Uralla is a small town on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, which was established in 1855. The town’s name is Aboriginal and means meeting place. As it happens Uralla is also mid way between Sydney and Brisbane via the inland route.
On our recent road trip we hadn’t planned on stopping long in Uralla, however as we got so distracted along the way looking at the waterfalls, we needed to stop here overnight. This turned into a blessing as we then ended up investigating this interesting area the next morning. And what amazing Australian history we found — the secret gem, McCrossin’s Mill Musuem is situated across the road from Thunderbolt’s Statue. The building is a recently restored 3 storey flour mill built-in 1870 by Samuel McCrossin, one of the first settlers to the area.
Some of the treasures we found in the musuem included:
- A series of nine paintings by Phillip Pomroy called “The Death of Thunderbolt”, based on the account of Constable Alexander Walker — the detail in these paintings was fascinating
- A display of farming and household equipment from the early pioneering days
- A relocated Chinese Joss House form the local Rocky River Gold Fields
- A display to Australia’s first world champion — rower Edward Trickett
- Letters home to mother from World War 1 by a local war hero
- Local goldfield information
These beautiful decorative gates were created by concrete man Antonio Perez Martinez in 1960.
Thunderbolt’s Life and Death Exhibition
Edward Trickett, son of a convict and Australia’s first world champion, a sculler died in Uralla.
