It’s an unfortunate name for its location and one that sometimes causes confusion. When your Akubra-clad columnist recently hosted a series of tours snooping around historic Cooma Cottage, several participants took some serious convincing to drive towards Yass, and not south to Cooma.
In fact, about an hour before one tour began, I received a flustered call from a navigationally-challenged couple who were motoring south down the Monaro Highway and wondering why their satellite navigation system kept telling them to turn around.
For the uninitiated, Cooma Cottage is the former Yass home of Hamilton Hume, the first Australian-born explorer. You know, of ”Hume and Hovell” fame – the duo who over three months from October 1824 to January 1825 forged an overland route from Lake George to Port Phillip (Geelong).
So why is this historic home so-named? Well, some believe it comes from a local indigenous word relating to the ”shell of a turtle”, and possibly a reflection of the rounded appearance of several hills around Yass. Others claim it originates from a corruption of the abbreviation of the first letters of County Murray (one of the original 19 counties of NSW as defined in 1826 as the limits of location, and which included Yass), which is also how many believe the main street of Yass (Comur St) also got its name.
No matter how it got its name, purchased by Hume and his wife, Elizabeth, in 1839 from pioneering pastoralist Henry O’Brien and his brother Cornelius who had built a basic three-room farm cottage, this colonial bungalow is one of our region’s 19th century treasures.
After retiring from exploring, Hume turned to grazing and lived at his Yass retreat until 1873 when he died, following complications from an earlier scorpion bite. Ouch.
With no children (although rumours are rife that he fathered a child or two out of wedlock), Elizabeth stayed on until 1875 before the cottage was left to Hume’s nephew, John Kennedy Hume Jnr. Somewhat curiously, in 1890 it was transformed into the New Nordach Institute of Consumption for patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis. Back then gulps of fresh air and mountains of hearty food was the supposed remedy. Really!
In fact, The Town and Country Journal of July 1, 1899 reported “the dry, keen air creates an appetite proportioned to the enormous meals the patient is compelled to eat … the establishment is under the personal supervision of a duly qualified doctor, so that the greatest care is exercised in all matters relating to sanitary and disinfecting matters.” What more could you want?
Another notable owner of Cooma Cottage was recluse Jack Bourke who ran it as a horse stud for many decades until 1970, when philanthropist Mary Griffiths of Canberra bought the derelict property and donated it to the National Trust, who have painstakingly restored it back to the period of Hume’s occupancy.
While the bungalow is mainly unfurnished (Hume’s furniture is hard to track down), this delightful colonial home is worth exploring for its unique design alone.
I especially love the location of the front door, which feels a bit like the back door. That’s because it initially was.
When the original cottage was first built in 1835, the main road, a goat track ”to the limits of location” traversed the paddock between the home and the Yass River so it was natural to have the front door facing the road. However, sometime after Hume moved in, the Great Southern Road was re-routed to the other side of the house, prompting Hume to engage in extensive renovations, including adding Palladian-style wings and a classical Greek-revival portico to face the new road. Over the next 20 years he also added other structures, including a blacksmith workshop, stables and manager’s house.
As you wander around the property it’s also clear that despite Hume’s standing in the community (he also worked as a local magistrate), by today’s standards the home is far from luxurious. There are no internal bathrooms and the pantry is under lock and key, complete with security bars, no doubt to keep servants from raiding the larder late at night.
It’s no secret that Hume and Hovell didn’t get on. It was a case of Hume, the Australian-born ”currency lad” clashing with ”Captain” Hovell, the British sailor. The two saw themselves as rivals and quarrelled for much of their journey south.
It’s therefore somewhat ironic there is a frypan in the old kitchen. Ironic for at one point during Hume and Hovell’s 1824 expedition there was an argument between the two as to the best route which resulted in the party temporarily splitting up. They divided all their provisions. Apparently Hume and Hovell fought over the frying pan, which fell apart in their hands, one of them taking the handle, the other the pan. Unfortunately, the records don’t show who ended up with which part.
Today, when the sun sets and the wind howls through the old portico, the mind can easily wander. In fact, past caretakers have experienced several unexplained happenings they believe may fall into the realm of the paranormal.
