Do you wonder what the Wyong area was like back in the early 1900s? Here is an article written at the time, which gives a visual image of the area. It was published in The Gosford Times, Thursday Afternoon, July 10, 1919
AROUND WYONG 1919
Having made the journey to Wyong via Catherine Hill Bay and Warnervale, the visitor sees a nicely laid-out town with neat main street and spacious railway square. The street side nearest to the railway has been greatly beautified by plantations of roses and palms. The town owes this fine improvement to the enterprise of Mr A. H. Warner. In addition to this garden area, a number of comfortable seats for public use have been provided by the business firms, so people can quietly rest under the palms.
In the centre of Railway Square the Progress Association, of which Mr H. J. Street is president, is erecting a flagstaff, and probably around this a stand will be built for the Wyong Band, which frequently plays in the square.
Wyong is not without some measure of electric light, for Mr Dixon, of the picture theatre, has a number of brilliant lights leading from Railway Street over the hill to Alison Street down to the School of Arts, hence on Saturday nights this area is well lit. Many of the business people have installed up-to-date lighting systems. Therefore Railway Street is now quite city-like at night with its row of fine lights.
Having made the journey to Wyong via Catherine Hill Bay and Warnervale, the visitor sees a nicely laid-out town with neat main street and spacious railway square. The street side nearest to the railway has been greatly beautified by plantations of roses and palms. The town owes this fine improvement to the enterprise of Mr A. H. Warner. In addition to this garden area, a number of comfortable seats for public use have been provided by the business firms, so people can quietly rest under the palms.
In the centre of Railway Square the Progress Association, of which Mr H. J. Street is president, is erecting a flagstaff, and probably around this a stand will be built for the Wyong Band, which frequently plays in the square.
Wyong is not without some measure of electric light, for Mr Dixon, of the picture theatre, has a number of brilliant lights leading from Railway Street over the hill to Alison Street down to the School of Arts, hence on Saturday nights this area is well lit. Many of the business people have installed up-to-date lighting systems. Therefore Railway Street is now quite city-like at night with its row of fine lights.
The visitor to Wyong is sure to notice the huge piles of fruit cases and fish boxes in the railway yard. They speak for themselves, and plainly indicate the quantity of fruit and fresh fish sent away from the station. The fish all goes to Sydney, but a fair share of the fruit goes to Newcastle, though a much larger quantity would go north were Newcastle agents more wide awake. A truck of fruit should go to Newcastle every day in summer and autumn, packed with stone fruit and apples, and every other day in winter and spring packed with oranges, lemons and mandarins. The class of fruit grown around Wyong and the quality will favourably compare with anything in the State. Wyong navel oranges and Emporer mandarins and Lisbon lemons frequently top the market; alsoElberta peaches, nectarines, Williams’ pears, and many varieties of apples.
New arrivals in the district wisely seek advice from owners of established orchards as to the varieties that do well and command best price.
In apples the following excel:- Granny Smith, Munroe’s Favourite, Carrington, Rome Beauty, Allsop’s Early, Black Ben, Dave’s and Jonathan.
A very high-grade butter is produced at Wyong. There are three things that contribute to the market value of this butter, and its exquisite flavour – first, the class of soil; second, the luxuriant paspalum grass; and third, the fine breed of cattle. A fourth, no doubt, is the skill of the manufacturer, Mr Webb.
The prosperity of Wyong has been assured for years, by reason of the fine stamp of business men in the town. The name of every one is a pledge of honour, and a high reputation is enjoyed by Chapman & Sons, Wilkinson Brothers, Blake, Viney, McGeachie, Hailes, Baker, Anthony, Berrel, Sutton, Wilson and Flood, Quinn, Crofts, Walters, Gascoigne, Warner, and Dixon.
New arrivals in the district wisely seek advice from owners of established orchards as to the varieties that do well and command best price.
In apples the following excel:- Granny Smith, Munroe’s Favourite, Carrington, Rome Beauty, Allsop’s Early, Black Ben, Dave’s and Jonathan.
A very high-grade butter is produced at Wyong. There are three things that contribute to the market value of this butter, and its exquisite flavour – first, the class of soil; second, the luxuriant paspalum grass; and third, the fine breed of cattle. A fourth, no doubt, is the skill of the manufacturer, Mr Webb.
The prosperity of Wyong has been assured for years, by reason of the fine stamp of business men in the town. The name of every one is a pledge of honour, and a high reputation is enjoyed by Chapman & Sons, Wilkinson Brothers, Blake, Viney, McGeachie, Hailes, Baker, Anthony, Berrel, Sutton, Wilson and Flood, Quinn, Crofts, Walters, Gascoigne, Warner, and Dixon.
Fortunately, too, the town possesses several highly respectable estate agents. The man looking for either virgin soil, unimproved land, or developed farms and orchards, or dairy, cannot go wrong, whichever agent he calls upon. He will be honestly driven around the district, and he sure to see the very class of property he desires, and to be thoroughly satisfied with the fair and square deal he will make. Wyong estate agents are trustworthy men, and numbers of prosperous settlers have to thank them for introducing them to holdings that have developed into happy homes.
A fine link between Newcastle and Wyong is McGeachie’s Newsagency, where the Gosford Times and other papers are distributed to a growing number of subscribers. Mr McGeachie is a Newcastle man, and Mrs McGeachie for many years has been one of Newcastle’s most successful music teachers.
Wyong and Gosford districts are under the jurisdiction of the police magistrates of Newcastle, police headquarters are in Newcastle, and all the public schools, and they number scores, are under the supervision of Inspector E. A. Riley, M.A., of Newcastle, so that Wyong truly looks upon Newcastle as the mother city of the prosperous district.
A fine link between Newcastle and Wyong is McGeachie’s Newsagency, where the Gosford Times and other papers are distributed to a growing number of subscribers. Mr McGeachie is a Newcastle man, and Mrs McGeachie for many years has been one of Newcastle’s most successful music teachers.
Wyong and Gosford districts are under the jurisdiction of the police magistrates of Newcastle, police headquarters are in Newcastle, and all the public schools, and they number scores, are under the supervision of Inspector E. A. Riley, M.A., of Newcastle, so that Wyong truly looks upon Newcastle as the mother city of the prosperous district.