Arms of Australia Inn Museum
The Arms of Australia Inn, or ‘Mortimer’s House’ as it was also known as, was one of 23 road side Inns in the Nepean District and the last stop before starting up the mountain road and the trail west.
It is believed that the building was built in two sections, the first around 1826 and was purchased on 1st May 1833, by Joseph Barrow Montefiore. He later split the land in two and sold half to John Mortimer in 1840, who commenced trading as a road side Inn on the main road to Bathurst, Orange and the gold diggings.
The Cobb and Co coaches that plied the road day and night also used to stop at the inn as did many bullock team drivers taking stock and provisions over the mountains. As the inn only had two main rooms, most overnight travellers had to sleep in the barn, on the veranda or under their wagons.
A year later laws were changed and Inns had to have separate rooms for ‘Ladies and Children’. Four additional rooms were added for bedrooms.
As bushrangers were a great problem in the area, the Arms had a system worked out with a second inn at the top of the hill at Glenbrook to warn travellers if bushrangers were about.
This was accomplished by hanging a lantern on the northern end of the building which was visible to Glenbrook Inn. If the lantern was burning, the road was clear, but if it was not, the stagecoach drivers and other travellers would spend the night at the Arms and continue on in daylight.
The Inn continued to prosper till the 1860’s, when the rail line came through. People began to use it instead of going by road and trade died off.
The Inn was sold in 1865 and became a private house for the next hundred years until 1965, when it was sold to Lucas & Tait for subdivision.
In 1971 the building was derelict after years of neglect and was to be demolished, when the Historical Society with the help of Mr Ivan Cassar stepped in and saved the building. The Society took control of the building and began the slow work of restoration until it was officially opened on 27th March 1976 as a museum of local history for the Nepean district.
Arms of Australia Inn Museum
The Nepean District Historical Society currently operates from the old Arms of Australia Inn which has been equipped as a museum of local history for the Nepean District.
The museum contains thousands of photos and artefacts that were either used or manufactured in the local area and these are on display for people to see.
Along with glass displays we also have a number of hands on interactive displays, including, old gramophones, a pedal powered organ, old sewing machines, old adding machines, a 1920's phone switchboard and hand cranked phones. As well, there is agricultural equipment including the old grindstone and hand washing mangles, wood stoves, pre-electric fridges and blacksmiths forges and equipment.
We can also provide morning or afternoon teas, as well as full Devonshire teas for an additional cost if you so desire.
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