From 1838 NSW Government Gazette 27th July, 1838. General Post Office, Sydney, 14th August, 1838. NOTICE is hereby given, that His Excellency the GOVERNOR has been pleased to announce the establishment of a weekly overland Mail between Sydney and Brisbane Water, via Wiseman's Ferry, leaving Sydney every Tuesday at 5 P.M., for Brisbane Water. JAMES RAYMOND, Postmaster General. Anyone any idea who undertook this mammoth task ? and how it was done and how long it took ? Bye MargM Central Coast List Admin

Hi Marg, Re your query about the contractor for the weekly overland Mail between Sydney and Brisbane Water, via Wiseman's Ferry..... In October 1838 the Colonial Secretary approved the tender of Peter Fagan for conveying mail between these places. It is believed that this overland mail to Gosford was discontinued about 15 December 1842. This information comes from notes on the establishment of the mails, researched by the old GPO Historical Section in Sydney (closed down many years ago, unfortunately). According to the notes: "Direct communication between Gosford and the Hawkesbury district was re-established in 1859, an extension of the Wiseman's Ferry-Mangrove Creek service on to Gosford". It was discontinued the following year, and it was in that same year 1860, that a weekly horseback service was opened between Sydney and Gosford, a distance stated to be 48 miles. The Fagan family features largely in the continuing history of the horseback mails. Peter's son Charles had the contract for the Gosford-Kincumber mail service on horseback in 1862, and the Sydney-Gosford-Kincumber service in 1869-79 and from Aug 1879-80. In the latter year the route is known to have been from Sydney to St Leonards, Chatswood, Gordon, Hornsby, Peats Ferry and Gosford. Peter F. Fagan, another son, had the contract for Peat's Ferry - Gosford from 1882-84. At various periods the mails came and went by sea. I had the opportunity some years ago to walk over part of the old bridle track which crosses Mooney Creek and Pile's Creek.....what hilly terrain for man and horse! The Fagans were the generous-hearted people who cared for the Australian poet Henry Kendall in the 1870s at their home "Cooranbean" at West Gosford (Henry Kendall Cottage Museum), and employed him in their business at the Camden Haven River on the north coast before he was made Inspector of Forests. As they rode along with the mails, did they ever dream about the advent of email?! By the way, the Fagans also had the contract to manage the punt which took travellers across Narara Creek, roughly in the vicinity of the present road bridge on the Pacific Highway (near McDonald's). Regards, Gwen