Sportsman’s Arms Hotel, New Lambton

In September 1869 when New Lambton was in its infancy, the Newcastle Chronicle reported there was already two hotels and “a third public-house is in course of erection, and the proprietor, Mr Johns, expects a license for it shortly.” Built on the north-west corner of Regent Street and Portland Place, Nicholas Johns opened the Sportsman’s Arms Hotel for business on 22 January 1870.

After three decades of operation, Marshalls Paddington Brewery purchased the land and building in 1899 and commenced plans for a new hotel building in a different location. In April 1903 the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate reported: “A large brick hotel is now being erected overlooking the reserve, close to the tram terminus. The roof which is of red tiles, is now completed, and the contractor, Mr. Viggers. is busy finishing the interior to the designs of Mr. Henderson, architect.” In July 1903 the license of the Sportsman’s Arms hotel was transferred to the new two storey building on the corner of Hobart Road and Rugby Road, with William Thompson as licensee.

The old hotel in Regent Street closed and was used as a private dwelling for two years before it was destroyed by fire in June 1905. There are no known photographs of the original hotel. In 1922 the Methodists purchased the site and constructed a church building.

In Hobart Road in 1903, in addition to his new hotel, William Thompson also built a large assembly room and named it the Commonwealth Hall. For a decade it was used for socials, fundraisers, community gatherings, political meetings, and concerts. In 1912 John Sperring, licensee of the Belmont Hotel, purchased the hall and arranged to have it dismantled, transported, and re-erected on a site adjoining his hotel in Belmont. The second Sportsman’s Arms Hotel in New Lambton continued trading until 1987, when the Wests Leagues Club demolished it to allow an extension of their premises.

The Sportsman’s Arms Hotel (left) and Commonwealth Hall (right) in Hobart Rd New Lambton, c. 1908. Photo by Ralph Snowball. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.
Wests New Lambton now occupies the site of the second Sportsman’s Arms Hotel.

The article above was first published in the May 2025 edition of The Local.


Additional Information

See the following sections in my New Lambton Hotels page:

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
16 Sep 1868"A third public-house is in course of erection, and the proprietor, Mr. Jones [sic], expects a license for it shortly after it is finished. There will then be three licensed houses at New Lambton - a number quite equal to the wants of the people."
22 Jan 1870"NICHOLAS JOHNS begs to inform the inhabitants of New Lambton and surrounding districts, that he will commence business as a PUBLICAN in the Sportsman's Arms, New Lambton, on THIS DAY (Saturday), January 22nd."
26 Mar 1902William Masefield Bostock advertised … "that I desire to obtain and will at the next Quarterly Licensing Court to be holden at Newcastle on the Third Day of April Next apply for a Certificate authorising the issue of a Conditional Publican’s License for premises proposed to be erected and situated at the corner of Alma-road and Lambton-road, and to be known by the sign of 'Sportsman’s Arms,' and containing eleven rooms, exclusive of those required for the use of the family."
15 Apr 1902
14 Apr 1902
At the licensing court held on 14 April 1902, Bostock stated … "that he was an agent for Marshall’s Brewery Company, who had an hotel known as the Sportsman’s Arms Hotel, New Lambton, and he proposed to remove the license of that house to that for which he was applying for a conditional license. He had a guarantee, which he produced, from his company to close the Sportsman’s Arms should the new license be grant ed. The site of the proposed hotel was at the intersection of Alma-road and Lambton-road, opposite Roberts’ store. He did not own the land, but had taken certain steps to procure it."
5 Jul 1902
4 Jul 1902
Application for conditional license for new premises to be constructed for the Sportsman's Arms Hotel.
16 Jul 1902
15 Jul 1902
Licensing court approves conditional license for the new Sportsman's Arms building to be erected in Hobart Road.
17 Apr 1903"A large brick hotel is now being erected for Mr. Thomson overlooking the reserve, close to the tram terminus. The roof which is of red tiles, is now completed, and the contractor, Mr. Viggers. is busy finishing the interior to the designs of Mr. Henderson, architect."
4 Jul 1903"The old Sportsman's Arms Hotel in Regent-street, which is one of the oldest buildings in the municipality, and in the early days was considered to be among the best of its class, is now closed, the license having been transferred to the new building recently erected by the Marshall's Brewery Company in Hobart-road."
19 Oct 1903
16 Oct 1903
"The members of the New Lambton Fire Brigade held a social in Thompson's new hall on Friday evening ... the Mayor (Alderman Errington), on behalf of the proprietors, declared the hall open. In doing so he explained that the building was to be known as the Commonwealth Hall."
5 Jun 1905
4 Jun 1905
"Shortly before nine o'clock yesterday morning a fire occurred in an old unoccupied building at the corner of Regent street and Portland Place. The building, which was owned by Marshall's Brewery Co. was formerly known as the Sportsman's Arms Hotel, and about two years the license was transferred to the new hotel belonging to the same firm, situated in Hobart-road. For some time the structure was occupied as a private dwelling, but for the last few months has been untenanted ...After burning for about three-quarters of an hour, the old building collapsed, the debris falling with a crash into the middle of the street. The only portion that remained standing was the chimney and part of the kitchen, which was detached from the main building."
6 Jul 1912"TENDERS are invited for taking down the Commonwealth Hall, situated at New Lambton, Removing, and Erecting at Belmont. Tenders close 13/7/'12. Lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted. Apply for particulars. John Sperring, Belmont Hotel."
25 Dec 1913"The town possesses accommodation in the way of halls for entertainment, and within the past year Mr. Sperring, licensee of the Belmont Hotel, has erected a large hall adjoining the hotel grounds. The building is 70 feet long by 30 feet wide, and will seat comfortably about 500 persons. It has a large stage capable of mounting big acts. and the floor is well adapted for dancing. The building was previously the Commonwealth Hall at New Lambton, which Mr. Sperring purchased, and had re-erected, strengthened, and generally improved in its interior decorations. The hall is frequently used by moonlight excursion parties."

