Click on images to enlarge
Goolma (Co. Bligh) 32°22’S. 149°16’E., 25 km W. of Gulgong, on Goolma Ck.; copper mining, farming, grazing; Angl. C. (St Mark’s) 1908; bridges: one b. 1969, over Goolma Ck. And one over Sheep Station Gully; diphtheria 1927; earth tremor 1919; FB; mine (Belara); rifle range 1908; Rom. Cath. C. 1877, replacement b. 1893 by George Rush and Parkins, new one (St Francis Xavier’s) 1969 d. by Terence A. Daly; school 1888, new building b. 1908 by F. Quinn; TX; pop. 75 (1901), 179 (1911), 59 (1933), 105 (1947), 171 (1954), 188 (1961), 200 (2006)1 .
1922
22 June 1922
A good road enables one to put on a bit of speed so as to make Goolma for dinner time. The old hotel on the Wellington side of Goolma, that was once the local hostelry, and kept by Peter Jordaunt has disappeared altogether, the property being bought, I think, by the Ryan family, who have resided here as long as Goolma has been Goolma. Mrs. Ryan senr. is still alive. The best of accommodation is to be had at the hotel and Mrs. Ryan is a model hostess. A couple of well built churches, a public school, public hall and private dwellings, make a decent village. Mr. Ryan had the bad luck to have his fine store burnt down some time ago, suffering a big loss. A. good deal of farming is carried on at Goolma as the flat land is well adapted for wheat growing, the wheat going to Gulgong. Goolma Creek is crossed by a good wooden bridge, and there is a considerable amount of traffic on this road in the wool and wheat season2
.