Historical information

In October 1874, Thomas Reidy and Andrew McCormack opened the Carriers’ Arms on the corner of South and Church Streets. They also established a general store next door, which they soon extended. The Carriers’ Arms was a coach stop for the Bethanga Express Coach. On 8 December 1882 the licence for the Carriers’ Arms was granted to Ann Reidy.

In 1883, Edmund T. Powell, and his Irish-born wife, Mary Ann, purchased the Carriers’ Arms. By 1898 the Licence was in the name of M. A. Powell. She was still the licensee at the time of her death in August 1906. For a short time, the property was in the hands of Miss Maud Powell but in February 1907, the licence for The Carriers’ Arms Hotel was transferred to Mr George L. Leighton.
On Monday 5th February 1917 a clearing sale of all furniture and effects of the Carriers’ Arms Hotel was held. The new proprietor and licensee was Henry R. Baker.
In April 1920, the Carriers’ Arms had another new proprietor, Mrs A. E. Frauenfelder but by October 1921 it was transferred to Kathleen Hickey. Mrs. Hickey was at the Carriers’ Arms until she died in January 1926.
In 1927, Mr H.W. Allen, formerly proprietor of the Terminus Hotel took over the Carriers’ Arms but in August 1928 the balance of the lease was transferred to Mrs Mulrooney. In 1932 it again changed hands, with the licence being transferred to Mrs Eileen Dorothy Hemphill, of Wodonga. In 1933 the Carriers’ Arms was licensed to Mrs. M.G. O’Brien, a sister of Mrs Hemphill.
In 1935 Leo Houlihan took over the business but 6 months later it was transferred to A C Ferguson. The next year the licence was transferred yet again to Zelda Allen. By 1937 it was in the hands of Percy Cumberland then to Lila Maud MacPherson and soon followed by Ronald Dobson.
By 1940 Herbert V.A. Callender had taken over the Carriers’ Arms and in 1942 the licence was transferred again to Sarah Jane Callander.

In July 1943 Mr G. A. Adams disposed of the freehold of the Carriers’ Arms Hotel in Hume Street to Mr J.H. Perry. By September 1955 Edward Spencer held the Victualler’s licence for Carriers Arms Hotel and the licences was transferred to Kevin Patrick Howell. Mr Howell operated the hotel for many years.
At some stage in the 1980s Geoff Milne operated the Carriers’ Arms. In 2007 he was killed in a light airplane crash.
In 1991 David McLeish and Bob Craig, took over the Carriers’ Arms and were joined in 1993 by James Carroll. They continued to operate it until 2003.
In 2010 Greg Evans held the Freehold with Licensees Cate Nightingale and Michael McNamara,
After running into major financial difficulties it was run by Greg Evans. In 2010 the Carriers’ Arms was put up for auction but failed to sell.
From 2013 - 2016, Ron Montgomery and his wife Michelle took over the lease of the Carriers’ Arms. In 2018, the Carriers’ Arms was purchased from Greg Evans by Leigh Esler.

After opening to the public in 1874, The Carriers’ Arms was closed in 2019 and following extensive refurbishment opened as Church Street

Significance

These items are significant as they document the history of a long-serving business in the Wodonga community.

Physical description

A collection of photos and advertisements documenting the life of the Carriers' Arms Hotel, Wodonga.