Bramcote

Bramcote was the original name of a subdivision in Barnsley to the west of Slatey Creek.

Plan lodgement entry for DP1145, “Bramcote”, parish of Teralba, being a subdivision of Lot 1 of DP774. Historical Land Records Viewer

The Bramcote township was advertised from 8 July 1882 through to 19 August 1882, when an auction was to be held. Rain delayed the auction until 2 September 1882.

Advertisement for sale of land at “Bramcote”. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 19 August 1882.

The advertisement spruiks the transport amenity of Bramcote, having frontages to the Cooranbong and Wallsend roads and being at the junction of the Minmi road.

Map from Land Title associated with DP774, showing the area west of Flaggy Creek where the Bramcote subdivision was located. Vol-Fol 570-229.

The advertisement also states that Bramcote is close to “the deep waters of Cockle Creek” which is “navigable for steamers.” Measurement in Google Earth shows that Bramcote would have been about half a mile from Cockle Creek.

The neighbouring subdivisions of Bramcote and Highgate, separated by Slatey (Flaggy) Creek.

The third transport feature spruiked in the advertisement was that Bramcote “is within four hundred yards of the proposed Railway Connecting Waratah with Sydney.” This claim was a highly questionable one to make at this time. A number of trial surveys of different routes and various deviations for the Sydney to Newcastle railway had been made in 1879 and 1880. An 1881 map for the neighbouring Highgate subdivision shows a railway route beside Cockle Creek. However even by early 1881 it appears that the Government had settled on a more easterly route that came through the Tickhole tunnel, Cardiff and then Teralba. This led to much dissatisfaction from some, who wanted the rail line to pass through the mining townships of Lambton and Wallsend. A municipal conference was held in April 1881 to agitate for their preferred route. Despite the protestations, the Government decided on the final (current) route in May 1883, and Bramcote and Highgate lost their railway.

The location of the Bramcote subdivision (DP1145) shown on a modern map. SIX maps.

This page is part of the collection of Newcastle’s Obsolete Place Names.

