Across the road from this cache is the Binda General Store / Post office / Petrol Station & Hotel. Whatever you need, this is the place to come. Next to the store is the privately owned "Rose Cottage" operating as a B&B.
These 2 buildings were previously a single landholding known as "The Flag Inn" (until mid/late 1860s) and then "The Royal Hotel". In 1864, the Flag Inn was the site of the Boxing Day Ball.
Ben Hall, John Gilbert and John Dunn had been in the area visiting Hall's girlfriend to celebrate Christmas and decided to celebrate at the ball. The 3 men, with their female companions, rode into Binda and visited the store forcing the store owners to dress and attend the ball. The bushrangers then called into another house and also forced that resident to dress and attend the ball. On arrival, they bailed up the hundred people attending the ball warning them that the dancing should continue and that no-one should leave to warn the troopers. Ben Hall put £30 on the bar and shouted drinks for everyone. Generous? Not really - he had just stolen the money from the store.
By all accounts, celebrations were underway when the bushrangers discovered the store owner and the other resident who had been "convinced" to join the party were planning to leave and warn the troopers. The bushrangers announced that if anyone left, they would end up with lead in their feet. The dancing continued until all hell broke loose. </>
A fight broke out at the dance and three men, including the store owner, made their escape to alert the troopers. The 3 bushrangers made chase yelling threats to burn down the grocery store. 2 of the men were rounded up by the bushrangers and forced to return to the dance. The storeowner making good his escape.
Ben Hall announced to everyone that they were to stay in the building while he left to burn down the store. The bushrangers went to the store spreading papers and kerosene all over the curtains. The storeowners wife pleaded with them to save her dresses. John Gilbert went back into the building and returned with an armful of gowns that he put under a tree out of harms way. He and John Dunn then went back inside and set the store alight. It was estimated the £1000 of goods were lost. The account books were also lost so the store owner was not able to claim for the loss.
The 3 bushrangers avoided the troopers this time, but their 3 female companions were arrested and charged with assisting to burn the store. The women were never convicted as no one would testify against them and they were released about 12 months later.
Such a story of contradictions. At least the frocks were saved.
Research sources - Thanks to Monica Croke's "Hotels, Inns and Shanties of the Upper Lachlan Shire" published in 2010 for information and cache inspiration. Thanks also to trove.nla.gov.au