Licensee
1860-1872 – William Burke
Location
Upper Araluen, after the license transfer from the Happy Valley Inn, then moving to Burketown (also known as ‘Bourketown’) in July 1862.
Historical Maps 1NSW Land Registry Service, Parish and Historical Maps. Historical Land Records Viewer https://www.nswlrs.com.au/Parish-and-Historical-Maps Accessed 18 February 2023 suggest the land purchased by William and Mary Burke was as tabulated below.
| Purchased | Por | Plan | Loc | Vol | Fol | |
| William Burke | 1871 | 405 | 112 | V | 132 | 100 |
| Mary Burke | 1872 | 415 | 57 | V | 115 | 35 |
In the News
William Burke advertised in the Braidwood Observer 2Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW : 1859 – 1862), Saturday 29 Dec 1860, page 3 in December 1860, detailing the transfer of the license for the Happy Valley Inn, from Thomas Taylor to himself, and notifying that the Public House will now be known as the Horse and Jockey.
In July 1862 William Burke placed an advertisement in the Braidwood Observer 3Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW: 1859 – 1862), Saturday 12 Jul 1862, page 3 to inform diggers and residents that the Horse and Jockey had relocated to new premises erected on Crown land, [at Burketown]. The advertisement also stated ‘The Araluen Post office is removed to the new premises – a fact which the residents of Upper Araluen are requested to notice.’
In 1862 the Sydney Morning Herald reported ‘Some fresh ground has been opened near Mr Burke’s new house (the Horse and Jockey) Upper Araluen; indeed, one engine is in full work, and another is about being erected there. Great activity prevails throughout the valley.‘4Sydney Morning Herald (NSW: 1842 – 1954), Saturday 19 July 1862, page 6
In February 1866, the Queanbeyan Age and General Advertiser5Queanbeyan Age and General Advertiser (NSW: 1864-1867), Thursday 8 February 1866, p 3 reported a new rush in the Valley, a little above Newtown, Upper Araluen. ‘A party of prospectors (Fassell and Edge) have been engaged during the past ten days in putting down a prospecting shaft, some distance from the creek, about two hundred yards from Burke’s public-house, and on Monday last the news soon spread about they had lead dropped upon payable gold at twenty-five feet.’
It was noted in August 1867 the Goulburn Herald and Chronicle6Goulburn Herald and Chronicle (NSW: 1864-1881), Saturday 17 August 1867, p 4 reported ‘the post-office at Burketown has been removed from Mr. Burke’s public-house to the store of Mr. Baker, a good way lower down the creek, and that considerable dissatisfaction is expressed at this arrangement by those in Upper Araluen.’
In September 1867, the Empire7Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850-1875), Wednesday 18 September 1867, p 1 reported ‘the death at the residence of his parents, Burketown, Araluen, William Phillip, youngest son of Mr. William Burke, aged fifteen months, on Tuesday, the 3rd September 1867.’
In 1870, one of the greatest floods the Valley has ever experienced since the great flood of 1857 was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald.8Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), Wednesday 30 March 1870, p 6 ‘The destruction of property is very considerable this time. The main creek seems to have taken two courses, the most powerful body of water passing Burke’s public-house leaving a bank nearly twenty feet high within a few feet of the house. Mr. Burke was at one time apprehensive the house would fall in. Fortunately, however, a large bank fell in, which gave such an impetus to the water as to direct its flow the other way.’
William Burke – Innkeeper is noted in the 1872 Greville’s Official Post office Directory 9Greville’s Official Post Office Directory, as listed Araluen History in Photo’s Facebook page, posted 2 July 2014, and accessed 9 September 2023 in Burketown.
A correspondent of the Braidwood Dispatch, writing from Araluen in November 1873 about the ‘Flood in Araluen’,10Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850-1875), Tuesday 25 November 1873, p 3 states that ‘the Horse and Jockey Inn at Burketown, Araluen West, has been swept away by the heavy rains of last week. The rain did not cease until late on Tuesday night, the result, of course, was a flood. The Horse and Jockey Inn that was in Burketown is now not to be seen. The whole road has been swept away. Even the earth from under the front of the house has been washed into the river, leaving the sleepers and other timbers hanging over the bank full two feet, and were if not for the help of many willing hands under the direction of Mr. Hogan, all ever ready to rush to the rescue in time of need and of danger, the whole building, with all the household property, would have been destroyed. Fortunately there was sufficient time to remove all, though in many pieces to the Free Selection Inn, where Mr. Burke and family are, with true hospitality, safely housed, together with their house-hold goods. The entire house is a complete wreck, removed in different portions to a safe distance behind, except a part of the roof which fell into the river.’
William Burke – Innkeeper is listed in the 1875–76 Greville’s Official Post Office Directory11Greville’s Official Post Office Directory for 1875–1876, p 20 https://www.ihr.com.au/secure/html/greville75.html. Accessed 18 February 2023 in Araluen Upper, at Burketown.
In May 1903, the Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal12Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1954), Wednesday 27 May 1903, p 2 reported that ‘a very old resident of Araluen passed away on Saturday last, viz., Mrs. Mary Burke, relict of the late Mr. William Burke, who was an innkeeper at Burketown, the village then named after him, on the western side of the Valley, in the neighbourhood of where Mr. Mullins now lives, the spot where the old public house was being now a swamp. Mrs. Burke was 63 years of age when she died. She lived for some time in Sydney until about twelve months since, when she returned to Araluen on the death of one of her sons. She was a sister of Mrs. Lundie, of Braidwood. Their father was employed at Exeter Farm as a blacksmith, many of the old residents will remember her brother, Mr. John Canvin, who died many years since. She leaves a family of three or four sons and three daughters, one of whom is Mrs. R. Knaggs of Bettowynd.’