Kooragang Islands

What we now know as Ash Island and Kooragang Island was once a patchwork of smaller islands. With land reclamation projects over the years, and changes in the river course, many of these islands and their names have disappeared.

Islands in the Kooragang area marked on Parrott’s 1893map. National Library of Australia.
  • Ash Island
  • Dempsey Island
  • Goat Island
  • Hexham Island
  • Mangrove Island
  • Moscheto Island
  • Sandy Island
  • Smiths Island
  • Snapper Island
  • Spectacle Islands
  • Spit Island
  • Wallis Island
1913 War Office map. National Library of Australia.

A 1913 War Office map adds another three named islands …

  • Campbell Island
  • Dunns Island
  • Walsh Island
1920s Craigies map. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.

In a 1920s Craigies map the Spectacle Islands have now become …

  • Pig Island
  • Table Island

This page is part of the collection of Newcastle’s Obsolete Place Names.

Calico Town

The Newcastle Family History Society’s (NFHS) Bulletin No. 15 in October 1984 describes Calico Town as being “Wallsend, Lake Road area”, however there appears to be scant evidence for this. A 1948 refers to Wallsend’s first school being “held in a calico tent at Calico Town (Lake Road) nearly 90 years ago.”

The Newcastle Sun, 22 April 1948.

The dating in this article is somewhat contradictory, with “90 years ago” implying the school opened in 1858, but the 84 year old resident stating that he attended the opening in 1870. To add to the confusion, the only other reference I could find to “Calico Town” was a 1955 report by architecture students of Newcastle College, which gives yet another date for the school opening when stating …

In the same year, 1862, the first National school was held in a calico tent at Calico Town on Lake Road.

With only two references to Calico Town on Lake Road, the earliest some 80 to 90 years later, I remain unconvinced of the genuineness of this obsolete name.


This page is part of the collection of Newcastle’s Obsolete Place Names.

Burwood

When we think of “Burwood” in Newcastle today, it is most commonly associated with Burwood Beach, situated between Glenrock Lagoon and Merewether.

Burwood Beach is situated at the northern end of what was the Burwood Coal Company’s 1287 acre coal lease.

The coal company’s principal pit was located near the centre of their lease, where the modern day suburb of Whitebridge is …

Burwood No. 3 Colliery, was located in Whitebridge.

… and consequently this area is sometimes known as Burwood. The main north/south road here is named “Burwood Road” and there was formerly a Burwood Colliery Bowling Club at this location.

Burwood Colliery Bowling Club, 2010. Google StreetView.

However there is another area in Newcastle that earlier on was also known as Burwood. It was located in the area of Merewether immediately to the south of The Junction. The name appears on an 1855 map.

“Burwood” marked to the south of Lake Macquarie Road (Bar Beach Ave today) on the plan of the Australian Agricultural Company’s Estate, Newcastle, 1855. (Note that this plan is drawn with south at the top and north at the bottom.) University of Newcastle, Living Histories.

The Historical Land Records Viewer has a number of parish maps where “Town of Burwood” is marked. The area still has to this day a “Burwood Street” within it.

Some of the early churches in this area used the name “Burwood”, such as the Burwood Primitive Methodist Church.

The first methodist Church in the Junction was the Burwood Primitive Methodist Church, which was opened in 1859. In 1879 the original building was replaced by a brick building 50 feet by 30 feet, and service was continued in the building until 1904.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 7 February 1927.

The Burwood Primitive Methodist Church was located on the south side of Railway Street.

BURWOOD SUNDAY-SCHOOL PICNIC. The Primitive Methodist Sunday-school picnic was held in the vacant piece of ground in Railway-street, opposite the church.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 10 November 1896.
The Burwood Primitive Methodist Church was located at 5-6 Railway Street, Merewether. Google Earth with water board map sheet 086 from University of Newcastle, Living Histories.

This page is part of the collection of Newcastle’s Obsolete Place Names.

Blue Gum Flat

Blue Gum Flat (sometimes spelled Bluegum Flat) was an informal name of a flat area situated between Jesmond and Wallsend. Being an informal name rather than an official district, only a general idea of the boundaries can be gleaned. [Ourimbah, on the Central Coast was also originally called Blue Gum Flat, but that is not the subject of this article.]

