Beryl McLaughlin, youngest daughter of John McLaughlin was a founder member of the Blue Mountains Historical Society and meetings were held in the cottage where she served almost inedible rock cakes.
Tarella Cottage
Tarella Historic Cottage is in its original condition. In 1879 John McLaughlin was granted 50 acres in the Blue Mountains in recognition of his service in the NSW Volunteer Force. The grant is on Cox's Road at the site of 'Hobby's Reach', the stretch of road constructed by LT. Hobby in Cox's absence. In C.1886 John McLaughlin built Tarella as a holiday home for his family, and it was in the family's ownership until 1988 when the last remaining daughter Beryl (there being no issue) bequeathed the cottage, the contents and the remaining three acres to the Blue Mountains Historical Society. A separate building, the Research Centre, holds relevant archives of the Blue Mountains.
Address:
99/101 Blaxland Rd, Wentworth Falls, NSW
Tel:
0247573824
Hours:
10am-4pm 4th Sunday of each month (2000), As of 2001 10am-4pm 3rd Saturday of each month.
Website:
Admission:
Adults $3, Children $0.50c
Facilities:
Shop, Café, Guided Tours, Archives, Reference Library, limited off street Parking, Disabled access to archives and research centre
Collection:
Tarella holds some McLaughlin furniture, silver, china, clothing and memorabilia plus much more added to the collection, enabling us to set up rooms in the cottage of the early 1900's. The Research centre holds an historic photo collection of the Blue Mountains. It also holds Birth, Death and Marriage documents of NSW, over 3000 photos, maps, books, articles and much information of residences and families.
Items
Cottage
Tarella
Creator:
John McLaughlin
Description:
C.1886 weatherboard holiday cottage in almost original condition.
Date:
C.1886 - 1920
Photographs
Creator:
Melvin Vaniman
Description:
Katoomba townscape, photographed from the top of an 80' pole, BW print 120cm x 41cm, facsimile signature Vaniman, 1903.
Date:
1902 - 1907 (1903 mainly)
Other prints held: Sydney Town Hall - fine definition print (time on clock - 10.42); the Great Zig Zag, Lithgow, shows engines and tenders working at three levels of the railway; view of Wellington harbour, NZ.
Glass Slides
Creator:
Harry Phillips
Description:
Pictorial record of places, people, events usually in the Blue Mountains, NSW. BW prints and published tourist booklets also held.
Date:
1910 - 1940 (mainly 1910 - 1920)
BW prints extend from before to after film could distinguish between white and blue - ie the introduction of film material (possibly panchromatic) which enabled the development of clouds in skies. Phillips reportedly was fascinated - one of his photos he titled 'Warclouds'.