Bega main street history documented in new book

The book - somewhat prosaically titled "Carp Street, Bega" - was a joint South Coast History Society-Bega Valley Historical Society production.

It is a companion to "Fascinating Bega: The Anatomy of a Town" that was released earlier this year.

President of the South Coast History Society Peter Lacey said "Carp Street, Bega" had two objectives - to record in one document the history of Bega's important main street, and to document the street as it was today so that historians in future will have an accurate picture of Carp Street as it was in 2023.

Carp Street has not always been Bega's "main street", Mr Lacey explained

The bottom end of Auckland Street and Church Street were earlier CBDs, before Carp Street gradually became the town's main street in the late 19th Century.

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Carp Street was originally a "working street" - stock saleyards at one end and basic service businesses such as blacksmiths. saddlers, coach builders (all these later being replaced by service stations and car dealerships, which have since disappeared), bootmakers, printers, produce merchants, machinery suppliers, the old-style mercers and tailors, alongside significant-size general stores, banks, tea rooms/cafes...and five hotels!

At various times, four theatres and a School of Arts offered entertainment, also attracting townsfolk and visitors to the street.

"Carp Street, Bega" is the story of that street - as it was then, as it is now.

The book is 138 A4 pages and includes 242 photographs. It's $39.95 and is available direct from South Coast History Society (phone 0448 160 852) and from Bega Pioneers' Museum.

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