The name first appears in a newspaper report in 1861 …

A reward of £100 has been offered by the Wallsend Coal Company for information tending to convict such party or parties who recently placed a log of wood on their line of railway near the Blue Gum Flat Bridge.

The Newcastle Chronicle and Hunter River District News, 3 AUGUST 1861.

Further details of Blue Gum Flat appear in an advertisement on 20 August 1862 for the lease of “a substantial house, with 10 acres of land” being “near Wallsend” and “near the three lines of railway now starting”.

The railway referred to would be the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company railway that was constructed in 1861 and operations of the mine and railway were just starting in 1862. Parrott’s 1893 map shows two rectangular areas adjacent to the railway with a number of houses marked.

Parrott’s 1893 map of Newcastle. National Library of Australia.

It may be just a curious coincidence, but overlying the 1893 map into Google Earth, measurement shows the area of those two rectangles to be 10 acres, the same area as in the 1862 advertisement.

In a funeral notice from 16 February 1880 for William Edmund Wilkinson, Blue Gum Flat is described as being at Brookstown, Wallsend. Brookstown was the area near the old Wallsend Hospital.

In 1887 the residents of Blue Gum Flat were petitioning for a railway platform …

Blue Gum Flat township is about two miles from Wallsend, and close to Jesmond. There are a large number of residents in that locality who, although they are blessed with a railway on one side and the tramway on the other, are unable to avail themselves of either means of transit unless by walking nearly two miles. The proposed platform will be on the Newcastle side of the Wallsend Tunnel Railway.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 22 September 1887.

From this description, Blue Gum Flat is the area between the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company railway (yellow), and the Wallsend tramway (green), with the proposed site of the rail platform “on the Newcastle side of the Wallsend Tunnel Railway” marked with a red star.

An article on 27 July 1889 reporting on storm infers that Blue Gum Flat was an alternative name for Heaton. However the full range of mentions of Blue Gum Flat would suggest that it also referred to some areas north of the private town of Heaton.

At Heaton, or Blue Gum Flat, a considerable amount of damage was done to fences and vegetables by the overflowing of a creek, but the houses escaped.

An article from 4 December 1894 indicates that John Wilkinson operated a slaughter house at Blue Gum Flat.

Usage of the name appears to peter out around 1905. One of the last references to the locality is in August 1946, in the death notice of Mrs C Arnott aged 83, who “was born in the eastern boundary of Wallsend, then known as Blue Gum Flats.”

In summary, although some sources say that Blue Gum Flat was an early name for Jesmond, this is only partially true as the locality was only the portion of modern day Jesmond west of the old Wallsend/Lambton municipal boundary, now the inner city bypass.

Approximate location of Blue Gum Flat (yellow) west of the Wallsend/Lambton municipal boundary (red), with the modern day suburb of Jesmond shaded in green.

This page is part of the collection of Newcastle’s Obsolete Place Names.

Belmont Hotel

In researching the history of New Lambton’s hotels, I found that the Commonwealth Hall that was associated with the Sportsman’s Arms Hotel got moved to Belmont. In 1912 John Sperring, licensee of the Belmont Hotel, purchased the hall, had it dismantled, and then re-erected it on a site adjoining his hotel.

Mr. Sperring, licensee of the Belmont Hotel, has erected a large hall adjoining the hotel grounds. The building is 70 feet long by 30 feet wide, and will seat comfortably about 500 persons. It has a large stage capable of mounting big acts. and the floor is well adapted for dancing. The building was previously the Commonwealth Hall at New Lambton, which Mr. Sperring purchased, and had re-erected, strengthened, and generally improved in its interior decorations. The hall is frequently used by moonlight excursion parties.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 25 December 1913.

In the photograph below, the building to the left of the hotel is probably the re-erected Commonwealth Hall. John Sperring became licensee of the hotel in February 1912 and died in August 1917 while still licensee, placing the photograph below in the range 1912 to 1917.

