History Notes - Andy's Backpackers
History Notes
Another big weekend for Barraba with success for a number of organizations - congratulations to the organizers of the motor show- those at the museum markets enjoyed all the different vehicles passing by and there were lots of people around the town.
The book market sold a number of books but there were still lots to be put away afterwards - there are two boxes of readers digest condensed books in perfect order which have not attracted any interest while the well read paperbacks are always attracting interest! The books will be out at the markets in November.
Last weekend we had visitors interested in the settlers of the Boomi Creek and the small settlers along the upper Manilla river. The river settlers were mostly of German descent including Mell, Michell, Garske, and Mason and our visitors spent a couple of days exploring the district, finding places that they had visited when they attended a re-union organized by Charles Mason many years ago.
Residents will have noticed the renovations to Andy's Backpackers building. This building appears in our short list for building applications 1929-1939. The application to build a brick shop with weatherboard residence attached was lodged on 11th April, 1930, by George Hardy whose address was also Queen Street. Checking the only map we have the block was the northern block of three originally owned by J. Matthews.
The builder of the shop was J.P.Pinfold, Warrah Street, Hamilton, who quoted 1550 Pounds for the building and 17 p9unds ten shillings for a fence for the job. The Sofis family went into the building- their first cafe - and when they moved across the street the building was used by a number of businesses including Hayes Accountancy in the 1980's, before Andy's Backpackers moved in a few decades ago.
Also in the list of applications to build is a hall to be added to the Masonic Hall in May 1931. This would be the wooden building used by the senior citizens at the back of the Masonic Hall.
There are a few more 1930's buildings on this list which are of interest and I am sure the earlier council books would also be of great interest but they are now stored in Newcastle - almost impossible for local research.