Wool Pack Inn
For my first cache, l wanted to place it somewhere that is significant to me. The ruins that you see in front of you (with your back to the highway), are the ruins of The Wool Pack Inn. It was owned/designed/made in the 1840’s by the husband of my 1st cousin, 5 times removed. His name was James Hackett. You can see the remains of the original road of the Great Western Highway running across the front of the Inn.
It was originally built as a single storey sandstone brick cottage with six rooms. With the addition of another 3 rooms, it was opened and licensed on the 19th April 1853. Unfortunately in July of 1860 the area was flooded by South Creek and the bridge crossing it right next to the Inn was swept away. The bridge was rebuilt, however was again swept away by flood waters in November the same year.
Another flood in 1867 damaged yet another replacement bridge which unfortunately drove James Hackett to cease operation of the Inn as his business was severely affected by the continuing inclement weather. He stayed living on the property however turned his attention to business elsewhere.
Upon his death in 1897, the property was passed down to one of his sons, Charles Albert Hackett (who has a street named after him nearby) with a lifetime tenancy to his other two sons, John and William. John was still occupying the property in the 1920’s. It was eventually sold to William Dunlop and Myrtle Agnes of St Mary’s in 1936. It is currently owned by the New South Wales Planning and Environment Commission since 1980 as part of the South Creek Special Uses and Open Space Corridor. Unfortunately it has been vandalised and trashed to what you see today.
FTF Honors go to dave8153 =)