It’s a year of two significant milestones with the National Trust (NSW) celebrating its 75th Anniversary and Goulburn celebrating 200 years since Governor Macquarie’s first visit to Goulburn. To celebrate both, the National Trust is opening Riversdale for a special event on Saturday 24 October to showcase the exhibition The Old Town: Goulburn and Riversdale 1820 and Beyond.
Featuring the National Trust’s collection items, historical maps of the local area, documents related to the area’s colonial history, and artefacts belonging to the Twynam family, the exhibition highlights Riversdale’s significance to the history and community of Goulburn.
Riversdale was originally established as a coaching inn, and the stone barn built by Mathew Healy in 1832 is the only surviving building of the first settlement at Goulburn Plains. In the 1850s, Riversdale was used as a school before becoming home to the NSW Surveyor General, Edward Twynam, and his family for over 90 years.
Today, Riversdale is an outstanding example of a building constructed in the old colonial regency style, reflecting typical characteristics of wayside inns built during the 1830-1880 period. The property is notable for its decorative qualities, its fine craftsmanship and its finished workmanship throughout.
Special open day at Riversdale: 24 October
The National Trust will be welcoming visitors to this free open day, where there will be carefully managed timed entry to the Riversdale homestead to view the exhibition. Guests are invited to enjoy the award-winning gardens.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, minimal refreshments will be available for purchase on site, so we recommend guests bring a picnic and relax in the garden – winner of the 2019 Award Best Heritage Garden and Best Overall Garden in Goulburn at the 2019 Lilac Festival.
Any donations to support the National Trust (NSW) will be warmly welcomed.
