Coraki.NSW. The Commercial Bank of Sydney and manager's residence. Built in brick in 1902 replacing a wooden bank from 1881. Closed as a bank in 1940.
Coraki the first town along the Richmond River. Pop 1,000.
This small town is strategically sited at the junction of the Wilson and Richmond Rivers. It was once part of the Brook cattle estate but in 1849 William Yabsley established a small boat building yard here for the growing river boat trade moving Red Cedar logs in particular. His works was followed by those of William Yaeger in 1858 who ran a tug service and later erected a saw mill. In 1866 the government surveyed and a gazetted a town called Coraki. Land was sold in 1867 with the first hotel and general store built around that time. From its inception it was a river boat town and the river trade was its life blood but by the 1870s the surrounding sugar cane farms were the mainstay of the town economy. Despite this the Northern Coast Steam Navigation Company had their headquarters in Coraki for many years. The Coraki Glebe Bridge which is just before the town when coming from Lismore is also heritage listed as it is just one of three bascule type bridges in NSW. A bascule span bridge is bridge with moveable spans that have a counterweight that continuously balances the span when the span is on its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. The bridge was built in 1905 with nine wooden spans. The cemetery is also heritage listed. It was established in 1869 and contains over 1,200 graves. It contains the headstone of two late 19th century cricketers Alex James (1874 to 1946) and Sam Anderson (1880 to 1959). Both were Aboriginal but the headstones do not mention that. Is that racism or does it show that the sportsmen were accepted for whom they were? Who puts their ethnic origins on their headstones? There is one War Grave in the cemetery for Edward Helliker of the Australian Light Horse regiment who died in 1940. The cemetery is in Henderson Street by the gold course. The wooden Coraki Hotel was erected in 1892 and the Club Hotel was rebuilt in 1898; The Commercial Bank of Sydney was built in 1902 and a new convent was built in 1907. The Anglicans built their first church in 1913 and the Drill Hall was built in 1915. Despite several early disastrous fires the first fire station was not built until 1924. Coraki has seventeen heritage listed buildings and they include the fire station, the Drill Hall, the Catholic Hall and the former school. These heritage listed buildings are in Adams Street:
•The modern Methodist and now Uniting Church.
•the local historical society uses the old Woodburn Shire Council offices built 1912 as their premises
•the fire Station built in 1924.
•St Joseph’s convent school built in 1906 after the first school burnt down. It is a wooden Gothic style building. This early school was used as the Catholic Church until the impassive red brick buttressed church next door was completed in 1923. The convent for the nuns was also built in 1906. It is a grand Arts and Crafts style two storey residence with an ugly modern carport on one side. The convent closed in 1986.
•The state school. The site was selected in 1860 and the first school built in 1873. The current red brick school rooms were built in 1898 with some 20th century additions.
•Beyond Adams in Queen Elizabeth way is the brick St Mary Magdalene Anglican Church. Behind the 20th century church is the old Catholic Church Hall from Tatham moved here in 1949. The hall was built around 1924. Local architects were used for the church which opened in 1913. Next to the church is the wooden bungalow style rectory which was built in 1924.
These heritage listed buildings are in Richmond Terrace:
No 125. The Police Station and lockups 1881 and the Walter Liberty Vernon Courthouse. Courthouse built in 1885.
No 105. The former ANZ Bank. Built in Greek classical style with portico and pillars, triangular pediment and roof balustrade. Erected in 1911 after a fire destroyed the first bank. Now rather faded.
No 95. The Club Hotel. Rebuilt in 1898. Built in wooden Federation filigree style with cast iron lace work veranda.
No 89. Built in 1901 on land purchased by Yabsley for the Commercial Bank of Sydney. A wooden bank used from 1881 until this was built in 1901. A grand structure. Bank closed in 1940 and it became a doctor’s residence.
No 83. The wooden Coraki Post Office. Built in 1890. Typical Post Office for those days. It was modernised in 1907.
No 69. The Coraki Hotel. This 23 bedroomed hotel was built in 1892. The first hotel on this site opened in 1865.
