History of Jugiong

It all started when…

Jugiong is on the land of the Wiradjuri Nation. The name ‘Jugiong’ is believed to derive from the Wiradjuri word dyagang meaning boys without mothers. It is believed that the Wiradjuri Nation used the land around Jugiong for ceremony, particularly for boys, to celebrate their transition to manhood.

Jugiong was explored by Europeans in the early 1820s. In 1824 Hume and Hovell travelled through the area and in 1825 Henry O’Brien took up the 125,000 acre Jugiong run. In 1829 Charles Sturt camped on the river flats as he explored the river course of the marrambidya, the Murrumbidgee River, guided by the Wiradjuri Nation clans.

By 1845 a settlement had been established to meet the needs of travellers on the track between Sydney and Melbourne. The settlement comprised a licensed inn (the original Sir George Tavern) and a store. John Patrick Sheahan operated the inn - located on the river flat which is now the local recreation ground - and built stables on the slope a short distance away to accomodate coaching horses.

The flood of 1852 wiped out the small settlement of Jugiong. A report in the Sydney Morning Herald in 1925 recalled: " Mr Sheahan got busy with a small boat and rescued the families who were by now on their roofs or surrounded, and removed them to his new stables, where they had to remain for several days."

In November 1864 Ben Hall's Gang, comprising Johnny Gilbert, Ben Hall and John Dunn, held up a mail coach between Gundagai and Jugiong. Police Sergeant Edmund Parry and a police sub-inspector exchanged shots with the gang until Parry had discharged his last barrel. When called upon by Gilbert to surrender, Parry said he would die first. In the scuffle which followed, the 32 year-old Parry was shot and killed. Gilbert said Parry was the first man he had ever killed. A memorial to Sgt Parry now stands with a plaque, sculpture and information on events in the lead up to the murder.

You may be interested in the Jugiong History Past and Present Facebook page.