John Sperring’s Belmont Hotel, 1912 to 1917 Lake Macquarie History.

Note that Sperring’s “Belmont Hotel” was a different establishment to the modern Belmont Hotel situated in Hitchcock Avenue. Another photograph from the Lake Macquarie History site suggests that the original Belmont Hotel was situated on the west side of Newcastle Rd (Pacific Hwy) near George St.

Corner of Newcastle Rd (now Pacific Highway) and George Street Belmont, looking north, Lake Macquarie History.

Confirmation of this location is found in the map on page 2 of land title Vol-Fol 1470-168, which shows opposite George St the outline of a building that matches the Belmont Hotel’s distinctive shape of protruding wings on either side, with a verandah between. The map also shows that the alignment of the property is slightly skewed to the modern subdivision boundary. This is an indication that the property and building pre-dates the DP585 subdivision, which matches the fact that the Belmont Hotel was established quite early in Belmont’s history.

The Belmont Hotel operated until 1925. In 1924 Tooth and Company purchased the historic “Gunyah” bungalow residence on the main road near Ada St, and upgraded the bungalow residence for hotel accommodation. In 1925 they built a new two storey brick building at the corner of the main road for the hotel bars and lounges. In July 1925 the licence of the old Belmont Hotel was transferred to the new building, and the name changed to “Hotel Gunyah”.

The original Belmont Hotel building near George St was referred to in August 1943 as having been “demolished a number of years ago”.

Another low resolution photograph from the Lake Macquarie History site shows the building with signage “…LLINGTONS BELMONT HOTEL”. Presumably this refers to the William Billington who was licensee between 1894 and 1898.

Belmont Hotel, c. 1894 to 1898. Lake Macquarie History.

Licensees

Some of the licensees of the Belmont Hotel were …

Lancers in Lambton

In May 1900, the Maitland Half-Squadron of Lancers conducted a three-day training march, including an overnight camp at Lambton. This was no academic exercise, with former members of the squadron at that very time in South Africa fighting in the Boer War.

The following is an edited extract of a report by one of the officers, published in the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate

The Maitland Lancers met on Saturday morning to start on a touring march. The object was to impart tactical training, under such conditions as would be probable on active service. A muster of 36 men under Captain Markwell, with two transport wagons set off about 10 o’clock. After stopping for a midday meal near Minmi they proceeded to Young Wallsend (Edgeworth), where the first night’s camp took place.
On Sunday they travelled round the eastern side of Lake Macquarie to Belmont for lunch, then back towards Charlestown where the peaceful little hamlet was suddenly astonished by the surrounding bush sending forth armed and mounted men from all directions, galloping and converging upon a rallying point. Colonel Ranclaud (Commandant of the Northern Forces) escorted the Lancers into their camp at Lambton, the site being one adjoining the Lambton Colliery, and very kindly placed at Captain Markwell’s disposal by Mr. Thomas Croudace, general manager of the Scottish-Australian Company. Four bell tents were erected when the tired men and horses came in. Horses were quickly placed in their lines, and a hearty meal partaken of, as the night became extremely cold, windy, and wet.
On Monday morning “the reveille” sounded at 6 o’clock, and after the necessary stable duties had been performed, and breakfast disposed of, the troops were put through sword exercises and afterwards lance exercise and squadron drill. About half-past 10 the camp was struck, and a move made towards home via Wallsend, Sandgate, and Hexham, reaching Maitland about 6 o’clock, after a most instructive, enjoyable, and interesting tour, every man glad that he had come.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 31 May 1900.
The Maitland Lancers’ camp in Lambton, 28 May 1900. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 001 000647.
The Lancers’ camp was on the ridge where Turner St runs today.

The article above was first published in the April 2025 edition of The Local.


Additional Information

Other photos

Ralph Snowball took three other photographs of the Maitland Lancers in Lambton in May 1900. One was taken in the same location as the camp photo above, but with the Lancers lined up with their horses.

