I was reminded also of the importance of achievement and of those associated with that achievement.

How many people in Batemans Bay are aware of the town’s Melbourne Cup connection?

It is not widely known that the stallion Carbine, the Phar Lap of its day and winner of the 1890 Melbourne Cup, grazed outside stables at the rear of what is now referred to as the old Ned Kelly store in Clyde Street.

Apart from his 1890 triumph, Carbine also proved to be a champion sire – his line of descendants produced half of the Melbourne Cup winners over a 60-year period.

Carbine was owned in the early 1900s by the Guy family, who built the original store, and also built the attached homestead.

These premises, now 135 years old, are the oldest habitable buildings in Batemans Bay.

Francis Guy used the finest timbers for their construction, and the walls were strengthened with convict-made bricks from the ballasts of his coastal trading ships.

All of this rich history might be lost if council approves plans to knock down the store and homestead to make way for redevelopment.

Batemans Bay has little visual history of its pioneering days.

The developer’s rush to reduce this fine historical building to tip fill should be seriously questioned by the community and council.

Kim Odgers

Batehaven