Gumbalie (or ‘Goombalie’) was listed in the NSW Government Gazette as the site for a village on the 19 June 1886 which included, along with dimensions, the laying out of ‘Toorale Street, Wanaaring Street, Belalie Street, and Nulty Street. By 1929 Gumbalie was also known to have a Paroo Street, Wanga Street and Boero Street. It was likely to have been one of the sites where Henry Lawson stopped on his long walk to Hungerford.
The first licence is thought to have been granted to Richard Barlow for the ‘Overland Hotel, Gumbalie’ in 1892, and then to Mary Ann Baker on the 12 July 1893 for the ‘Gumbalie Hotel’, Gumbalie. The Western Herald of 14 December 1912 records:
“GUMBALIE HOTEL – Among the recent business changes that have taken place is that of the proprietorship of the Gumbalie Hotel, situated on the Wanaaring Road 38 Miles from Bourke. For years this house has been very popular with the travelling public, having been conducted by such well-known victuallers as Mrs Baker…. Under the management of the new licensee we are satisfied the wants of the public will continue to be well looked after, and we wish Mr Harrison a full measure of success…”
From the History of Bourke:
“We have heard this story related of one of the Gumbalie Hotels: that a publican accused of extortionate “lambing down” had three teams connected to a chain around the hotel and was told to “refund the money or else”. However, we seem to have heard this one long ago and far away.”
Also from the same volume:
“Farrel was drowned while employed on Toorale. He had a family of seven children and Maxwell allowed the widow and family to remain in the cottage and employed the boys, Tim, Tom and another boy on the station. One girl was taken by Mrs. W. W. Davis as a maid. This girl afterwards married Greg Baker and they had a family of four. She afterwards divorced Baker and later married Charles Campbell. As Mrs. Baker she kept the Gumbalie (Karney – H. G.) Hotel for many years, but later as Mrs. Campbell kept the Telegraph Hotel in Mitchell Street and later the old Jolly Waggoner on the corner of Glen and Mitchell Streets. Wobetide the person who uttered a word against a Maxwell or a Davis. I recall that when Wattie Davis died she closed the hotel for the day. Her mother, who lived to a good old age would often walk to North Bourke to spend the day. The lady who would murder anyone who spoke a harsh ward against Joseph Maxwell. (Mrs. Glover queries the last part of this paragraph).”