Coraki.NSW. The Commercial Bank of Sydney and manager's residence. Built in brick in 1902 replacing a wooden bank from 1881. Closed as a bank in 1940.
Coraki the first town along the Richmond River. Pop 1,000.
This small town is strategically sited at the junction of the Wilson and Richmond Rivers. It was once part of the Brook cattle estate but in 1849 William Yabsley established a small boat building yard here for the growing river boat trade moving Red Cedar logs in particular. His works was followed by those of William Yaeger in 1858 who ran a tug service and later erected a saw mill. In 1866 the government surveyed and a gazetted a town called Coraki. Land was sold in 1867 with the first hotel and general store built around that time. From its inception it was a river boat town and the river trade was its life blood but by the 1870s the surrounding sugar cane farms were the mainstay of the town economy. Despite this the Northern Coast Steam Navigation Company had their headquarters in Coraki for many years. The Coraki Glebe Bridge which is just before the town when coming from Lismore is also heritage listed as it is just one of three bascule type bridges in NSW. A bascule span bridge is bridge with moveable spans that have a counterweight that continuously balances the span when the span is on its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. The bridge was built in 1905 with nine wooden spans. The cemetery is also heritage listed. It was established in 1869 and contains over 1,200 graves. It contains the headstone of two late 19th century cricketers Alex James (1874 to 1946) and Sam Anderson (1880 to 1959). Both were Aboriginal but the headstones do not mention that. Is that racism or does it show that the sportsmen were accepted for whom they were? Who puts their ethnic origins on their headstones? There is one War Grave in the cemetery for Edward Helliker of the Australian Light Horse regiment who died in 1940. The cemetery is in Henderson Street by the gold course. The wooden Coraki Hotel was erected in 1892 and the Club Hotel was rebuilt in 1898; The Commercial Bank of Sydney was built in 1902 and a new convent was built in 1907. The Anglicans built their first church in 1913 and the Drill Hall was built in 1915. Despite several early disastrous fires the first fire station was not built until 1924. Coraki has seventeen heritage listed buildings and they include the fire station, the Drill Hall, the Catholic Hall and the former school. These heritage listed buildings are in Adams Street:
•The modern Methodist and now Uniting Church.
•the local historical society uses the old Woodburn Shire Council offices built 1912 as their premises
•the fire Station built in 1924.
•St Joseph’s convent school built in 1906 after the first school burnt down. It is a wooden Gothic style building. This early school was used as the Catholic Church until the impassive red brick buttressed church next door was completed in 1923. The convent for the nuns was also built in 1906. It is a grand Arts and Crafts style two storey residence with an ugly modern carport on one side. The convent closed in 1986.
•The state school. The site was selected in 1860 and the first school built in 1873. The current red brick school rooms were built in 1898 with some 20th century additions.
•Beyond Adams in Queen Elizabeth way is the brick St Mary Magdalene Anglican Church. Behind the 20th century church is the old Catholic Church Hall from Tatham moved here in 1949. The hall was built around 1924. Local architects were used for the church which opened in 1913. Next to the church is the wooden bungalow style rectory which was built in 1924.
These heritage listed buildings are in Richmond Terrace:
No 125. The Police Station and lockups 1881 and the Walter Liberty Vernon Courthouse. Courthouse built in 1885.
No 105. The former ANZ Bank. Built in Greek classical style with portico and pillars, triangular pediment and roof balustrade. Erected in 1911 after a fire destroyed the first bank. Now rather faded.
No 95. The Club Hotel. Rebuilt in 1898. Built in wooden Federation filigree style with cast iron lace work veranda.
No 89. Built in 1901 on land purchased by Yabsley for the Commercial Bank of Sydney. A wooden bank used from 1881 until this was built in 1901. A grand structure. Bank closed in 1940 and it became a doctor’s residence.
No 83. The wooden Coraki Post Office. Built in 1890. Typical Post Office for those days. It was modernised in 1907.
No 69. The Coraki Hotel. This 23 bedroomed hotel was built in 1892. The first hotel on this site opened in 1865.