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Environment and Heritage
Environment and Heritage

Daniel Gowing

Farmer, businessman and philanthropist (1812–1906)

Daniel hosted social outings on his steam launch ‘The Rose of Eden’ c.1887
Image Credit: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
 

Location

2 Wharf Rd, Tathra NSW 2550

Tathra is on the land of the Yuin people.

Accessibility

Not wheelchair accessible

About Daniel Gowing

Daniel Gowing was an English farmer who was instrumental in the development of Bega and surrounding towns in the far south-east of New South Wales.

In the 1860s, he initiated the development of a jetty at Tathra to serve as a shipping outlet, allowing farmers to transport their produce more easily to Sydney and Melbourne. Shortly after, the jetty was replaced by a wharf, which provided vital impetus for Tathra’s rise as the region’s main port.

Daniel went on to build Tathra's first store and post office and maintained a lifelong interest in the area's advancement.

Black and white portrait of Daniel Gowing wearing a suit
Daniel Gowing
Image Credit: The descendants of Daniel Gowing

Portrait of Daniel Gowing

Farming in the far southeast

Daniel Gowing was born in 1812 in Norfolk, England. After working as a hedger and thatcher, he migrated to Australia in 1841 with his wife, Mary, and their 2 children. A man of modest means, he settled first in the Bong Bong area, then at Sutton Forest and later at ‘Glenfield’ near Liverpool. Here, he worked as a nurseryman and farmer.

In 1855, he acquired 500 acres at Jellat Jellat and began farming wheat, maize and cattle. He followed the latest developments in heavy machinery. For example, he purchased the district’s first traction engine to power the ploughing of his extensive maize flats. He eventually owned some 3,000 acres in the area and became one of the most successful farmers on the South Coast.

Connecting the region

A key element in Daniel’s success was his enterprise in helping to develop the region’s transport links. During the 1850s and 1860s, poor-quality roads and the lack of a rail line meant local farmers were heavily reliant on steamer services to ship produce to Sydney and Melbourne.

The main port in the region was at Merimbula, but a submerged ridge of sand was a constant source of trouble and delay for cargo vessels. The overland journey to Bega was also laborious and costly.

Developing Tathra’s port

In 1857, Daniel offered a financial reward to anyone willing to ship produce from Tathra instead, some 25 kilometres to the north. The following year, the first steamer came to call, mooring offshore at the beach.

Cargo was transported by small boat from a spot known as Kangarutha, and later from nearby Kianinny. Daniel built loading sheds in both places, along with an access road.

In the early 1860s, Daniel led a group of local farmers in establishing a jetty at Tathra that could serve as a shipping outlet. The jetty was later superseded by a more substantial wharf funded by donations from farmers and the Illawarra Steamship Company.

Built out of turpentine pylons driven into solid rock, the wharf provided momentum for the development of Tathra, which soon grew to replace Merimbula as the region’s primary port.

  • Black and White image of a garden with grass and plants in the foreground and a white greenhouse in the background. In front of the greenhouse is Daniel Gowing and a woman.
    Daniel Gowing was a hedger and thatcher in Norfolk before coming to Australia
    Daniel Gowing was a hedger and thatcher in Norfolk before coming to Australia
    Image Credit: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
  • Black and white image of men and women in an old motor car. The car is on the street next to a building which is a hotel, with people looking out from the bottom floor entrance and on the balcony above.
    The Central Hotel in Bega opened in 1895
    The Central Hotel in Bega opened in 1895
    Image Credit: The descendants of Daniel Gowing
  • Black and white image of 7 men and 7 women. The men are wearing suits, with three of them wearing hats and the women are wearing Edwardian dresses. Two of the men are lying down in front of the others who are sitting and standing behind them. The family is standing outside with bushes and trees behind them.
    Daniel Gowing (centre) with his family in 1892
    Daniel Gowing (centre) with his family in 1892
    Image Credit: The descendants of Daniel Gowing

Supporting South Coast advancement

Throughout his long life, Daniel maintained an interest in developing the Bega area. He established numerous businesses in the area over his life, including the Central Hotel, which he built as an investment for his daughter. He served as vice-president of the Bega Agricultural, Pastoral and Horticultural Society and was a longstanding member of the first National School board.

His philanthropic activities included donating land for the construction of cottages for the region’s aged and infirm, and raising funds for a hospital. Garden parties at his home to raise money for local charities, and picnics for school children in his orchard, were annual events.

Blue Plaque commemorating Daniel Gowing, mounted on a brown wooden wall beneath the 'Tathra Wharf Museum' sign. The plaque reads: 'Farmer, businessman and philanthropist. Founded this wharf,' recognising Gowing’s role in establishing the Tathra Wharf.
Daniel Gowing's Blue Plaque outside the Tathra Wharf Museum
Image Credit: Heritage NSW

Daniel Gowing’s Blue Plaque outside the Tathra Wharf Museum

References and further reading