Collits' Inn, Heritage inn in Hartley Vale, Australia
Collits' Inn is a single-story building in Old Colonial Georgian style with weatherboard walls, stone-flagged verandah, and small-pane sash windows along Hartley Vale Road. The property spans around 12 hectares and contains original stables, a barn, outbuildings, and a woolshed that once supported the operations of this rural establishment.
Pierce Collits built this inn in 1823 as the first wayside establishment west of the Blue Mountains to serve travelers and livestock drivers. The site later became known as the Golden Fleece, marking its transformation within the region's growing transport and trading networks.
The name reflects Pierce Collits, who established this roadside stop in the 1820s as a vital meeting point for travelers crossing the mountains. The way the inn sits within its working landscape of stables and outbuildings shows how colonial innkeepers operated as part of a larger pastoral community.
The property now operates as accommodation and restaurant facilities, letting visitors stay within a heritage location while experiencing its rural character. The setting along a scenic road makes it accessible to those exploring the region's early colonial structures and countryside.
Archaeological assessments have uncovered substantial physical evidence both inside and around the building, including remnants from its period as the Golden Fleece. These discoveries offer visitors glimpses into the material past and daily operations of this once-busy wayside stop.
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