Licensees
1860 – David Buchanan. 1Licence 265, NSW State archives, 1 May 1860, Star Hotel, The District of Araluen NRS 14403 [7/1512]; Reel 1241. Museum of History New South Wales. https://mhnsw.au/indexes/publicans-hoteliers-innkeepers/publicans-licenses-index. Accessed 14 February 2023.
1862 – Bernard McIlrath2 Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW: 1859 – 1862), Wednesday 19 September 1860, page 3
1863-1867 – Pierce Costello 3New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832-1900), Tuesday 7 August 1866 (No.152 [SUPPLEMENT]), p 1847.
1868-1874 – Martin O’Sullivan
1875 – Peter [Pierce ] Costello
1876-1892 – Mary Costello
1893-1895 – Michael Costello4New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832-1900), Tuesday 27 August 1895 (No.574 [SUPPLEMENT]), page 5501.
Location
Crown Flat, moving to Redbank
In the News
In reporting on the February 1860 floods the Braidwood Dispatch, as re-printed in the Illawarra Mercury 5Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 – 1950), Friday 24 February 1860, page 4] THE BRAIDWOOD FLOOD.ARALUEN.(From the Braidwood Dispatch, Feb. 18.) stated ‘We cannot do better than give Mr T.[Thomas] North’s [Araluen Arms] version of the calamity at this place … went down the creek as far as the ‘ Star Hotel,’ but could not get any further, at this time everything appeared to have been washed clean away from Favorite Flat.’
John Robinson and David Buchanan advertised in the Braidwood Observer 6Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW: 1859 – 1862), Saturday 31 March 1860, page 4 giving notice, dated 20th March 1860, that their partnership had been dissolved by mutual consent and that John Robinson would be accountable for the debts incurred by the Fountain of Friendship Inn and that David Buchanan would be accountable for the debts incurred by the Star Hotel.
In September 1860, D. [David] Buchanan placed an advertisement in the Braidwood Observer 7Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW: 1859 – 1862), Wednesday 19 September 1860, page 3 to inform his friends the Miners of Araluen and others that ‘the Star Hotel [Crown Flat] will now be found replete with every article calculated to refresh the inner man…informing.. the recent case Joint Stock Bank versus Buchanan… bill has now been twice paid …trusts this explanation will be satisfactory’.
Bernard McIlrath placed an advertisement in the Braidwood Observer 8Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW: 1859 – 1862), Wednesday 19 September 1860, page 3 dated 11 July 1862 to inform that he has obtained a transfer of the license for the Star Hotel at Crown flat. He advises ‘the house will be thoroughly renovated, and comfort will be endeavoured to be made the order of the day… Glees and other harmonic meetings during the long winter evenings.’ Re-phrasing in the November 1862 advertisement 9Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW: 1859 – 1862), Wednesday 19 November 1862, page 4 with ‘Glees and other harmonic meetings are held every evening in the Spacious Ball Room recently erected.’ In August 1862 10Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW: 1859 – 1862), Wednesday 6 August 1862, page 3 an advertisement was placed for ‘A Man Cook for the Star Hotel, Araluen. Apply Mr Bernard McIlrath, Crown Flat, Araluen.’
In reporting on the Mines at Araluen in October 1862 the Braidwood Observer11Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW : 1859 – 1862), Saturday 25 October 1862, page 2 describes ‘Several prospecting parties at the Araluen have been profitably employed during the past week, and in consequence of the degree of success attained, fresh ground has been cleaned up… party of five are also setting in on new ground near the Clear Hills Station, and from the prospects we naturally arrive at the conclusion that they are upon the right scent. Another party located in the vicinity of the Star Hotel, Crown Flat, have adopted the driving process, which has generally in this district been pursued with success. This party is formed of Italians. The want of water is, however, severely felt all round the Araluen as well as the diggings in the neighbourhood of Braidwood, but if Jupiter Pluvius puts on a more suitable aspect good things may be expected, for large quantities of wash dirt are awaiting a seasonable supply of rain.’
An advertisement was placed by Pierce Costello, in the Araluen Star12Araluen Star and Miners Right (1863-1964), Saturday 26 September 1863, p 7. in September 1863, looking for builders and others to submit tenders for the pulling down and re-erecting of the Star Hotel Public House.
The 12 November 1863 edition of the Araluen Star13Araluen Star and Miners Right (1863-1964), Saturday 14 November 1863, p 2. noted an application for license transfer by Mr P. Costello, which was stood over due to a requirement for enough notice to be given.