The Maitland Lancers in Lambton, 28 May 1900. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 001 000646

The other two photos are looking towards the west as the Lancers approach their camp site. One of the photographs shows one of the supply wagons mentioned in the report of the march.

The Maitland Lancers in Lambton, 28 May 1900. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 001 000645
The Maitland Lancers in Lambton, 28 May 1900. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 001 000648

The location of the LANCERS’ camp

We know from the newspaper report that the camp was on a “site being one adjoining the Lambton Colliery.” The exact location can be determined by comparison with other contemporaneous photos of Lambton and the colliery.

In the photo of the Lancers’ camp below, note the following features:
A. House
B. Two-rail wooden fence in front of white fence
C. White picket fence in front of house
D. A dusty path/road running between the tents
E. A shed with a sloping roof that is between the two-rail fence and the dusty path

In Panel 2 of the 1904 Lambton panorama we see features A, B, C, D. (Assuming the house to the right of house A must have been built after the May 1900 Lancers photo, an assumption bolstered by the whiteness of its fence.)

In this October 1900 photo of Lambton colliery (just a few months after the Lancer photos) we see features A, C, D, and crucially E, the small shed with the sloping roof.

A further piece of evidence is that in the May 1900 Lancers photo, in the background to the right of the soldier’s head we see a large tallish building.

This is the rear of the New Lambton Council chambers on Lambton Rd, which is also visible in panel 2 of the 1904 Lambton panorama.

A final piece of evidence is the house in the background, which until recently still stood on Morehead St at the intersection with Turner St.

A Google StreetView image from 2020 shows the same house on Morehead St that appeared in Snowball’s 1900 photos. The house was demolished in 2024 to make way for a new building.

The Full report

The full unedited text of the report published in the newspaper appears below.

The Three Days’ Trip of the Maitland Lancers.
(By One of the Officers.)

The Maitland Half-Squadron of Lancers met at the Orderly Room on Saturday morning last, to start on a touring march, with shifting camp, in light marching order. The object was to impart tactical training to the Half-Squadron, under such conditions as would be probable on active service. There was a good muster, viz., 36, under Captain Markwell and Lieutenant Welch. Two transport waggons accompanied the troops, and a start was obtained about 10 o’clock. The squadron was formed in marching order, with an advance guard, followed by the main body, then came the transport waggons and the rear guard. The weather was very threatening, but the rain held off well.

Everything went well until a piece of bad road about four miles from Minmi had to be negotiated, when one of the transport waggons bogged up to the axles, and in the effort to get clear the pole snapped off short. A halt of the troops was called, and a fatigue party detached to repair damages. This was just one of the sort of incidents required for practical training, and to show the resources of the men, it is only necessary to say that by the aid of an axe, carried for general purposes, a sapling was cut, and the broken pole spliced with a couple of heel ropes, and in twenty minutes the march was resumed. In order to test the durability of the job, the whole trip was performed with this temporary pole. A halt was called for midday meal near Minmi, and both horses and men were fed under regulation conditions. As the roads were heavy a start was soon made again, and proceeding through Minmi and West Wallsend to Young Wallsend, where the first night’s camp took place. On reaching camp the picket lines were immediately placed in position, the horses were secured, and when the bugle sounded “feed” they showed their appreciation by little affectionate whinnies to their owners. Four bell tents were erected as if by magic, to the front of the horse lines. In the meantime the camp cooks had been busy, and all hands sat down to a hearty meal.

After tea the picket guards took up their duties, and the rest of the men enjoyed themselves round the fire with songs, jokes, recitations, &c., even down to little Trumpeter Roy Welch, who contributed “The Man from Snowy River” in a very creditable manner, seated on the shoulders of a stalwart trooper. At 10 o’clock the bugles rang cut “lights out,” and the camp was in darkness. The picket guards were changed every three hours during the night, and a good deal of work was provided for them by some of the new chum horses objecting to the heel ropes, and kicking and breaking loose.

On Sunday morning at 6 “the reveille” was sounded, and half an hour later hot coffee and biscuits were served. Then followed “stables” and lance exercise. A sheep had been ordered from the local butcher for breakfast, and when this arrived a good breakfast was enjoyed by all. At 9 o’clock tents were struck, the baggage waggons loaded. The squadron was then formed up the same as the preceding day, and a fresh start made.

