Fullers Rest - Didcot Queensland

Royal Oak Inn

Fuller's Rest has an interesting history, it was originally known as The Royal Oak and owned by Norfolk (England) born George Irwin.

During the 1850's the son of publican William Irwin and Ann Emerson worked as a carrier dealing in wool, tallow and hides. He ploughed his business profits back into property in Maryborough, Queensland, buying large blocks of land in the city and along the riverfront at Granville, East Maryborough.

Untimely Death

George married Margaret Gregory, 27 March 1856 and they opened The Royal Oak on the Gayndah Road, near Didcot, Queensland in 1862.

In March 1863 while on a visit to Sydney Margaret Irwin received news that her husband had died following a short illness. George Irwin was buried behind the hotel at Didcot, his headstone recording what his Death Certificate would not - his exact time of death.

"Sacred to the memory of George Irwin, native of Norwich, Old England.
A long and well-known resident in the Wide Bay District. Born 31 August 1826, departed this life on Sunday at 1pm 29th day of March 1863 after a short illness."

Gayndah Road Coach Stop

The photo (above) taken in 1896, shows the extended Fuller family posing outside the ageing structure. Corrugated iron can be seen covering part of the shingle roof that had weathered the elements for almost thirty five years.

It was from here in June 1886 Fred Fuller and son William set out for Maryborough to pick up a consignment of potatoes bound for Gayndah. Fred tragically died in a fall from a bullock wagon. Ironically, he died at the Australian Hotel, Adelaide Street, Maryborough, owned by Margaret Irwin.

Photo: State Library of Queensland Neg. No. 156120

Didcot Receiving Office

In 1883, twenty years after George Irwin's death wife Margaret Irwin put The Royal Oak up for sale. The Fuller family purchased the property renamed it Fuller's Rest and used the premises as a coaching stop. The hotel licence was never renewed.

In 1902 the Fuller Family signed a petition asking the Commonwealth Government to establish a Receiving Office near Degilbo. The new office was opened on the 1st of August that year and a week later became known as Didcot Receiving Office.

Postal records show Mrs. Margaret Fuller, a widow, was appointed Receiving Office Keeper on 19th August 1902 - a position she held for almost five years.

Postmistress Seabrook

On 1 November 1907, the Receiving Office was transferred to Miss L. Seabrook the Railway gatekeeper at Didcot Station and in 1908 a further petition established a Postal Note Office at Didcot. Miss Seabrook was named as Postmistress.

A newspaper report from the Maryborough Chronicle on 17 October 1910 mentions a Mr. and Mrs. Fuller continued to run a dairy on the site of the original Didcot Hotel of old coaching days.