The Star Wine and Beer Saloon is the first photograph to be uploaded to the ‘Hotels of the Goldfields’ project. Im sure that this is one that most will not have heard of or seen before.
Star Wine and Beer Saloon
It was on the location of 37 to 39 Broadarrow Road, Kalgoorlie and could possibly be part of the houses on this block now. Not exactly sure when it was built but it was operating and up for sale in 1900 and was still an operating licenced premises when it closed down during the de licencing of many hotels by the Licence Reduction Board which occurred in 1924. It received compensation of 92 pounds
Star Wine And Beer Saloon Location
The site in Broad Arrow Road was also some sort of playground run by Harry Banfield. Kalgoorlie Miner 7 Jan 1899.
The start of what became the Star Beer and Wine Saloon in Broad Arrow Road Kalgoorlie by Mr W H Banfield. Kalgoorlie Miner 18 Aug
Things didn’t appear to be going too well a year later but it seems it was a tea garden at this time. See notice below. Cant find any evidence if licence had be granted by then. Kalgoorlie Miner 25 July 1900. They (Mrs Banfield) were operating the Royal Park Tea Gardens opposite the Zoo in South Perth in March 1901.
Moya Sharp
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Hi Moya,
The Star Wine & Beer Saloon has long fascinated me, not just because of its out-of-the-way location but for the complete – until recently – lack of photo’s of it. Also, it has received no mention in any other goldfields’ publications I know of. The pic you featured came to my knowledge only last year on the Pinterest site.
My first awareness of it was about 25 years ago when I was sent the old hand-written licensing court documents listing all the hotels delicensed in that purge of the 1920s and ’30s. My copy gives ots location as Lot 2130 Broad Arrow Road. I looked up a town plan dating from the turn of the century and went to the site shown on the plan you posted. You’re correct, the last of the houses at the end of Broad Arrow Road is possibly on the site of the Star, but my calculation suggests the overpass also sits over part of the site.
My notes give the closure date as 31st March 1924. The licensee, J.Treacy, recieved 93 pounds compensation, while the owner – this is the interesting bit – the “COMMONWEALTH RAILWAYS,” received 40 pounds. My question was and still is, how did the Federal Government-owned railway system come to be the owner of a hotel?
Over the years I’ve come to the conclusion that the Star Saloon’s property must have extended far enough to be in the path of the Trans-Australian Railway survey when carried out around about 1910 or 1911. Certainly it wasn’t a large area involved and obviously some agreement was reached between the CR and the owner of the Star whereby he was able to continue trading, and the CR was able to build their railway from Kalgoorlie to Parkeston.
How the situation translated into the CR being nominated as “owner” of the Star is a mystery. an explanation for which might never come to light.
Prior to the coming of the Trans line the Kanowna railway was the only railway line passing the vicinity of the Star Saloon, vehicular crossing of which was provided by the Broad Arrow Road and Wordsworth Street. Both these crossings were closed once the Trans line was built and Sutherland Street crossing opened in lieu of.
In 50 years’ researching the Commonwealth Railways records I have never once found mention of their brief ownership of this drinking establishment; perhaps they didn’t want it advertised. Such ownership would have been a paper indication only, never extending to the operation of the business.
It’s also interesting that the owners of the hotels closed in this Statewide move understandably recieved far more compensation than the licensees. Yet in the Star’s case,the licensee recieved more than double the owner, the CR.
Bernie Morris.
Hi Bernie, have been wanting to contact you re the ESO motorcycle.. Regards George Webber.
0892745993. If you call me or.. Send me a phone contact for you.