When the column reached the junction of the Cardiff, Wallsend, and Cockle Creek roads a guard was detached to convoy the transports to Lambton via Cardiff, and the main body proceeded by Cockle Creek and Argenton road round the eastern side of Lake Macquarie, and here a slice of good luck was encountered, by meeting with two members of the Scottish Rifles, Messrs. Wilcox and Stubbs, who knew the country well from there to Belmont, and who very kindly volunteered their services to act as guides through the scrubby country ahead. Captain Markwell promptly accepted the good things the gods had provided, and a move was made. Passing on through Spears’ Estate a beautiful view of lovely Lake Macquarie was obtained, but a little further on the value of the guides was fully appreciated, when a creek, rejoicing in the suggestive name of “Snaky Creek,” emptying into Warner’s Bay, was encountered right across the line of march. This creek is said to be very boggy and dangerous to negotiate, so a detour was made into the waters of the lake, and by keeping well out from the mouth the bottom is found to be silted up, and a safe crossing was effected. This operation produced a beautiful picture; the Lancers in open files, with pennants flying and with glittering swords and lances, reflected from a sunny sky in the azure water below, was a sight never to be forgotten. From here the country became rather rough and scrubby, but being open and unfenced it afforded an opportunity for a little skirmishing, so the groups were thrown out, in diamond formation, and covered with right and left flanking patrols in advance of the main body. The duty of these skirmishers was to go ahead and feel for, and locate an enemy, and convey the information to the main body through connecting files. These operations provided some exceedingly useful and highly interesting work, and the country was traversed in this manner right through to Belmont.

A halt was called here for lunch, the troops having carried a biscuit and cheese and a ration for their horses in nose-bags on their saddles. After a short rest the squadron was reformed, and the march resumed back towards Charlestown, and where the country permitted of it, very useful reconnoitring work was again performed, as detailed above. At Charlestown the “rally” was sounded, and the peaceful little hamlet was suddenly astonished by the surrounding bush sending forth armed and mounted men from all directions, galloping and converging upon the rallying point. The march was then made from Charlestown via Hillsborough towards Lambton, and about a mile from Charlestown the squadron was met by Colonel Ranclaud, Commandant of the Northern Forces, and a number of gentlemen from Newcastle, comprising three of the younger members of the Croudace family, Mr. Greenland, and others. These gentlemen are taking an active interest in the formation of a Lancer Half-Squadron in Newcastle, and were naturally much interested in everything pertaining to the troops. Colonel Ranclaud and the other gentlemen named escorted the Lancers into their camp at Lambton, the site being one adjoining the Lambton Colliery, and very kindly placed at Captain Markwell’s disposal by Mr. Thomas Croudace, general manager of the Scottish-Australian Company. The transport waggons having travelled by the short road had arrived early in the day, and the camp was ready pitched when the tired men and horses came in. Horses were quickly placed in their lines, and a hearty meal partaken of, and as the night was extremely cold, windy, and wet, it very speedily became a “sleeping camp,” but for the vigilant picket guards and officers. On Monday morning “the reveille” again sounded at 6 o’clock, and after the necessary stable duties had been performed, and breakfast disposed of, the troops were put through sword exercise dismounted, and afterwards lance exercise and squadron drill. About half-past 10 the camp was struck, and a move made towards home via Wallsend, Sandgate, and Hexham. The Lancers were escorted from their camp as far as Sandgate by Mr. P. Croudace, Mr. William Arnott, junr., Mr. Greenland, and others. The Half-Squadron reached Maitland about 6 o’clock, after a most instructive, enjoyable, and interesting tour, every man glad that he had come, and feeling well enough to go and do it again in the next three days if required. There was not a single incident to mar the enjoyment or harmony of the march. The only misadventures were the loss of a sword-blade by one of the troopers in the bush when skirmishing, and the breaking of the pole of the transport waggon.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 31 May 1900.