Pierce Costello married Mary Ann Nugent in 1857 in Sydney, arriving in the Colony from Ireland14NSW Birth Death Marriages, 708/1857 familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au Accessed 4 September 2023. and had five children. Martin O’Sullivan married Mary Ann’s sister, Catherine Nugent in 1863 in Braidwood.15NSW Birth Death Marriages, 1607/1863 familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au accessed 4 Sep 2023. Martin O’Sullivan was the licensee from 1868 until 1874, after which time Pierce Costello again became the licensee of the Star Hotel.
Pierce Costello – Innkeeper and Martin O’Sullivan – Dealer, are noted in the 1875–76 Greville’s Official Post Office Directory (pp 18 and 19) in Araluen.16Greville’s Official Post Office Directory 1875–1876. https://www.ihr.com.au/secure/html/greville75.html. Accessed 18 February 2023. Pierce aged 41, died in 1875,17NSW Birth Death Marriages, 5306/1875 familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au Accessed 2 September 2023. after which time his wife Mary Ann (nee Nugent) ran the Star Hotel.18https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/174295787/pierce-costello. Accessed 2 September 2023. Pierce’s sister Bridget married Michael Downey, from the Lamb Inn, and his brother James Costello, was the licensee at the Diggers Rest.
On 24 November 1877, an inquest reported in the Freemans Journal19Freeman’s Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1850-1932), Saturday 24 November 1877, p 9. was held at ‘Mrs. Costello’s hotel, Araluen, by the Coroner Bonn, Esq., J.P. After hearing the evidence, the jury (6) determined, “That the deceased [Joseph Roberts] was killed by being accidentally thrown out of a cart”.’
In October 1878, the Freeman’s Journal20Freeman’s Journal (Sydney, NSW: 1850-1932), Saturday 19 October 1878, p 8. detailed a cricket contest held, which ‘resulted in a decided win for Blatchford’s men. Another match ought to be arranged between Reidsdale and Araluen, to be played on two consecutive Saturdays in Araluen. A meeting of cricketers was held last Saturday night, at Mrs. Costello’s Hotel, Redbank, where they, as well as all comers, were treated with the greatest attention and courtesy‘.
The Sydney Morning Herald21Sydney Morning Herald (NSW: 1842-1954), Wednesday 26 February 1879, p 6. reported that ‘Mr. L. Mannix, post and telegraph master, Araluen, was entertained on Monday 24 February 1879, at a banquet, at Costello’s Star Hotel, previous to his departure for Gunnedah, and that visitors from Braidwood, Moruya and surrounding districts attended.’
An 1879 inquest reported in The Freeman’s Journal22Freeman’s Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1850-1932), Saturday 4 October 1879, p 9. was held at ‘Mr. Costelloe’s Inn, Redbark, [Mrs Costello’s, Star Hotel, Redbank] by J. W. Burns, Esq., into the drowning of Mr. William Hennessy. Mr Hennessy, who was drowned in crossing a plank over Stoney Creek, Newtown, was found in the old Middle Ground claim on the 23 September. The jury, after hearing the evidence of Dr. Llewellyn, brought in a verdict of accidentally drowned.’
The Goulburn Penny Post23Goulburn Evening Penny Post (NSW : 1881-1940), Thursday 26 November 1885, p 4. detailed A Miraculous Escape in 1885. ‘A lad named Lonthead, 14 years of age, had a most miraculous escape from being killed in Araluen. He was sitting on an empty rum cask at Costello’s Hotel, talking to some mates, when thoughtlessly he placed a lighted match in the bung hole of the cask. There must have been a quantity of rum in the barrel, as it at once ignited, causing the barrel to explode. The lad was thrown on the roof of a verandah, a distance of about 6ft, and again fell on the burning cask, from which he was quickly got out. The lad is not seriously injured.’
In July 1895, the Evening News24Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869-1931), Monday 15 July 1895, p 3. reported that ‘Mrs. Mary Costello the wife of a publican at Araluen, was accidentally burnt to death, through her bed clothes catching fire.’ An inquest held into her death, which was ten days after the fire, returned a verdict of death from shock.25Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW: 1871-1912), Saturday 20 July 1895, p 149. The probate published in the Daily Telegraph named her brother in law Martin O’Sullivan, dealer of Araluen, as the Executor.26Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883-1930), Wednesday 24 July 1895, p 2.
In September 1895, the Sydney Morning Herald27Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), Tuesday 1 October 1895, p 5. detailed ‘Costello’s public-house was totally destroyed by fire. Some sovereigns were saved, but nothing else. The occupants escaped in their night clothes.’