Bungaree History Walk
  • Home
    • Launch of the Walk
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  • The Wathaurungs
    • Wathaurung Culture
    • Lal Lal Falls
    • The Important Mountains
    • Special Wathaurung Sites
    • Interesting Wathaurung Facts and Photos
    • The Legend of Bunjil
  • The Bungaree Blacksmiths
    • The Chisholm's
    • The Devereux's
    • The Ritchie's
    • The Cyclone Destroys a Blacksmith
    • Stories about the Blacksmith
  • The Bungaree Hotels
    • Grand Junction
    • Bridge Hotel
    • Morning Star
    • Horse and Jockey Hotel
    • Robbery at the Morning Star
    • The Cyclone Destroys a Hotel
  • The Bungaree Bank
    • The Bankers
    • Inside the bank
    • The Holey Incident
    • The Blacksmith's Joke
    • The Bungaree Bank Closes
  • The Bungaree Police Station
    • Stories about the Police Station
    • The Truck Crash
    • Archaeological Survey
    • Police Station Photos
  • The Bungaree Railway Station
    • The Train Wreck
    • The Busy Bungaree Station
    • Interview with Mr Lawless
    • Bungaree Railway Photos
    • The Bungaree Station Closes
  • The Bungaree Shops
    • The Chalmers Shop
    • Bottom Shop
    • Top Shop
    • The Lolly Shop and Butcher
    • Interviews about the Shops
    • Things the Shops Sold
  • The Bungaree Schools
    • The First School
    • The Bluestone School
    • The Current School
    • Interviews with Past Students
    • Bungaree School Photos
  • The Bungaree Mechanics' Institute
    • A Cyclone Destroys the Hall
  • St John's Anglican Church
    • Parish Life
    • Improvements to St John's
  • The Bungaree Fire Brigade
    • Black Friday
    • Fighting Fires
    • Early Fire Fighting Equipment
    • Bungaree CFA
    • The Mt Warrenheip Fire
    • The Captain visits the school
  • St Michael's Church, School and Convent
    • St Michael's School
    • St Michael's Church
    • St Michael's Convent
  • The Bungaree Recreation Oval
    • The Bungaree Footy Club
    • The Bungaree Netball Club
    • Interviews about the Institute
    • The Cricket and Tennis Clubs
  • The Making of the History Walk
  • Contact Details and Bibliography
  • Extra Information, photos and songs
  • Feedback Blog

Death at the Lost Hotel of Bungaree

Little is known of the Horse and Jockey Hotel - however on Tuesday 17th February 1863, the Ballarat Star gave an account of an inquest into the death of Thomas Crowley held at the Grand Junction Hotel.

Susan Brennand in evidence deposed as follows: "My husband keeps the Horse and Jockey Hotel in Bungaree. The deceased was in the bar about mid-day."


According to the inquest it appears Crowley was quite drunk and got into a fight with two patrons and evicted from the Horse and Jockey. He staggered across the road to a bakery owned by George Lee, who was cursed with what Lee describes as "colonial language". Crowley threatened to kill Lee.  Lee  got his whip, but this was not enough to deter Crowley and Lee  fired a pistol in the air and Lee  went back on his way - this time across the road to the home of  Mr Tonk's,  who locked Crowley in his shed for everybody's safety. Crowley got out and tried to attack Lee and Tonk, who was forced to hit Crowley with a piece of wood and killed him. A verdict of death by misadventure was returned.


The exact location of the Horse and Jockey Hotel is not known but it is thought to have been in Lester's Road next to the Grand Junction Hotel.

Click here to read about the failed robbery.