Walk 3: Commerce, Institutions and Industry

2km walk 

John Henry Monger arrived in York in 1836 and for three generations the Monger family dominated the northern end of the town and built up a considerable merchant enterprise. Their entrepreneurial flair and organisational skills greatly facilitated the economic development of the Avon region. But, with the building of the Eastern Goldfields Railway the centre of commercial activity shifted from York to Northam and the Mongers, like many other business families in York, pulled out of commerce and concentrated on farming.

JH Monger opened his first store in York, supplying settlers with goods such as salt fish and crockery, gown pieces and paraffin lamps, books, boots and reaping hooks, camp ovens, hanks of twine and fencing wire.

Since coin in the colony was in short supply, lesser transactions often involved bartering one commodity for another, such as wood for nails, Larger transactions were made by bill of exchange or cash order - an order on Monger of York was accepted more readily than a sovereign!

Buildings of interest on Heritage Walk 3 are:

Mongers Store, Sandlewood Yard, Wagon Yard and Horse Stalls, Old York Hotel and Stables, Mongers Bridge, Wood Shed, Faversham House Stables, Faversham House, Uniting Church and Manse, York Primary School, Parish Hall, The Presbetery, St. Patricks Church, St. Patricks Convent School, Convent of Mercy, Railway Station, The Flour Mill, and Freemasons Hall.

Click here to view the pdf map of this walk