ToodyaYesterday essay: A Tale of a Tavern

A Tale of a Tavern: a short history of the Toodyay Tavern, formerly the Newcastle Hotel (1862) and incorporating the former Newcastle Steam Flour Mill (1865), by Beth Frayne

Extract from Duidgeeana, the newsletter of the Toodyay Historical Society (Inc.), Issue No. 17, Sept. Oct. 2010, pp. 5-8.

Photo caption: The Toodyay Tavern in 2010. (Photo: Beth Frayne, 2010)

In 2010, the Toodyay Tavern on Stirling Terrace, Toodyay, was one of Toodyay’s three 19th century two-storey hotels which served the residents and visitors of this Avon Valley town. The Newcastle Hotel, as the Tavern was originally called, opened on 1 October 1862 and hence was only two years short of celebrating its 150th anniversary (2012). A detailed description and history of the Tavern and its associated shops and cottage located at 82-86 Stirling Terrace has yet to be written. The tavern and the two semi-detached shops (1890s) and cottage (ca 1910) on Lot 18 are listed on the Shire of Toodyay’s Municipal Inventory (1998) and are included in the Central Toodyay Heritage Precinct. This building group was a Category 3 rating (some/moderate significance; conservation desirable) in the draft MI revision. The tavern is described in the Statewide survey of hotels 1829-1939, southern region, Western Australia (1997) where it was given high integrity and authenticity ratings.

File date: 31 July 2022. Access: Investigator and Query Subscribers