A Landmark Junction
Some of Australia’s oldest roads in early Colonial Australia exist within our area. When main roads meet they form a junction and one of the major junctions in our area is the junction formed where Windsor, Seven Hills and Old Northern Roads all meet. Possibly referred to as the “Bull and Bush” Junction.
What has caused me to look at this particular junction was a reader asking me, a few weeks ago, “Do you know anything about Wood’s store at Baulkham Hills?” I had heard of it and had some photographs of the store. When looking at the photos, it occurred to me that the site upon which Wood’s store once stood had changed considerably over time and more changes are in the wind.
The site of Wood’s store is currently unoccupied, it being a demolition site next door to Ackling House, the home of dental surgeries and retail premises. Prior to demolition, it was the site of the “Gateway Plaza Centre” which contained a Swimart pool shop, Chinese restaurant, newsagency and other retail establishments.
Prior to the Gateway Plaza centre being constructed, it was the site of a car sales yard and service station. An Ampol service station was built on the site during 1956 which, after a period, became Schmutter’s Car Sales which later transferred to Blacktown. The land was excavated in 1982 and the Gateway Plaza Centre building was constructed.
The first store on the site was operated by Charlie Brown who then sold the store to O. A Vecsey in 1916 who operated the store until 1918. The Wood family bought the business in 1918 and operated it until 1956.
A few more readers have also asked about the Moderna building opposite the current Bull & Bush hotel which has been mostly unoccupied for a couple of years which is also located at the same junction.
The landmark Moderna building is a topic which a number of readers have asked about. This site has seen many changes over time. From the late 1800s. A hotel named the “Horse & Jockey” was situated on the site, as Yattenden Oval, which is nearby, was once the location of a racetrack and the hotel would stand to be a profitable enterprise on race days.
The Post Office on the site operated at the rear of the hotel, along a general store both operated by Aborn Pouler. In 1880 Joseph Washington Phillips took over the business running it until 1885. In 1915 the hotel and shop were demolished. During 1936, Butter’s Newsagency was built on the site, over a period of years serving as a Post Office, haberdashery and as a shoe shop. In 1964 G. J. Coles & Coy built a Coles New World Supermarket on the site which operated until 1981 after which the supermarket was converted to a “Shoppers World” store.
A later conversion saw a restaurant included in the building which operated first as Sizzler, followed by Bells Restaurant, and even later as a Food Star Restaurant. My wife reminded me of the time an elderly gentleman had driven into the front of the restaurant having lost control of his vehicle when turning from Windsor Rd into Seven Hills Rd, I think back in the 1990s.
Developers Dyldam acquired the site much later to build the controversial Moderna apartments, which have been the subject of a NSW Investigation resulting in the discovery of serious defects which has prevented or delayed occupation of tenants and purchasers. Recent work during past months has seen more residents moving in.
The other landmark building at the junction is that of the “Bull & Bush” Hotel. This was also purchased by Dyldam but has since been acquired by other interests after Dydam was put under administration.
A Pub was originally built on this site circa 1810 and was called the ‘Lamb and Lark’, then renamed ‘The Cricketers’ c1870, demolished in 1885 to make way for the ‘”Royal Hotel” also referred to as the “Royal Baulkham Hills Hotel”
This was demolished and rebuilt as the ‘Bull & Bush Inn’ after the 1930’s Depression. In 1991 there was a fire in the public bar, so reconstruction took place in 1992, with the latest renovation in 2004.