“[From] strange taps on the shoulders to lights going on, there’s definitely a weird presence there,” says Sue Gaffney, who spent over a decade living in the cottage.
Some believe this could be the ghost of Hume who was never happy with the recognition he received following his trip with Hovell.
Several visitors also claim they ”see” a lady in white dress (why are ghosts always in white clothing?) which they believe may be from the tuberculosis sanitorium days. Who knows?
Whatever your take on things that go bump in the night, Cooma Cottage is well worth a visit to discover the history of Australia’s first ”currency-lad” explorer.
Just remember to head up the Barton Highway towards Yass, and not down the Monaro Highway, towards Cooma.
Fact File
Cooma Cottage: One of the oldest surviving rural houses in NSW is at756 Yass Valley Way, Yass. Open Friday-Sunday from 10am-4pm. Entry $10pp, free for National Trust members. Closed from December 22, 2019 to January 11, 2020. www.nationaltrust.org.au/places/cooma-cottage/
Stables: If you visit, the first building you’ll notice is the imposing facade of the stables. Look out for the distinctive flèche on the roof, and small holes in the walls at either end – cleverly designed for owls to enter to keep vermin at bay.
Creepy cellar: Arguably the spookiest place at Cooma Cottage is the cellar where there are rumours of convicts kept on chains. With a creaking trapdoor the only way in and adorned in cobwebs, it’s not a place anyone would appreciate being locked in.
Hume and Hovell expedition: Apparently one of the reasons Hume bought Cooma Cottage in 1839 is that he camped there on October 18,1824, on the second night of his epic overland journey to Port Phillip with Hovell.
Look out for: The distinctive tree between the bungalow and the river. Also known as the Canary Island Laurel, this Picconia excelsa is one of just 22 growing in Australia, and is 140-160 years old.
Did you know? The 1841 Census indicated that 17 servants were living at Cooma Cottage. Even with servant quarters, it would have been squashy.
Tricky provenance: On December 4, 1990, The Canberra Times reported “at least six people are known to have claimed ownership of Hume’s death bed”. Clearly he didn’t die in all six. No wonder it’s hard for the National Trust to track down genuine Hume furnishings.
Hume’s grave: Hamilton Hume and his wife Elizabeth are buried in the Anglican section of the Yass cemetery.On his grave reads the following self-scribed epitaph from his 1873 Statement of Facts. “For the sake of those who bear my name, I should wish it to be held in remembrance as that of one with small opportunities, but limited resources did what he could for his Native Land.”
CONTACT TIM: Email: timtheyowieman@bigpond.com or Twitter: @TimYowie or write c/- The Canberra Times, 9 Pirie St, Fyshwick.
WHERE IN CANBERRA?
Clue: School is already out here.
Degree of difficulty: Medium
Last week: Congratulations to Jack Palmer of Watson, who was first to correctly identify last week’s photo as one of two pyramids at ”Hide n Rest” near Adaminaby on the Bobeyan Road, near its junction with Ashvale Road. Jack, who just beat Roger Shelton of Spence to the prize, recognised the unusually designed holiday cabin immediately as he stayed overnight in the pyramid with his wife several years ago. “Very little room, scarcely enough for more than two, but magic,” reports Jack.
How to enter: Email your guess along with your name and address to timtheyowieman@bigpond.com. The first email sent after 10am, Saturday December 7, 2019 will win a double pass to Dendy – The Home of Quality Cinema.
SPOTTED
Posing Goanna
On a recent walk in the Canberra Nature Park, Chris Fitzgerald of Downer spotted a couple of Rosenberg’s goannas, one on the slopes of Mt Ainslie and the second at the lookout atop Mt Majura.
“It was sitting perfectly still on the rock wall, so I was able to take this close-up photo of it with part of the city in the background,” reports Chris.
Matthew Higgins, who has been closely monitoring goanna numbers around Mt Ainslie for several years, reports, “The Majura goanna is showing typical defensive behaviour, with enlarged gular pouch under the neck to make him/herself look bigger.” He says photos like this one that show the goanna’s face “are important for comparison of individuals.”
SIMULACRA CORNER
While wandering around Hackett, Chris Mobbs was stopped in his tracks at the sight of this dead tree branch at the end of Phillip Avenue which he believes has “a very close resemblance to a moose’s head”.
