Our History
UNTAMED COUNTRY
Long before Wauchope became the bustling regional town we know today, the Birpai people lived on and cared for this land for tens of thousands of years. Their deep connection to Country and the Hastings River region continues to be recognised and respected.
Duncan Campbell’s horse team.
Early Exploration
European exploration began in 1818 when Surveyor-General John Oxley passed through the area, naming the river and Rawdon Island after Lord Francis Rawdon Hastings.
By the 1820s, timber cutters were harvesting the region’s prized red cedar, laying the foundations for Wauchope’s future as a thriving timber town.
From One Farm to a Community
In 1836, Captain Robert Andrew Wauch purchased 760 acres along King Creek, naming his property Wauchope — a name that would come to define the growing township.
Local landmarks soon followed: Queen’s Wharf (built in 1870 by store owner Thomas Wallace) and Wauchope Provisional School, which opened in 1868, became cornerstones of the young community.
Hastings Hotel 1939
the Heart of Town
By the late 1800s, Wauchope had become a busy centre for farming and forestry.
It was during this era that the original timber Hastings Hotel was built — a welcome stop for locals, travellers and timber workers alike.
After a devastating fire destroyed the first structure, the current two-storey brick hotel was constructed around 1897, proudly standing ever since at the heart of town.
The 1900s and Beyond
The 20th century saw Wauchope continue to grow and evolve.
Bain Bridge opened in 1907, linking the town across the Hastings River.
The Wauchope Railway Station, completed in 1915, brought new energy and connection to the region.
Community life thrived with the first Wauchope Show in 1910 and the formation of the Wauchope Surf Life Saving Club in 1923 — both still local traditions today.
Wauchope even played a role in shaping an Australian icon, with locally milled timber and plywood used in the construction of the Sydney Opera House between 1959 and 1973.
The Hastings Today
Today, the Hastings Hotel remains a proud part of Wauchope’s story.
As custodians of this historic building, we honour its heritage while welcoming locals and visitors alike to enjoy newly refurbished spaces and the same country hospitality that’s been part of the pub for over a century.
A lot has changed around town, but the heart of The Hastings hasn’t — it’s still a place where good food, cold drinks and friendly faces bring people together, just like it always has.