Shire History
Brief history of the Lockhart Shire.
It was the mid 1890's when the proposal to form a shire for the district was first raised, but it was not until the 1906 that Lockhart Shire was created. Early maps show Lockhart as the centre, with the Shire extending from Boree Creek in the west to Galore Park on the north; The Rock on the east and Urangeline Creek on the south.
The initial Temporary Shire Councillors listed in the Government Gazette dated May 16, 1906 were Walter Day and W.D. Drummond of Lockhart; E. Lynch of Milbrulong; J.B. Martin of The Rock and C.R. Smith of Mittagong, Yerong Creek. The first Shire Officer recorded was W.T.B. McCormack as Shire Clerk and Engineer.
Through the formation of Lockhart Shire the residents of the growing district looked forward to the development of roads and services and the building of civic facilities. The Shire council also played a supervisory role in the building of new homes and business premises ensuring higher standards of health and safety.
In the early 1900s there were no constructed roads in the Shire to speak of, only tracks with some stone crossings over creeks and streams. One of the Council's priorities at that time was to provide better road travel via road construction but progress was hindered by lack of funds and the sheer enormity of the task. Road construction was initially in scattered locations with no specific plan.
The Shire Council Chambers were constructed in 1908 and by 1910 Lockhart consisted of over 40 brick buildings, about 100 wooden houses and 12 iron structures. There were 20 acres for public recreation and two public watering places - Lockhart Tank and Green's Gunyah Dam. With the growth in population Council continued to seek a permanent water supply although this was not realised until 1935 when the Lockhart Tank was declared a town water supply.
With the introduction of the motor vehicle in the early 1920s the need for better roadways became apparent. Council was assisted in this aim in 1925 through the establishment of the Main Roads Board whose funds become available to Council to improve main roads through the Shire and work on local roads continued as funds allowed. During the 1920s and early 1930s Council continued to provide amenities for the district and included in its work the declaring of noxious weeds to assist farmers in the prevention of their spread.
The major issue of the 1930s for Council was securing water and electricity supply for the towns and villages and also farms. Lockhart had had electricity since 1912 operated by Harry Davies, but in 1936 Council purchased this supply from Davies to link up with the Burrunjuck Hydro Electric Scheme and in 1937 this supply was then extended to The Rock. During the Great Depression Lockhart Shire Council used relief funds to pay for work instead of the dole and continued to develop Shire roads to the limit of its finances. In 1934 it was recommended by the then Shire Engineer, W.L. Hurd that Council should concentrate on a system of arterial roads through the Shire to provide wet-weather access to Lockhart. This resulted in a vast quantity of gravel roadway being constructed by the end of the 1940s.
After World War II and the subsequent rationing of the late 1940s and early 1950s it was a day of celebration when the Council's aim to provide a swimming pool at the southern end of Walter Day Park came to fruition. Designed by the shire engineer F.A. Prichard the pool, was opened by the Minister for Works, Hon. J.F. McGrath on October 27th, 1956.
The post war decade saw the bitumen sealing by Council of many of the Shires main transport roads and the replacement of timber bridges with concrete structures. In 1953 Shire Engineer F.A. Prichard recommended Council use all available funds, grants and loans to become one of the first Shires in the state to achieve two-way bitumen on its major roads by the end of the 1960s.
During the post-war years Lockhart Council Chambers were given extensive alterations and in 1957 a town clock and tower were presented by A.R. Slocum which was built into the new facade which also encompassed the memorial hall.
The early 1960s brought requests from Council to the Public Works Department for funding for sewerage for Lockhart though it wasn't until 1966 that the sewerage scheme went ahead. By the mid-1960s The Rock had begun experiencing as upsurge of residential housing construction and a deputation to Council sought a public swimming pool and sewerage for the town. The pool was opened in 1971 with a sewerage scheme provided in 1979.
In 1963 the proclamation by the Department of Main Roads of financial grants for main and trunk roads comprised 430 km bitumen; 846 km of gravel and 143 km of earth formation, a total of 1419 km of constructed road.
Lockhart Shire Council assisted By Lockhart Rotary Club, began to develop a lookout and tourist attraction at Galore Hill in 1968 by way of a road constructed to the summit and saddle and in 1969 a picnic area with amenities was added. This has one of the most popular tourist spots in the Shire.
By the early 1970s Lockhart Shire Council was the major organisation working for progress in the Shire but in 1971 government amalgamation for shires was suggested and by 1972 Lockhart Shire Council was fighting to retain its identity. The amalgamation issue faded but the Shire Council became involved in an agreement with surrounding shires to share resources - the first significant resource being the commencement in March 1979 of the mobile library service operating from Wagga Wagga and servicing the surrounding shire areas.
During the 1970s Council continued to develop sporting and recreational facilities, assisted by various community groups. In 1971 Lockhart Shire Council made funds available to the newly formed Lockhart & District Historical Society to build a museum to display the collected history of the town and surrounding district. The museum was opened in 1972 and continues to operate via a committee of delegation. The mid-1970s saw the provision of a caravan park beside Brookong Creek to cater for the growing tourist traffic.
By the end of the decade Council became aware that the main commercial area of Lockhart township was falling into a state of disrepair, particularly the verandahs over the footpaths which were, and remain, a feature of the town. Council attempted to address this situation and sought advice and opinion from various Departments with no luck. The first success in the restoration of the main street came with the listing of the area by the National Trust thus preventing demolition and encouraging restoration.
In 1987 the light at the end of the tunnel emerged in the form of a seminar held by the Department of Planning and Environment on streetscape preservation and restoration. Council representatives attended the seminar and proceeded to obtain 50-50 funding from the Department to engage consultants to prepare a report assessing each premises within the main street and make recommendations as to their restoration. After successfully gaining a $16,000 grant under the Heritage Assistance Program the Council offered a cash incentive of $500 on a dollar for dollar basis to each property owner who undertook work in accordance with the recommendations in the report. From this point the Progress Association undertook negotiations on behalf of Council with the various business proprietors and each frontage was refurbished eventually resulting in 100% participation in the project.
The restoration project was completed in mid 1990 and was officially opened by The Minister for Local Government & Planning, MR David Hay on 14th August, 1990 and "Lockhart-The Verandah Town" was born.
The Council's main street beautification works continue to this day and have included the installation of "traffic calming" devices, seating areas, a roundabout re-instating the original 1909 Drummond Memorial and most recently the installation of a Town Clock, with the assistance of the Apex Club, and has culminated with the completion of the paving project whereby the early history of Lockhart is etched in the pavers lining the main shopping area.
Contact details
Lockhart Shire Council
02 6920 5305 (ph)
02 6920 5247 (fax)
mail@lockhart.nsw.gov.au
