Tooth and Co. bought the brewery for a lot of money. They also gained control of several hotels.
Tooth and Company took over the brewery in late 1920. Bartlett stayed on to supervise for a year before retiring. Frank Carman, who had worked for Bartlett, became the manager. Under his leadership, the brewery became a depot for Tooth and Co. products.
Brewing at the site finally stopped in August 1929. The company decided to use the buildings only as a storage depot. This decision was partly because they needed to replace old equipment during a tough economic time.
In 1954, Jim Malcolm became the manager of the Goulburn depot. The company planned to close the depot if the previous manager, Frank Carman, remained unwell. Carman passed away in 1955, and the depot officially closed in August 1956.
Modern Use and Restoration
In 1958, Frank Carman's son and daughter-in-law, Hedley and Joyce Carman, bought the buildings. They turned part of the building into a modern apartment and lived there until 1975. They also tried to store hay, but floods made it unsuitable.
In the mid-1970s, the Goulburn City Council was interested in buying the complex for tourism. This didn't happen. In 1975, the Carmans sold the property to Phoenix Community Services Ltd. This group used it as a rehabilitation center until the mid-1980s.
Finally, in 1989, the complex reopened after being restored. It now includes the brewery, a hotel, a restaurant, event rooms, a theater, an art gallery, and accommodation.
Building Features
The buildings at the Old Goulburn Brewery are mostly made of strong brickwork. They are very well built and have a charming look. Most of the complex looked similar to how it does now by the mid-1800s. In 1997, it was reported to be in excellent condition.
Building Changes Over Time
- 1870: An old boiler room, maltings (where grain is prepared for brewing), kiln, and an office were added. A bottle washing area was also built.
- 1871: Two cottages for brewers were added.
- 1877: A new boiler room and a barrel storage area were built. Some older parts like the mews, old boiler room, maltings, and malt kiln were changed.
- 1878: A cooperage (where barrels are made) was added.
- Around 1879-1902: The cooperage, cellar, brew hall, and gyle room were added. The main tower was made taller. The bottling room, cool room, and brew tower were changed.
- 1920: An electric motor room was added, and the new boiler room was changed.
- Around 1984-1989: The entire brewery complex was restored.
Why It's Important
The Goulburn Mill/Brewery is one of the oldest and most important industrial buildings still standing in country New South Wales from early colonial times. It shows how industries like flour milling and brewing changed over time in the region.
It is connected to important people like William Bradley, who owned a lot of land and helped develop the area. It's also linked to W.J. Bartlett, a brewer who was also a generous person in the community.
The changes made to the buildings over the years show how technology for milling and brewing improved. The large size and unique look of the buildings make it a local landmark in Goulburn. It reminds us how important Goulburn was as a major town in southern NSW in the 1800s.
The site also has many old items, like machinery, that help us understand its history.
The Goulburn Brewery was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 because it meets several important standards:
Cultural History
The Goulburn Brewery is important because it shows 120 years of different industrial activities. These activities took place in the same group of buildings, which were first built within the first 50 years of European settlement in NSW. It's a unique example of a long-lasting and complex industrial site in Australia.
The brewery's history also shows how financial power changed in the state. It was first owned by large landowners, then by business people, then by big companies, and more recently by government and community groups.
Creative and Technical Achievement
Since Goulburn was first settled, the Brewery complex has been seen as a beautiful and important place. Its location near the Mulwaree Ponds, its Georgian style, and later additions have made it a popular subject in drawings and photos. The area around it has largely stayed the same, so you can still see it as people did long ago.
The main buildings show the influence of British Georgian building styles from the early 1800s. The design uses geometry and proportion to create a harmonious group of buildings. It can be compared to other famous designs by architects like Francis Greenway, such as the Hyde Park Barracks.
Community Connection
Local people really value this place and respect its history. More and more people are seeing its potential as a tourist attraction. The Brewery is considered an important part of Goulburn's future.
Research Potential
The materials used in the brewery over the years show how technology improved. It started with handmade local materials like bricks and mud, then moved to machine-made local items, and finally to imported parts. Even with these changes, the work was always practical and well-made.
The changes to the brewery buildings clearly show how brewing and milling technology changed over 120 years. The site has many layers of activity, meaning the buildings and surfaces hold clues about past uses. This makes it a great place for future archaeological studies. There is also a large collection of old items that can help researchers understand changes in technology.
