150 YEARS OF HISTORY - THE FAMOUS – 1860-

BUSHRANGER HOTEL – Auction 1pm Saturday 11th October 2014.

Collector is just 2 ½ hours from and 40 minutes to Canberra on the Federal Highway… It has *collected many stories mainly in and surrounding the bar at The Hotel 1860.

On 27th January 1865 Constable Samuel Nelson was shot and killed out the front by John Dunn when the gang raided the then Commercial Hotel, to be forever after known as the Bushranger Hotel in Collector.

The 26th January 2015 is Australia Day… A day later… The Bushranger Hotel honours another special chapter of Australian history… the very day after... In just a few months time… The 27th January 2015 will mark 150 years of this most tragic event at Collector.

Michael Maxwell is selling the Bushranger Hotel for Norm & Dianne Bett’s and invites any Investor, Developer, Businessman, Publican and or Australian Historian etc to purchase this stunning artefact and National Treasure on Saturday 11th October 2014. Months in advance of the necessary preparations required to properly honour Constable Samuel Nelson and his valiant attempt to arrest Ben Hall and his gang.

Outside and on the grounds the successful bidder will recreate the event no doubt and firmly re-establish the events together with the community of Collector NSW. The monument to Constable Samuel Nelson will also no doubt also be wet with the tears and cheers of all gathering.

It is said that Ben Hall regretted the passing of Constable Nelson that he had shouted words of warning and remorse later having also washed his conscience inside the Bushranger Hotel… It is a tribute to him also to be found standing here… for any man to consider his actions regrets and the loss of life and love that began elsewhere.. but know it was here at Collector the death of Constable Nelson that really added the extra lead that was now pointed to Ben Hall’s back… within days Martial Law was soon declared by a new Felons Act 1865 it was now “” versus “Ben Hall” and his gang.. No warning was now required and anybody could be an executioner and be soon counting their rich reward… 3 lots of a thousand pounds…

Like the successful who retired with his booty as leader, Ben Hall now inherited “the gang” with a sense of pride and revenge. Ben was considered a gentleman bushranger a larrikin who respected life and humiliated oppression, corruption and force, often displaying the strong as both stupid and weak. In ridiculing exposure of the strong he had the support of the public who too laughed at the oppressors of liberty. Had Ben a modern Robin Hood and heroic man been treated with justice and respect Constable Nelson would’ve never have known or confronted him, having no grudge between them both, these two men would’ve walked different paths. Let us all treat one another with respect and the servants of our liberty more so.

In killing “brave” Constable Nelson, a foolish teenager, John Dunn had signed the trios death warrant.. Nelson was a tough proud and good man, the tide of public support (that ridiculed the NSW Police & its Inspector Sir Frederick Pottinger a bungling Baronet) had diminished and with a Thousand Pounds on their individual heads a “King’s Ransom” was now the prize for their destruction.. dead bodies were only required for a fortune to be collected.

The hunt afterwards was a mixture of fever, greed, secrecy and revenge, within weeks if not months the Ben Hall gang were betrayed and executed in warm blood, publicly exhibited as trophies, only John (Johnny) Dunn would get a trial. He swung bravely, hung on 19th March 1866, he was 5ft 8in in height & 19 years of age..Not showing his fear he took his very last breath.. and here ended the reign of Ben Hall, the “King” of every town he entered.

No doubt the currently Free Museum that the entire Bushranger Hotel is will be restored advanced and extended by the New Publican who will fairly take charge and have and take hold with great care of the precious history and future of this great National place of remembrance.

Michael Maxwell – Hotel Broker - LREA 0419 618 971 [email protected]